The prestigious Whisky Magazine, a leading publication dedicated to the world of this renowned spirit, has taken a deep dive into the philosophy and craftsmanship of Tonelería Murúa, a company with over 125 years of experience in crafting premium-quality barrels. The article highlights Murúa’s resilience in a volatile market, crediting its success to its commitment to innovation, sustainability, quality, and strong relationships with suppliers and clients. With all this expertise, Whisky Magazine states that Murúa is “ready to become the best whisky barrel supplier in the world.”
A Tradition of Excellence Since 1898
Located in the valley of La Rioja, Tonelería Murúa has been producing oak barrels since 1898. In 2021, the company completed the most modern cooperage facility in Europe, allowing it to manufacture 30,000 first-class barrels per year. The new facilities are designed with sustainability in mind, utilizing solar panels for energy and recycling sawdust for heating and energy regeneration.
Now, under the leadership of Elena Ceca Antón, the fourth generation of the Murúa family, the cooperage is ready to make its mark in the whisky industry.
“For 125 years, we have been a world-class producer of barrels for wine and sherry. Over the past five years, we have also been working with spirits producers from around the world, including the U.S. and China,” says Daniel Martínez Sampedro, Tonelería Murúa’s commercial director. “Now, we are ready to become the best whisky barrel supplier in the world.”
The combination of the unique climatic conditions of the La Rioja valley, where two mountain ranges protect the area from extreme weather conditions, and the unique techniques used for air drying make it difficult for anyone to match the quality of Tonelería Murúa’s oak.
Ceca Antón is particularly proud of how their oak planks, naturally dried for a minimum of two years, are hand-stacked following a unique diagonal pattern, just as in her grandfather’s time. “Not only do the conditions in which the oak grew matter, but also the conditions in which it was dried. By drying our oak using this mosaic pattern, we ensure the quality and consistency of our wood,” she says. “For example, stacking the planks this way ensures that when it rains, the excess unwanted tannins are washed away evenly from all our planks and that there is uniform sunlight exposure and airflow across all our stacks.”
Thanks to long-lasting relationships, some dating back several decades, the cooperage has many sustainable sources of oak. In the United States, most of Tonelería Murúa’s wood suppliers are multi-generational family businesses, fostering greater trust among partners and benefiting the cooperage’s customers.
The cooperage is entirely transparent about its numerous sources and ensures that customers can find the perfect oak for maturing their spirits. Tonelería Murúa sources American oak throughout the Appalachians, from states such as Pennsylvania, Ohio, Missouri, West Virginia, Indiana, and Kentucky. Meanwhile, the cooperage’s European oak can come from Spain, France, Romania, and many other countries on the continent. A significant portion of its European oak is PEFC-certified, a voluntary program that ensures the sustainable management of certified European forests.
Innovation has also been key in Tonelería Murúa’s development. It has pioneered a unique hot water immersion system for its oak planks that helps eliminate excess unwanted tannins. In collaboration with local universities and INIA (National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology), it has contributed to studies that include optimizing natural oak drying techniques and analyzing the organoleptic effects of toasting levels.
More importantly, Tonelería Murúa has managed to be incredibly resilient in a volatile market and has already built up a significant stockpile of barrels. “Since we have such good relationships with many sherry producers, we have around 8,000 barrels currently being seasoned with Fino, Oloroso, and Pedro Ximénez, which could now be used for whisky maturation,” says Ceca Antón.
Other issues can include fluctuating prices and uncertain or limited oak supply. Martínez Sampedro promises this is not a problem: “Here at Tonelería Murúa, we can guarantee that we will never run out of oak. Thanks to our connections, our history, and our expertise, we always have access to the highest-quality oak from anywhere we need. We will always be happy to ensure you a steady supply of barrels when you work with us.”
