Mini Barrel

[JAB]

Hey everyone!

Just wondering if anyone has or have had a mini barrel?
Just ordered a 2ltr Barrel for a wee experiment in the new year!
www.barrelsonline.com

Just wondering what you used to cure the barrel? what whisky you used in it? and the results you got? also how long you left the spirit etc in it for?

My plans are to fill mine with port £15 per bottle or 1/2 price at the moment for around 2 to 3 month's to take some of the wood infulence out of the fresh oak barrel then to fill it with a nice young whisky such as kilchoman or a nice high cask strength whisky for another few months. which i will check on a weekly basis to see how it comes along.

Picked up a nice display barrel a while ago so thought i would give this a wee try in the new year.

Looking forward to your feedback!

John

[Tom W]

personally i'm not convinced as its new oak and this normally takes years even decades of use before it is used to mature scotch (bourbon, sherry, port etc etc). Also because of the size, there is an increased surface area of new oak so the effect is exacerbated perhaps?

rather than port perhaps but some bourbon or another spirit in, just to wear the wood down a bit?

I'm not expert by any means thats just my concern. Your financial worries are cleared up now then ?
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In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king

[Alastair]

I have never done this but if i did i think i would try a port influence on a big peaty whisky such as Ardbeg

[JAB]

[James T]

I have never tried it but i am sure it would be interesting to give it a go.

John what was the total price of the barrel i9ncluding postage to the UK?

[JAB]

Purchased it via their ebay shop with "Best Offer"

Barrel - $20 USD
Shipping - $35 USD

Comes to £36.43 GBP

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/nopal_verde/m.html?_trkparms=65%253A12%257C66%253A2%257C39%253A1%257C72%253A5698&rt=nc&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14&_sop=15&_sc=1

John

[Gregor]

I would worry that if the barrel turned up and was as water tight as the titanic you would be quite a bit out of pocket as it wouldnt be worth returning.

I certainly would be interest on how you get on with this John, the quality of the barrel and how the whisky comes out. Alastair a port finished Ardbeg definitely sounds tempting.

[bodger]

Hello John, As a retired Distillery worker best casks were traditonaly sherry casks( Harveys.Etc) , so I would suggest you treat your cask with cheap sherry. But really to try and improve whisky in a small cask you will find that the angels will take a big share,I.E. shrinkage ,this is because the ratio of wood to liquid is quite high , in my instance 75%of the sherry in 1 year
In the industry it was always said that a cask in bond lost 1 inch per year and allowance for that was acepted by the customs officer.
P.S. Do not let your cask dry out as it will leak.

Kind regards Bodger

[JAB]

Dont think i will have to worry about it leaking as the company has very good feeback on the barrels.

Just need to fill it with water for the first week or so.

Yes sherry is very common so think i am going to try port to treat the cask for a change.

I have herd the first few years these small barrels lose around 20% so will just have to keep an eye on it and sample it regular

Would be nice to try get some new make spirit to see how quickly it matures in a small barrel like this.

Now just have to wait untill it turns up

[Archer]

It is a good idea to put your own personally prefered finish on a whisky you know you like. Good luck with it John, i would certainly be interested in how it works out.

With this size of barrel and with it being new wood i would guess you could imply quite an influence on the whisky in just a few months. I wouldnt mind a sherry influenced Laphroaig.

[sorren]

JAB,
I have had a few of these barrels, My first try was with port in for 2 months or so then Glenfiddich 12 yo for a few weeks, the fiddich was great but very oaky, i lost about 10cl in a few weeks, be very carefull and check regular for losses... my second try was with Auchentoshan 13yo,classic and some 20yo Auchentoshan, into a barrel wich had held some bourbon for a few months, the "toshan" was in the barrel for around 2-3 months and lost 15-20cl, again it was pretty oaky but was very good... my notes were to watch the oak levels and loss, dont use delicate whisky and dont leave too long, I was told 1-2 months in a small barrel (2ltr) was same as 1 year, I was tempted to leave for 5-6 months to see how the effect went but just drunk it too early ...if anyone wants a 10ltr or 20 ltr barrel I do know someone in Leeds area of uk who had a number for sale..... Good luck Jab....

[JAB]

Thanks for the info, mine is curing with water for now to rehydrate it, very little leakage so will be ready for the port soon.

Drop me a pm with details on the 10ltr one please

John

[Hogshead]

Hi

I am retired cooper and have been making small barrels most of my life and would not advise to store whisky for any length of time for all the same reasons as bodger gave, woody tasted and loss of whisky. I tried to mature new made spirit in one, left for 9 months, went to have a look and it was empty!!!

What i do now is insert a 1, 2 or 4 ltr stainless steel liner inside so that the whisky, wine etc does not come in contact with the wood, therefore no expanding and contracting.

Would have posted image but don't know how Help!!

[outamyway]

Here you go.

http://www.scotchmaltwhisky.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=833
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[Hogshead]

Hi

Thanks outamyway

This is Picture of one of the small barrels I make and from my collection is a bottle of Mortlach (Cowies Blue Seal) bottled between 1890 and 1910

Cheers

[img][/img]