2 Liter Personalized American Oak Whiskey Aging Barrel (063) - Custom Engraved Barrel From Skeeter's Reserve Outlaw Gear - MADE BY American Oak Barrel - (Natural Oak, Black Hoops)

I decided to try my hand at finishing my own whiskey, and I decided that once the barrel was done giving new flavor (after a few runs) I still wanted to keep it for decoration purposes. This one meets the criteria perfectly!- Small (I got the 1 liter)- Looks great and is a great conversation piece (personalized of course)- The price is right for a first time to see if I get into thisThe instructions are clear, and the barrel was nicely sealed within a few days (I guess smaller barrels seal faster).I filled it with Mellow Corn whiskey (100 proof, harsh to the nose and pallet) and after just one week I could see, smell, and taste a great difference. I think I’m going to have a lot of fun with this newfound hobby, and this barrel is great to get started.

I purchased the 3 liter size, engraved barrel for a production of Vieux Carre. The VC is still in the barrel but I am happy with the unit itself. The wood is finished without splinters on the exterior yet still looks and feels rough. The interior has a medium char. The bands are well secured with and have no sharp edges to catch skin. The bung and spigot secure well and do not leak. I waited 5 days for the wood to expand with water to seal (all barrels need to be filled with water for the wood to expand and make a tight seal) even though it sealed up in 2. The stand is well constructed and the barrel fits perfectly between the banding. Finally, the engraving is well done with different fonts as specified, clearly and evenly 'burned' into the face. I expect to use this barrel for some time and although I haven't tasted the final product, I have no reason to believe there will be any issues.

I can only comment on the craftsmanship and sealing of the barrel at this point.I bought the 10L oak barrel and shipping was pretty fast. Maybe a week or so. After reading some of the comments about craftsmanship and sealing I was a little worried. Let me tell you this. This is a well built barrel. Very solid. The cradle it sits in is well made too. I don’t think I would want to stand on it but, it holds my barrel just fine.It took me a while to get to actually prepping and sealing the barrel. I tapped in the spigot and it seated fine. I put the cradle in a large aluminum pan just in case I had any leaks while sealing it. I then filled it with hot tap water all the way to the top. No leaks what so ever. I was impressed. Maybe it helped to have sit in my house for a few weeks to equal out the humidity like any other wood product you buy like molding for house remodeling. Just a thought. Over the next few days the wood absorbed quite a bit of the water. I would just top it off with more water. After a two days it really slowed down and the wood was less thirsty. I let him after in it for 1 full week. No leaks.After soaking the wood I drained it into the kitchen sink. Saw some small wood chunks and saw dust come out but, I would think that is 100% normal and didn’t bother me. I am sure I didn’t get all of the small chunks out. I am good with that too. I immediately filled the barrel back up with approximately 3 gallons of clear un-aged single malt “whiskey” that was at 140 proof and I plan on leaving it untouched in a dark room of my garage for at least 1 year. According to small barrel aging conversion charts that will be the equivalent of aging it for approximately 3 years in a normal sized barrel that distilleries use. I will give it a taste at 1 year and see how it fared.Just a note: higher proof alcohols do better with barrel aging as they will react with the wood more. Age them at a higher proof and then proof them down to 80 proof or 40% for drinking with a good spring water.

Very nice customized engraving. Looks beautiful. The stand is a little cheesy but works fine. Used endoscope to verify nice charring on the inside. Filled with water and let sit for over 10 days. Only leaking was in the first couple of hours. When draining water some wood splinters and charring also drained out. This is to be expected. Flushed until none came out. Filled with 1.75L Jim Beam white label and Proof traditional Old Fashioned Syrup. Rotating barrel every day 1/4 turn. Will post more in a couple weeks when we taste it. Note that the stopper must be loosened for the spout to work -- its that air tight. Overall very pleased.

I really like this item, but I followed the instructions to a "T" and my barrel never leaked. Was it cured before the purchase? I don't know. The instructions really need to be more in depth. I mean, the instructions should be called Barrel Curing for dummies because I know absolutely NOTHING about barrels and the curing process.I gave this 3 stars because my barrel didn't leak, and the instructions are vague. Is the spigot/spout useable once the barrel cures? The instructions were to pour the liquid from the hole in the top of the barrel. I'm guessing the spigot is just for show, or maybe whiskey isn't supposed to be dispensed from a spigot. These are questions that weren't answered for dummies like me :-). Also, I really wish it were bigger. I know, I know, it clearly stated the size, but I still visualized it to be larger. If you want your engravings to show, get the biggest barrel; otherwise, it's not that visible.All-in-all, I don't regret the purchase. It works for my rustic anniversary party. It will be an expensive decoration.

I bought the aging barrel for my 50 something brother for his birthday. I've not seen him light up like that opening a present since we were kids! He was so happy with the personalization and has been using it ever since he opened it! The craftmanship was outstanding and the turn around time was extremely quick. I couldn't have been happier with the purchase. The only downside was that it was the first present that my brother opened, the other guests were mad at me because their gifts paled in comparison!

Mix your Old Fashion and have one anytime you are ready to enjoy! Very convenient and easy to use