Oak Barrels, Ltd. Enthusiasts!

Thank you for taking the time to drop us a note.  We love to hear from you!  If you are visiting our site for the first time, we're happy to share a few experiences from our customers!

We'd love to hear your thoughts on our products, new products or things that you'd like to see, or whatever else you would like to share.

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LOVE your oak barrels and have recommended them to others.  i really like the small footprint of the 1 liter barrels.  They can fit so much easier in our smaller space.   Diane T. - Hillsborough, NC 05.07.13

Check it out!         Just bottled a Manhattan last night - aged it with mole bitters...holy hell - it was delicious!   Jacob S. - West Hartford, CT 03.28.13

I used these barrels for groomsmen gifts for my wedding.  I customized each one via wood burning and gave them to my boys filled with whiskey.  Needless to say they loved them.  So do I.  They really age the whiskey and add new dimensions to it ...and I'm a whiskey fanatic.  And - they're MUCH better than another crummy engraved hip flask!   Stogie M - US 03.24.13

Hi - I am the Food & Beverage Manager at the Parkersburg Country Club.  I have recently purchased one of your barrels and made a batch of manhattans which were delicious!  You have a great product!   Troy G. - Vienna, WV 03.20.13

The barrels are here and they are beautiful!  We absolutely love them!  Thanks, and talk to you next year for more!  Jim W. - Longbranch, WA 03.19.13

I absolutely just love the 2L barrel I have now.  I'm looking forward to the 10L!  Thank you so much!   Terance J. - Avondal, AZ 03.07.13

I bought a 2 liter barrel for one purpose:  experiment.  The result was a great Christmas present for my brother.  I started out with curing the barrel with water and then filled it up with Madeira and let it sit for one month - then I put a self-composed Islay blend in and let it sit for 2 weeks.  The result was unexpected and the quality of the oak was sublime.  Next time i will go for a higher capacity barrel to make more capacity of this unique experience.  Kristoffer S. - Oslo, Norway - 02.15.13

I received my 5L and placed the 1L barrel in the mail on Friday.  You should receive this week.  Your products are excellent and your customer service is wonderful!  Thank you for making my buying experience a delight.  Have a great day.  Dani B - Phoenix, AZ - 02.12.13  (Dani decided her 1L was too small and reordered a larger 5L)

We have had wonderful success with our little barrel, mellowing some pretty raw Caribbean rum into ambrosia, or something like ambrosia!  The barrel is lovely and definitely functional, and we thank you very, very much for making such a GOOD product.  Kip R - Oxford, MD - 01.27.13

...my 3rd order girl ... love'em!  Leonard P III - Bowling Green, MO - 01.23.13

I have just received the barrel.  All is well - it is a sweet little thing and it will soon be filled with a local made aquavita called "Morsa" originally from 1833.  At the peak of production our little town call Moss produced up to 2.3 million litres per year - all based on patato spirite.  Best Wishes from Finn A. - Moss, Norway - 01.16.13

Oak barrels arrived today, the quality is far better than I had ever expected.  Great Job, I would recommend your company for all to try.  I will order again as the need arises.  Thank you - Lloyd B - A very happy customer. - Phoenix, AZ - 01.15.13

Hi, I was writing to comment on my experience with your company.  My mother ordered a vinegar barrel and red wine mother as a gift for me this Christmas.  She is not very computer literate and struggled with ordering.  She ended up having to place separate orders for each item.  We were both very impressed that someone from your company noticed this and took the time to contact her to see if she would like both items shipped together so she could save on shipping.  I would like to sincerely thank you for such excellent customer service.  I was thrilled with your product and with your company's ethics.  I am looking forward to using my new barrel and have been, and will continue to, recommend your company to my friends.  Cheers!  Leticia G. - 01.08.13

The barrels arrived on Friday and in great condition.  These are superb quality and craftmanship!  Thank you.  Chris F. - New Haven, CT - 12.05.12

