When i first looked i said it looks like red oak based on bark, why i asked about whiskey smell, telltale sign of white oak IME. Rounds look like old red oak ive cut before. Either way go get the rest and keep us posted!
White oak will smell of vanilla. Some chardonnay is aged in oak barrels as it will impart the vanilla flavor to the wine. Some chardonnay in stainless steel barrels will have white oak chips tossed in the barrels for the same/similar effect. Whiskey barrels are often lightly charred /toasted to impart a distinct flavor to the contents along with the sugars from the oak cellulose. The burn or toast helps release the vanilla flavor and some other compounds from the oak. You'll find vintners that use used whiskey barrels and brewers that use used wine barrels to yield a product with a unique result.
Now was that some crazy guy in marketing with a crazy idea or was there a shortage of barrels for a while ? (and the crazy guy in marketing was tasked with dreaming up an upsell and label ? LOL ) These new barrels are expensive ! Lightbulb.
Went back to get more of this oak. Indeed it’s a red oak. Have been working on the branches. This tree must be quite old. What feel looks to be half of a double trunked tree. I cut a round today from a branch that was about 10 inches in diameter and counted 110 rings! The base of what fell is about 4 ft in diameter. I don’t know how it all translates but I have to imagine the tree has got some age. What is pictured here is not the 110 yr old branch piece but you get the idea with the tight growth rings.
That trunk looks massive. Will you cut it? Hard to tell, is it resting on a rock? It will make some of the best firewood you could ask for.
My plan is to keep going back and taking what is easiest. As I get to to the bigger parts of trunk, I will use Fiskars and splitting wedge, as some of those larger rounds will be seriously heavy. The property owner seems happy with what ever can get done. The large section appear to be a bit out of my league size-wise so I’ll have to cautiously proceed.
When you get to that point, post pictures from every angle, and I'm sure you will get some good strategic advice.
