A Family of Craftsman

We’re proud of our 100+ years in the cooperage industry. Supported by four generations of Boswells, ISC is a family of craftsman. From our mills to our cooperages, ISC crafts barrels through sustainable practices and innovative technology. As a result, millions of people around the world enjoy beverages aged in ISC barrels.

We Believe In Craftsmanship

  • craftsmanship
  • Log Yard

    LOG YARD: Harvested logs are transported to our company-owned stave mills. Our log yards are equipped with sprinkler systems to preserve the quality of the logs until they are ready to be processed into staves.

  • Quarter Bolts

    TRANSFORMING THE LOG: Logs are debarked and passed through a metal detector. The log is cut lengthwise into bolts, and then split into four quarter bolt sections that will be processed into rough staves.

  • Edging

    MAKING A STAVE: Skilled craftsman make the final cuts on the rough staves. They are inspected to make sure they meet our quality standards before being stacked for seasoning.

  • Stave yard

    SEASONING: White oak benefits from natural air seasoning. We season our staves in climates where micro-flora flourish and the natural elements facilitate changes to oak chemistry.

  • Jointing

    JOINTING: Seasoned staves are finished by equalizers, planers and jointers at our cooperages. These stations trim the stave ends, plane the surfaces and joint the sides to ensure staves fit together tightly.

  • Raising

    RAISING: We raise the barrel by choosing staves that tightly fit together to craft the perfect barrel shape.

  • Steam Tunnel

    STEAM TUNNEL: Raised barrels are sent through the steam tunnel to make them pliable. We then add temporary hoops to curve the staves into a barrel-like shape.

  • Toasting

    TOASTING: Customers can opt to toast their barrels prior to charring, which releases desirable aromas and flavors. We offer a wide range of toast options, allowing for maximum customization.

  • Charring

    CHARRING: We offer a variety of char levels – lighter levels show more fruit esters and spice notes while darker char levels extract more vanilla flavors and color into the spirit.

  • Head Up

    HEADS & HOOPS: After charring, the barrel is assembled by adding top and bottom heads and six steel hoops. A bung hole is drilled so the barrel can be filled with liquid.

  • Quality Control

    QUALITY CONTROL: Our barrels go through a rigorous inspection process where water and air pressure are added to simulate a full barrel. The Barrel is then examined by a cooper to make sure it is liquid tight.

  • Truck Loading

    FINISHED BARREL: Barrels are then ready to be rolled onto a truck for delivery to your distillery.

A Family of Craftsmen

We're proud of our 100+ years in the cooperage industry. Supported by four generations of Boswells, ISC is a family of craftsmen. From our mills to our cooperages, ISC crafts barrels through sustainable practices and innovative technology. As a result, millions of people around the world enjoy beverages aged in ISC barrels.
CRAFTING BARRELS
SUSTAINABILITY
OUR ROOTS
  • We Believe In Craftsmanship
  • Log Yard
    Harvested logs are transported to our company-owned stave mills. Our log yards are equipped with sprinkler systems to preserve the quality of the logs until they are ready to be processed into staves.
  • Transforming the Log
    Logs are debarked and passed through a metal detector. The log is cut lengthwise into bolts, and then split into four quarter bolt sections that will be processed into rough staves.
  • Making a Stave
    Skilled craftsman make the final cuts on the rough staves. They are inspected to make sure they meet our quality standards before being stacked for seasoning.
  • Seasoning
    White oak benefits from natural air seasoning. We season our staves in climates where micro-flora flourish and the natural elements facilitate changes to oak chemistry.
  • Jointing
    Seasoned staves are finished by equalizers, planers and jointers at our cooperages. These stations trim the stave ends, plane the surfaces and joint the sides to ensure staves fit together tightly.
  • Raising
    We raise the barrel by choosing staves that tightly fit together to craft the perfect barrel shape.
  • Steam Tunnel
    Raised barrels are sent through the steam tunnel to make them pliable. We then add temporary hoops to curve the staves into a barrel-like shape.
  • Toasting
    Customers can opt to toast their barrels prior to charring, which releases desirable aromas and flavors. We offer a wide range of toast options, allowing for maximum customization.
  • Charring
    We offer a variety of char levels - lighter levels show more fruit esters and spice notes while darker char levels extract more vanilla flavors and color into the spirit.
  • Heads & Hoops
    After charring, the barrel is assembled by adding top and bottom heads and six steel hoops. A bung hole is drilled so the barrel can be filled with liquid.
  • Quality Control
    Our barrels go through a rigorous inspection process where water and air pressure are added to simulate a full barrel. The barrel is then examined by a cooper to make sure it is liquid tight.
  • Finished Barrel
    Barrels are then ready to be rolled onto a truck for delivery to your distillery.
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A FOCUS ON

Sustainability & Harvesting

Sustainable harvesting is important to maintaining healthy white oak forests. Responsible logging removes mature white oak trees which opens up the canopy and promotes new growth and regeneration. These practices help to ensure healthy forests for future generations.

With our proprietary technologies, we are able to utilize nearly 100% of the logs we harvest for staves. Material that cannot be used for staves is converted into a variety of natural products such as chips, mulch, and sawdust.

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Our Roots

From humble beginnings in the rugged Missouri Ozarks, ISC has continued to grow by focusing on innovation, hard work, and customer service to become a worldwide leader in the coopering industry.

1912
Founded by T.W. Boswell, our first mill, located in the Mark Twain National Forest, was dedicated to crafting white oak staves.

1950s
After prohibition was repealed, ISC focused on being a premier stave mill before opening a cooperage in Lebanon, Missouri.

1980s
ISC acquired a cooperage in Lebanon, Kentucky to meet a growing demand for barrels.

Today
The fourth generation of Boswells continue to grow ISC's presence around the world.

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AN ONGOING

Partnership

Our story doesn't end when the barrels are shipped to your distillery. We aim to build ongoing partnerships to support your passion for crafting great spirits.

PARTNER WITH US