France has long been known for their oak. World class wine barrels are made from the oak of a few specially-selected forests, some planted during the times of Napoleon for shipbuilding purposes. French oak is credited as having more gentle and subdued tones than American oak, often including spicy notes that are not found in American oak. French oak cubes with a medium toast will lend these characteristics, as well as a more fresh wood flavor and aroma than cubes with a heavier toast. French oak takes more time to round out and fully develop than American oak, but the delicate results are well worth the wait!