What type of barrels are often used for wood finishing?

The use of used barrels from other spirits, like Port or Sherry, is a well-established practice in the world of wood finishing. This approach allows distillers to impart additional flavors and characteristics to their spirits that would not be possible with new oak barrels. Used barrels have already undergone a process of flavor extraction and absorption during their previous use, which can enrich the spirit finished in them with complex notes such as fruit, nuttiness, and a range of spices.

Moreover, utilizing barrels from potent fortified wines like Port or Sherry introduces unique flavors that can enhance the final product's profile, making it more layered and intriguing to the palate. This technique is particularly favored for adding depth and broadening the aromatic spectrum of spirits.

The other options, while relevant to barrel aging and production, do not specifically embody the concept of wood finishing in the same way. New American oak barrels would impart more robust and immediate oak characteristics due to their freshness, while imported barrels from France are typically associated with fine wine production and may not contribute the same range of flavors as those from previously barrel-aged spirits. Recycled barrels from previous whisky production would not have the same flavor complexity derived from previous fortified wines and may lack the diversity of influence that is sought in wood finishing.