The wood of the barrels imparts a unique color and sweet flavors of caramel and vanilla. July 10, 2014 by Matt ThomasThe wood of the barrels imparts a unique color and sweet flavors of caramel and vanilla. Stranahan’s Distillery Tour About Matt Thomas Matt is an avid writer and explorer, who loves to showcase his home state of Colorado. His favorite place to be is right here in the Centennial State. Previous Post:The wood of the barrels imparts a unique color and sweet flavors of caramel and vanilla.