5L Oak Barrel Daily Sipping
3-18-26 I received my 5l barrel.
3-19-26 I shook out all debris, rinsed out barrel and filled with warm water and submerged entire barrel for 24 hours.
3-20-26 Drained and used a large stainless steel pot to mix all of my partially filled bottles of bourbon. I had 7 bottles of different bourbons and poured these into the pot along with 3 tablespoons of Runamok Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Syrup. This I thoroughly mixed and filled the barrel topped off the barrel and waited.
3-28-26 That first week I rotated and shook the barrel twice a day. Every 2nd day I took the barrel outside early in the morning 0630 and went to play golf. When I returned I brought the barrel back into the bar. I found that allowing that exterior warm slightly humid air helps with the evaporation of alcohol and brings the strength closer to 90-95 proof, instead of the (for me) overpowering 100+ proof which I just don’t enjoy. No matter how smooth it may taste.
4-3-26 Today’s date I find the taste amazing pouring two ounces into my Glencairn glass and sipping with a cigar it’s smooth rich and I believe it will become richer as it ages. I use either Eagle Rare or Buffalo Trace to top off what I drink and the angels share. From now on that is the plan every 4-5 days I will top it off and use the barrel to store and age my bourbon kind of a Solera barrel which I drink 2-3ozs on a daily basis.
I have stopped taking it outside for the last week or so until I taste that stronger blend. The flavor of the maple syrup is not really in the background as I thought it might be; perhaps in another month I will add 2-3 more tablespoons but I don’t want to over maple the mixture right now.
4-3-26 My Old Fashioned recipe which I adjusted to my taste from so many online:
2-3 ounces of bourbon, ¾ ounce of Old 43, 3 hard splashes of orange bitters, 3 pitted amarena wild cherries in syrup, 1/2 tsp of the cherrie syrup, 1oz of water to top it off, finally I add about 3 inches of orange peel taking very little of the white portion of the skin if any at all. This I stir thoroughly before adding one large 2-2.5in ball of ice (I prefer the ball over ice cubes less watering down with slower melting of the ice). Stirring some more until it chills and sip slowly. You can adjust the sweetness with more or less of the cherry syrup or use Angostura Bitters instead using the same 3 hard splashes or to your own taste.
4-10-26 I added another ounce of the Runmok bourbon aged maple syrup today rotated the barrel and have allowed to sit and think.
4-15-26 I’ve waited about 10 days to taste it again and started sipping a couple of days ago straight over the big ball of ice. The flavor is fantastic - no taste of the maple just very smooth and just the right strength. I will add the 10-15 ounces that me and angels have enjoyed.
From now on I will take the barrel out maybe once a week for 4-6 hours in the early mornings and just continue to monitor. I don’t think it will need any more tinkering. I believe the barrel has started to do its magic and will just leave to the oak.
4-15-26 I’ve attached a couple of pictures of the color just after I added the the big ball of ice before any water delusion; as I said amazing taste.
Thank you, Perhaps in the future once this barrel begins to wane its flavor we can discuss another 5l barrel to transfer these contents to the new barrel.
Thoughtfully documented and generously shared by our valued customer,
Armando R.