I am ecstatic about the results from my barrels.  I am a Scotch aficionado and use my 5L's to make my own personal blends.  I take several of my favorite Scotches and combine them to make my creations - I record exactly what percentages of each that I use for each blend and save a bit so that I can compare and so my friends can compare - they can't believe the difference.  It's amazing what the barrels do and how quickly it all happens.  Thank you again!  Eric W. - Westlake Village, CA - 12.04.12

Thanks for your quick response.  I can't believe how well you treat your customers.  I wish all companies follwed your lead.  Stephen B. - Boston, MA - 12.02.12

Dear OBL ... I just completed ordering a 10L barrel with brass hoops for aging port and can't wait to get it.  My girlfriend bought me 2 - 1L's (one for bourbon and the other for scotch) last year and they are among my most prized possessions.  I'm using my scotch barrel to age some cognac right now and am eagerly anticipating my latest results.  Thank you for a great product.   C. J. -  Randolph, MA - 10.31.12

Heeere's Bubba!   Bubba is a very unique 1931 Model A Ford,  Redneck-Hillbilly Special!  Bubba is a regular in the Gold Country of California and Bubba's home base is in the Gold Rush Town of Coulterville near Yosemite National Park.  He's been in many parades and car shows here in California - he purposefully looks like "junk", but is in fact a very safe and very well running automobile.  FYI - the barrel has been purposefully made to look somewhat "aged and distressed".  I've collected barels for may years and your barrel is a beauty - very well made and priced reasonably.  Thanks very much for a great product,  Dave S.  Coulterville, CA - 10.09.12

Just wanted to let you know that my tobacco is doing great.  On October 22nd, it will have been aging for 6 months and will be ready to smoke then.  The aroma of the bourbon has infused into the tobacco and it smells wonderful.  I can't wait to try it!  The barrel is also a decorative piece in our living room.  We love it and I'll be back to you when I start my home brewing ... which should be very soon.   Thanks, Ben C.  Hickory, NC - 10.05.12   |   Ben (see note from May) has been aging his tobacco in one of our specialty Vanilla barrels.)

I'm back again ordering more barrels!  I wanted you to see a picture of what I do here in Ronks, PA.  We have sold quite a few - I've made them to run either by DeWalt battery or by electricity.    Abner F - Ronks, Pa - 09.24.12   (I just called Abner to tell him how much I enjoyed seeing his lamp and asked if he minded that I share it with you online ... if you are interested in learning more, please send him an email to abner@asiideas.com  - he will be sure to respond!)

I just received my barrel - thank you ... it arrived in excellent condition and I can't believe the craftmanship.  I've been reading about the barrel-aged cocktails and decided I had to try these at home .. the holidays are almost here!  My friends are going to love them!  Thank you again for your great customer service.  Susan R - Galveston, Tx - 09.22.12

Our barrels are handcrafted - our cooper is a third generation cooper...he does amazing work.  Every once in awhile, there is a barrel that has a problem ... it's not frequent - but ... it does happen.  Here's a note I just received ... thought you might enjoy reading it.:      The replacement barrel arrived today.  I have to commend you and your company on your customer service.  I look forward to doing more business with Oak Barrels, Ltd.   Thanks, Andrew S - Roswell, Ga - 09.18.12

Your product is pure genius!  And a mixologist's dream!  Just thought I'd drop you a quick message ...  I have placed another order but this time to be used in our new venue, the 360 Bar Lounge & Club.  The management here have loved the barrel-aged cocktail creations I have done with the barrels I bought some months ago therefore ... they are now a full feature on the menu for good!

A recipe that I tried and that became a star - our Jumeirah Beach Barrel-Aged Cocktail is great  ... and still is aging wonderfully:

     Bacardi Oak Heart Rum - macerated with Rum Raisins and Toasted Sesame Seeds

     Maraschino Luxardo

     Mozart Chocolate Liqueur

     Angostura Bitters

Been aging this around 3 months or so and going wonderfully!

