Make Your Own Barrel-Aged Small Batch Whiskey at Home
Craft your own smooth, full-flavored Small Batch Whiskey at home with the Swish Barrel Bootleg Kit™ from Thousand Oaks Barrel Co. This complete small batch whiskey making and barrel aging kit combines premium Small Batch Whiskey Essence with a charred American white oak barrel, giving you everything you need to create and age your own handcrafted whiskey-style spirit at home.
Small Batch Whiskey is all about creating a spirit with rich flavor and distinctive character. Our Small Batch Whiskey profile features caramel, vanilla, toasted oak, warm spice, subtle grain sweetness and a smooth, lingering finish. Aging your spirit in a real charred oak barrel adds another dimension as the whiskey interacts directly with the wood and develops additional depth, aroma and complexity.
Whether you're an experienced whiskey enthusiast, home bartender or experimenting with small-barrel aging for the first time, this kit provides the essential equipment and step-by-step guidance you need to create a whiskey that's truly your own.
Made in the USA. Alcohol is not included.
Real American White Oak Barrel Aging
At the heart of the kit is a charred American white oak aging barrel designed for aging spirits at home. Instead of simply adding whiskey essence to a bottle, barrel aging allows your spirit to interact directly with real oak as it rests and develops.
During aging, the spirit draws flavor and aroma from the charred wood, developing additional notes of vanilla, caramel, toasted oak and warm spice. These barrel-derived characteristics complement the Small Batch Whiskey Essence and help create a deeper, more rounded finished spirit.
Small oak barrels have a much greater wood-to-spirit ratio than traditional full-size commercial barrels. This increased contact with the oak allows flavor extraction to occur faster, making small barrels ideal for experimenting with whiskey aging at home.
Small Batch Whiskey Flavor Profile
Expect a smooth, rich and well-balanced whiskey-style spirit with layers of caramel and vanilla, complemented by toasted oak, subtle grain sweetness, gentle baking spice and a warm, satisfying finish.
As the spirit ages, the American white oak contributes additional wood character and complexity. The interaction between the whiskey and the charred oak allows the flavor to continue developing as it rests inside the barrel.
Enjoy your finished Small Batch Whiskey neat, over ice, with a splash of water or in your favorite classic whiskey cocktails and craft cocktails.
How the Small Batch Whiskey Making Kit Works
Before making your first batch, cure and prepare the oak barrel according to the included instructions. Add your neutral spirit or grain alcohol along with the supplied Small Batch Whiskey Essence, then gently mix the ingredients inside the barrel.
Allow the spirit to age in the charred oak barrel and begin tasting it periodically as the flavor develops. Because smaller barrels provide increased wood contact, barrel character can develop considerably faster than it does in traditional full-size commercial barrels.
When the flavor reaches your preference, simply dispense your finished Small Batch Whiskey directly from the barrel's wooden spigot and enjoy.
Experiment with aging time to find your preferred balance of caramel, vanilla, oak, grain and spice. The beauty of making a small batch is that you decide when your whiskey tastes just right.
Everything You Need in One Small Batch Whiskey Making Kit
Each Small Batch Whiskey Barrel Aging Kit includes:
- Charred American white oak aging barrel
- Wooden barrel stand/cradle
- Wooden bung
- Wooden spigot
- Small Batch Whiskey 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 Barrel Size
The Small Batch Whiskey Barrel Aging Kit is available in 1, 2, 3, 5, 10 and 20 liter sizes, making it easy to choose the right barrel for your first batch, home bar or a larger whiskey-aging project.
| 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" |
A Unique Gift for Whiskey Lovers
The Small Batch Whiskey Barrel Aging Kit makes a memorable gift for whiskey drinkers, bourbon enthusiasts, home bartenders, spirit collectors and anyone interested in learning how barrel aging works.
The real oak barrel also makes an impressive display piece for a home bar, whiskey room, kitchen, man cave or bar cart while your whiskey ages.
Instead of simply giving someone another bottle of whiskey, this kit gives them the experience of making, aging, tasting and serving their own small-batch barrel-aged whiskey.
Why Make Small Batch Whiskey in a Small Oak Barrel?
Whiskey develops much of its familiar flavor, aroma and character through interaction with oak. The charred wood can contribute vanilla, caramel, toasted wood and spice notes while adding greater depth and complexity to the finished spirit.
A small aging barrel provides a greater surface-area-to-volume ratio than a traditional full-size barrel, meaning a greater proportion of the spirit is in direct contact with the wood. This allows oak flavors and aromas to develop more quickly and makes small barrels especially useful for experimenting with whiskey aging at home.
As your Small Batch Whiskey ages, the American white oak can contribute additional vanilla, caramel, toasted wood and warm spice that complements the whiskey essence. Your finished flavor will vary depending on your base spirit, barrel size, aging time and personal preference.
Your Whiskey. Your Barrel. Your Small Batch.
One of the best parts of making Small Batch Whiskey at home is having control over the aging experience. Taste your whiskey periodically and discover how the flavor changes as the spirit spends more time in contact with the charred American white oak.
When you find the balance you like, bottle your whiskey or serve it directly from the barrel's wooden spigot. Every batch gives you an opportunity to experiment with aging time and create a whiskey with your own preferred balance of sweetness, spice and oak.
Craft It. Age It. Taste It. Make It Yours.
The Small Batch Whiskey Barrel Aging Kit turns a simple spirit into a hands-on whiskey-making and barrel-aging experience. Start with your spirit and Small Batch Whiskey Essence, age it inside a real charred American white oak barrel, taste the transformation as it develops, and decide when your whiskey is ready.
Craft your own small-batch barrel-aged whiskey at home.
Made in the USA. Alcohol not included.
