Make Your Own Barrel-Aged Kentucky Bourbon at Home
Discover why the Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Aging Kit is our bestselling whiskey making kit. The Swish Barrel Bootleg Kit™ from Thousand Oaks Barrel Co. combines premium Kentucky Bourbon Essence with a real charred American white oak barrel, giving you the essential ingredients, equipment and instructions to create and age your own small-batch Kentucky bourbon-style whiskey at home.
A longtime customer favorite and our most popular barrel aging kit, the Kentucky Bourbon Kit delivers the classic flavor profile bourbon drinkers love: rich caramel, vanilla, toasted oak, subtle corn sweetness, warm baking spice and a smooth, lingering finish. It's an approachable flavor for someone making barrel-aged whiskey for the first time, yet has enough depth and oak character to appeal to experienced bourbon enthusiasts.
The experience goes beyond simply adding bourbon flavor to a bottle. Your prepared spirit actually ages inside a charred American white oak barrel, allowing the liquid to interact directly with the wood and develop additional vanilla, caramel, toasted oak and spice characteristics as it rests.
Whether you're looking for a bourbon making kit, whiskey making kit, bourbon barrel aging kit, home whiskey aging kit or unique gift for a bourbon lover, our bestselling Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Aging Kit brings the experience of small-batch barrel aging directly to your home bar.
Bestselling Barrel Aging Kit. Made in the USA. Alcohol is not included.
Why Kentucky Bourbon Is Our Bestselling Barrel Aging Kit
Of all the whiskey, rum and spirit profiles available in our Swish Barrel Bootleg Kit™ collection, Kentucky Bourbon is our bestseller. Its popularity starts with a familiar bourbon flavor profile that combines sweetness, oak and spice without allowing any one characteristic to dominate.
The combination of caramel, vanilla, toasted oak, corn sweetness and warm spice makes it an easy choice for bourbon drinkers, while the real oak barrel turns the kit into an experience rather than simply another bottle for the liquor cabinet.
Customers can prepare the barrel, make their bourbon-style spirit, taste it throughout the aging process and decide for themselves when it has reached the flavor they prefer. That combination of great bourbon flavor, hands-on barrel aging and a real American white oak barrel has made the Kentucky Bourbon Kit our most popular whiskey-making kit.
What Is a Kentucky Bourbon Making Kit?
The Kentucky Bourbon Making Kit is a complete home barrel-aging experience designed to let you create a bourbon-style whiskey using Kentucky Bourbon Essence and a real charred American white oak barrel.
You supply the neutral spirit or grain alcohol. The kit supplies the Kentucky Bourbon Essence, oak barrel and accessories needed to transform that spirit into your own barrel-aged bourbon-style creation.
Instead of simply mixing the essence into a bottle and serving it immediately, the Swish Barrel Bootleg Kit™ allows you to age your prepared spirit inside an actual oak barrel. As the liquid remains in contact with the charred wood, you can taste how the flavor changes and develops.
It's part bourbon making kit, part whiskey aging kit and part hands-on experiment in oak barrel aging.
Real Charred American White Oak Barrel
At the heart of our bestselling Kentucky Bourbon Kit is a real charred American white oak aging barrel. The barrel isn't merely decorative — your spirit is aged in direct contact with the wood.
American white oak is closely associated with traditional American whiskey and bourbon production. As a spirit interacts with charred oak, the wood can contribute flavors and aromas such as vanilla, caramel, toasted wood and warm spice.
Those oak-derived characteristics are an ideal match for the sweet, rich profile of our Kentucky Bourbon Essence. As the spirit rests inside the barrel, the interaction between essence, spirit and oak creates a deeper and more interesting finished flavor.
Small oak barrels also provide a greater surface-area-to-volume ratio than traditional full-size commercial barrels. A greater proportion of the liquid is in contact with wood, allowing noticeable oak flavor extraction to occur more quickly.
That makes a small charred American white oak barrel ideal for experimenting with bourbon aging, whiskey aging and small-batch spirits at home.
Kentucky Bourbon Flavor Profile
Our Kentucky Bourbon profile is built around the classic flavors bourbon drinkers recognize and enjoy. Expect a smooth, rich and slightly sweet bourbon-style whiskey with layers of caramel and vanilla, followed by toasted oak, subtle corn sweetness and warm baking spice.