Thank you, Marcus K, Mgr Uptown Cocktail Lounge & Terrace | Jumeirah Beach Hotel | Dubai, United Arab Emirates - 09.04.12

I just finished one of my wife's Christmas presents - thought you would enjoy seeing my finished product!!   ...  As you can tell, she is an avid fan of Coca-Cola memorabilia.  She's going to love it!  John K. - Liverpool, Pa - 08.23.12

Just started "harvesting" the vinegar.  It turned out great and is a big hit with friends and family.  John L. - St Charles, MO - 08.19.12 

Your barrels are second to none.  The craftmanship and coopering is exquisite.  Thank you so much for being in business.  Leonard P. III ... Descendant of the McCoy family - Bowling Green, MO - 08.19.12

We received our Barrels and we're so HAPPY with the way they look and perform.  Thank you SO MUCH for such a GREAT PRODUCT.  We will certainly be recommending you to all our friends and family.  Thank You Again!  Laurie H. - Grace, ID - 07.23.12

I purchased 2 barrels from you a while back and the vinegar is brilliant!  Just placed another order - the large 1 is for my father-in-law who wants to start a batch.  The little one I plan on putting Grappa in to age.  Been making back yard Grappa for many years.  Cheers!   Jeff S. - Crosswicks, NJ - 07.11.12

Received the oak barrels I purchased at the end of June.  I received them promptly and in excellent shape.  I wanted them to use as props for some still life photography I was planning on doing.  In order to give the barrels a "weathered" look, I stained them with a wax stain to darken them up.   Attached is a sample photograph of how I've been using the barrels.  Thank you again for your assistance.  I love the barrels and your service!!!    Dave M. - Folsom, CA - 07.10.12  (I wanted to share this wonderful photo with all of you .. however - as a special note ... for aging etc purposes we do not recommend any type of wax, stain etc be used on the barrels.  Cinda)

 

Here we are!    Me and my barrel - she's sitting with some port in her, seasoning for about another 4 weeks.  My ambitious project is being recorded in this whisky chat forum, if you are interested ... http://www.whiskywhiskywhisky.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6242 .  Alan R - Aberdeen, Scotland UK  - 06.01.12

Absolutely LOVE my barrel-aged cocktails!  Your barrels are the bomb!  I found your company on the link mentioned on the Summit Sips blog - thought you might like to see some of the recipes etc.  http://www.summitsips.com/2012/02/barrel-aged-cocktails   Thanks again.   James A. - Seattle, WA - 05.13.12

I contacted you a while back about purchasing a 1 liter barrel to age tobacco in. I just wanted to let you know that I just finished aging bourbon in the barrel for 3 months. The bourbon's character was much milder and richer. I am now aging my home-grown pipe tobacco in the barrel. I believe it is going to turn out to be fantastic. I'll give you a final update after the tobacco ages for 6 months.

Oak Barrels, Ltd is a really nice business. I hope everything is going well.

Thanks,

Ben C - Hickory, NC - 05.09.12   |   Back in January, Ben called to say he wanted to try his hand at barrel-aged tobacco.  He ended up ordering a Vanilla Extract Barrel for his project.  Both of us delved into what we could find - here's a little more from our conversation back then:  Thanks for helping me out. I look forward to the arrival of my barrel. I just wanted to let you know that there is a difference between aging and fermenting tobacco. Fermenting is putting it in high heat and humidity to quickly change its characteristics, while aging is letting it naturally mellow and gain sweetness. So what I'll be doing with this barrel is aging the tobacco, and hopefully it will take will reflect some characteristics of the oak container... Sounds like his project is moving along!  Cinda

Thank you Cinda.. your barrels are great...  I must tell you I had a Mexican company contact me and I purchased some of there barrels because they were such a great price.. .What a dumb*** I was...They all leaked and I am stuck with some junk.. Your barrels are second to none.  I have learned a lesson.