As the spirit spends time in the barrel, the charred American white oak can add additional vanilla, caramel, toasted wood and spice, giving the bourbon-style spirit greater depth and barrel character.
The result is a well-balanced whiskey with sweetness at the front, oak and spice through the middle and a smooth, warming finish.
Enjoy your finished Kentucky Bourbon-style whiskey neat, with a splash of water, over ice, in an Old Fashioned, Manhattan, Whiskey Sour or your favorite bourbon cocktail.
How the Kentucky Bourbon Making Kit Works
Begin by curing and preparing your American white oak barrel according to the included instructions. This process hydrates the wood and prepares the barrel for your spirit.
Once the barrel is prepared, add your neutral spirit or grain alcohol along with the supplied Kentucky Bourbon Essence. Gently mix the ingredients and allow your bourbon-style spirit to rest inside the charred oak barrel.
Then comes the best part: tasting it. Begin sampling your Kentucky Bourbon periodically as it ages and experience how the flavor changes as the spirit interacts with the oak.
Because small barrels provide increased wood contact, barrel character can develop considerably faster than it does in a traditional full-size commercial barrel. Look for the development of caramel, vanilla, toasted oak, sweetness and warm spice.
When your bourbon reaches the flavor you prefer, dispense it directly through the barrel's wooden spigot or transfer it into bottles for serving and storage.
There is no single flavor point you have to reach. You decide when your bourbon is ready.
Everything You Need in One Kentucky Bourbon Making Kit
Our bestselling Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Aging Kit brings the key components of home whiskey making and small-barrel aging together in one package. Each kit includes:
- Real charred American white oak aging barrel
- Wooden barrel stand/cradle
- Wooden bung
- Wooden spigot
- Kentucky Bourbon Essence — quantity matched to barrel size
- Paper funnel
- Barrel cleaning/restoration kit
- The Bootlegger's Bible: A Spiritual Guide to Aging
- Step-by-step barrel preparation and aging instructions
Alcohol is not included.
Choose Your Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Size
The Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Aging Kit is available in 1, 2, 3, 5, 10 and 20 liter sizes. Choose a smaller barrel for your first home bourbon-aging experience or a larger barrel when you want to prepare a bigger batch.
| Barrel Size | Approximate Dimensions |
|---|---|
| 1 Liter | 6.5" × 4.5" × 4.5" |
| 2 Liter | 7.5" × 5" × 5" |
| 3 Liter | 8.5" × 5.5" × 5.5" |
| 5 Liter | 9.5" × 6.5" × 6.5" |
| 10 Liter | 12" × 8" × 8" |
| 20 Liter | 15" × 10.5" × 10.5" |
Why Age Kentucky Bourbon in a Small Oak Barrel?
Oak is fundamental to the flavor people associate with bourbon. Traditional bourbon gains much of its color, aroma and flavor through contact with charred oak during maturation.
Our home barrel-aging kit lets you explore that relationship on a smaller scale. As your bourbon-style spirit rests against the charred American white oak, the barrel can contribute vanilla, caramel, toasted wood and warm spice while complementing the sweeter characteristics of the Kentucky Bourbon Essence.
Because a small barrel has more wood surface area relative to the amount of liquid it contains, oak extraction can happen much faster than in a large commercial barrel. That means you should taste your whiskey regularly rather than relying solely on a predetermined number of days.
Your finished bourbon-style spirit will vary depending on your base spirit, barrel size, aging time, storage conditions and personal taste. That variation is part of what makes home barrel aging so interesting.
Classic Kentucky Bourbon Flavor at Your Home Bar
Few American spirits have a flavor profile as recognizable as Kentucky bourbon. The combination of caramel, vanilla, oak, corn sweetness and spice has made bourbon a favorite for sipping as well as one of the foundations of classic American cocktails.
The Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Aging Kit is designed to capture that familiar flavor direction while letting you participate in the barrel-aging process yourself.
Taste the whiskey as it develops. Compare an early sample with one taken later. Notice how the balance between sweetness and oak changes. Then decide when your own batch has reached the character you want.
From the Barrel to the Bourbon Glass
Once your Kentucky Bourbon reaches your preferred flavor, there are plenty of ways to enjoy it. Pour it straight from the wooden spigot and serve it neat, add a splash of water, pour it over a large cube of ice or use it as the foundation for your favorite whiskey cocktail.
Its combination of caramel, vanilla, toasted oak and warm spice makes it especially well suited for an Old Fashioned, Manhattan, Whiskey Sour and other bourbon-forward cocktails.
Or skip the cocktail entirely and enjoy the simple satisfaction of pouring a whiskey you aged yourself directly from your own oak barrel.
Our Bestselling Gift for Bourbon and Whiskey Lovers
Because Kentucky Bourbon is our bestselling barrel aging kit, it's also one of our top choices when you're not sure which whiskey-making kit to give as a gift. Its familiar bourbon flavor and hands-on aging experience make it approachable for beginners while still being interesting for serious whiskey enthusiasts.
The Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Aging Kit makes a unique gift for bourbon lovers, whiskey drinkers, home bartenders, dads, husbands, groomsmen, retirees, home-bar owners and spirits enthusiasts.
Instead of simply giving another bottle of bourbon, you're giving someone an experience. They can prepare their own barrel, create their bourbon-style spirit, taste it throughout the aging process and determine when their small batch is ready.
The real American white oak barrel also makes an impressive display piece for a home bar, whiskey room, kitchen, man cave or bar cart while the bourbon ages.
Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Aging Kit FAQs
What is your bestselling whiskey making kit?
The Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Aging Kit is Thousand Oaks Barrel Co.'s bestselling whiskey making and barrel aging kit. Its combination of classic bourbon flavor, a real charred American white oak barrel and a hands-on home aging experience has made it our most popular choice.
What is included in the Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Aging Kit?
The kit includes a real charred American white oak barrel with stand, bung and spigot, Kentucky Bourbon Essence, a paper funnel, barrel cleaning/restoration supplies, The Bootlegger's Bible aging guide and step-by-step barrel preparation and aging instructions. The quantity of Kentucky Bourbon Essence is matched to the barrel size selected.
Does the Kentucky Bourbon Kit include alcohol?
No. Alcohol is not included. You supply the neutral spirit or grain alcohol used with the Kentucky Bourbon Essence and oak barrel.
Is this a real oak whiskey barrel?
Yes. The kit includes a real charred American white oak barrel. Your prepared spirit is aged in direct contact with the wood interior of the barrel.
What does the Kentucky Bourbon taste like?
The flavor profile features caramel, vanilla, toasted oak, subtle corn sweetness and warm baking spice with a smooth, warming finish. Additional oak, vanilla, caramel and spice character can develop as your spirit spends time in the barrel.
How long should I age my Kentucky Bourbon?
There is no single aging time that's right for every batch. Small barrels provide substantial wood contact, so taste your bourbon periodically as it ages. When it reaches your preferred balance of sweetness, vanilla, caramel, spice and oak, it is ready to bottle or serve.
What size Kentucky Bourbon barrels are available?
The Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Aging Kit is available with 1, 2, 3, 5, 10 and 20 liter American white oak barrels.
Can I serve my bourbon directly from the barrel?
Yes. Once your bourbon-style spirit reaches your preferred flavor, you can dispense it directly through the barrel's wooden spigot or transfer it into bottles.
Is the Kentucky Bourbon Kit good for beginners?
Yes. The kit includes the barrel, Kentucky Bourbon Essence, accessories and step-by-step instructions needed to guide someone through the home barrel-aging process. Its familiar bourbon flavor and straightforward process also help make it our most popular and bestselling kit.
Is the Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Aging Kit a good gift?
Yes. It's our bestselling barrel aging kit and one of our most popular gifts for whiskey and bourbon lovers. Unlike giving someone another bottle of whiskey, the kit gives them the experience of preparing a real oak barrel, aging their own spirit and tasting how it changes over time.
Craft It. Age It. Taste It. Make It Yours.
There's a reason the Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Aging Kit is our bestseller. It combines one of America's favorite whiskey flavor profiles with the experience of aging your own spirit inside a real charred American white oak barrel.
Start with your spirit and Kentucky Bourbon Essence, fill your barrel and taste the transformation as caramel, vanilla, toasted oak, sweetness and spice come together. When the flavor is right, pour a glass straight from the barrel and enjoy a bourbon-style whiskey you helped create.
Craft your own barrel-aged Kentucky Bourbon-style whiskey at home with our bestselling barrel aging kit.
Made in the USA. Alcohol not included.