Thank you for your product,

Mike - KY - 05.03.12

This is a fantastic article.  Thank you for the article and the manner in which you conduct business.  Regards.  Gordon K - Newport, NC - 04.29.12 (Gordon had wanted some information on making Brandy - his question to me was "out of my league" ... so I found this article online and sent it to him - if you are interested in Brandy ... you might find it interesting as well:   http://www.madehow.com/Volume-7/Brandy.html

I got the barrel.  Got back in town on Saturday and checked it out.  I think it's perfect.  I just called to say thanks - I couldn't be happier with it. I'm going to send you some pcitures so you can see it at home with the peanuts in it and stuff on the bar.  But anyway - I just wanted to say I got it and thank you very much.  It's great...better than I could have imagined.  So take care ... Voice mail from Mark W - Leesburg, VA - 04.23.12 (Mark wanted a barrel for his bar - not for booze this time, but to hold peanuts.  We had it custom made to his specs.)

I have just purchased several of your small casks, and I am very impressed with the quality of the work.  I would like to purchase more barrels, but am wondering if you do any special orders - crafting?  I would love to have larger barrels for making vanilla.  Is that possible?  Thank you!  Marc V - Carlisle, Pa - 04.15.12  (Answer:  Yes - we take special orders such as these.)

I just received my barrel.  All I can say is awesome.  I am swelling it now.  Gonna fill it as soon as it is ready.  Thank you for a great product obviously made with pride.  Tim B - Centre Hall, PA - 03.01.12

Thanks for the spigots to get my black hoop barrel working. Your company's service is excellent. It is a pleasure doing business with you all.  Thanks again. Sincerely, Eddie - New Market, VA - 02.21.12

Thank you for the prompt response and solution....it is a welcome change from the norm.  Happy Valentine's Day to you as well.    Scott - Mountain View, CA - Feb 14, 2012

Many thanks for the swift delivery.  My pirate shipmates are very impressed by the quality of the barrel and will be ordering a large one in the future. Many thanks again, Mick - Hampshire, Great Britain  - Jan 27, 2012

Thank you so much! I am honestly blown away by such a quick response. Please know that my husband and I are kind of the fore-runners of a group of folks in Austin who are really into good cocktails. Every time I post about what we've been doing I get questions. In fact, when we were at a local wine merchant purchasing liquor for the cocktail that we just put into the other barrel, they were fascinated by what we were doing. Because of our great experience with your company with our initial purchase, and now even more so, we have always been quick to let people know where we purchased our barrels. Now I have an even better story for why they should purchase from you guys. I hope we can send many more customers your way as we love supporting Texas businesses. 

Also, we bottled the rye whiskey we barrel-aged for a month. The change was unbelievable! No one believes us that in only a month we were able to take an inexpensive rye whiskey and make it sip-able. This has been such a fun adventure that I know we'll continue. Hopefully, aging a Manhattan will be another eye opener!

Thanks again for your help. 

April - Austin, Tx - Jan 23, 2012

Hello Oak Barrels,
   '6 STARS; is the only way i can start out with this message. Received my new barrel yesterday morning. followed the directions and filled it with water to allow it to swell.. hats off to your cooper as i never had one drop seep from anywhere on the barrel. not even from the   spigot or the bung. Returned to my garage this morning and the barrel was still completely dry just as i had left it last night.
   Well being the impatient one that i am I went ahead and filled it with my home made 101 proof peach shine.. I will probably loose more of the angels share as i know more will be absorbed due to not waiting but i don't care as i will top it off for the next few days..
   Now talk about a gift for someone, I received a new laptop for Christmas and also a new shotgun. Just want to say that neither of those can compare to the enjoyment i am having just kicking back and throwing a log on the fire every once in awhile and watching spirits age in a keg.  Great job Cinda and the best of luck to you.  You will be hearing from me again and i will tell everyone i have dealings with just what they are missing.. can't wait till this afternoon to start sampling. ha ha!

Joe - Uniontown, PA - Jan 15, 2012

 

You rock! So here is the plan. I am filling this beauty with Tito's, pot still, 100 percent corn, handmade, delicious Vodka. The venue will be a tasting and a celebration of fine Bourbons with the filling of the oak cask! I am completely unsure of the End result, but I suspect it will turn into a nice smooth Whiskey and a biannual, or much more often tasting event. I will keep you in the know for the results and maybe get a taste to you! Jeff - Dec 20, 2011

 

Voicemail Transcription:

This is David (Avague?) in Saint Louis, Missouri. I just received your (barrel?), it is like one of the coolest things I've ever seen before. Thank you so much and you'll be hearing from me again. Thanks. - Voice Mail 12.02.11

 

Dear Cinda,

Thought you would enjoy these.  Here's some of the pictures of the wooden barrel trophy I made for a junior high school in Speedway, Indiana (home of the world famous "Indy 500")!

Thanks!

Rick - Nov 28, 2011

    

 

Good morning Cinda,

Thanks so much for your prompt response.  It's so nice to do business with a company that does a quick follow-up.  We saw one of your barrels at my sister-in-law's house a couple of years ago and just knew that we had to get one for our son and daughter-in-law.  It's a perfect "thank you" for our Thanksgiving week with them.  We'll be ordering more -- what a great hostess gift -- much more thoughtful and long-lasting than a bottle of wine or basket of soaps!

Thanks again for your great product and for your professionalism.

Happy holidays!

Regards,

Jo - Nov 17, 2011

 

Thank you so much for your prompt response, Cinda.  I didn't expect to get a response so quickly and on a Sunday!

We did good finding you--it's always a pleasure to do with business with a company with integrity and warmth.  Thank you.

Happy Holidays!

Paulette - Nov 6,2011

 

(Just a note) Barrel arrived today Oct 21 Friday. I'am very pleased with you service and the shipping & wrapping, you are right on the ball. Waiting to do further business in the very near future. Frank K from Massachusetts - Oct 22, 2011

 

Thanks for all your help and advice.  I was a little nervous about buying on line from a site that I couldnt find any reviews about.  Talking to you personally makes me feel alot better about my choice to purchase from you.  This is a new hobby for me so I really appreciate the advice.
 
Thank you -K. - Sep 13, 2011

 

You guysgals ROCK - not only did you meet my expectations on correcting my issue, you exceeded them by sending me two spigots at no charge.....This kind of service is exactly why I am a repeat customer, and have referred several of my friends, who have purchased as well.....keep up the great work.

Much appreciated,

Todd Y - Jul 27, 2011

 

Thanks much for letting me know!  You guys have excellent customer service, and we've really enjoyed the barrels.  We've found Manhattans and Deschlers cocktails do very well in them.  Dana - Jul 20, 2011

 

Thank you much Mrs. Lucinda,

The barrels got delivered around 10:30/11:00, was on my way out of town, did not have time to cure the big one, but little one is doing fine already. By the same token the other 20l barrel from last time is doing an awesome job, made me freak out!

Until next time (pretty soon) you take care,

M.Denis - Apr 15, 2011

 

Got the oak barrels just beautiful

Greg M - Apr 12, 2011

 

I wanted to let you know that my father absolutely loved his 60^th birthday present barrel from you guys!  I had the end of it engraved and he’s already got it filled with some Woodford Reserve.

If nobody tells you enough out there, you do a great job!

Thanks again, and I look forward to my next barrel order,

Gary

 

Hey Cinda,

Got the barrel today!  Its filled with water to expand the wood as I type this.  It looks great, and I'm excited.  

Thanks so much.  I can't wait to put some Manhattans in there.

Have a great weekend.

Brian - Apr 1, 2011