Roll out the barrel

[Todd Bradshaw]

So, I'm browsing the internet, minding my own business and I stumble on a place that makes little charred oak barrels in various sizes. They will also laser-engrave names and logos on them for free. I couldn't resist, so I ordered a 2-litre version and sent them a jpeg of an Old Pulteney logo to see how good their engraving is. It arrived the other day and is pretty neat. It's rustic enough to look like the real deal, rather than a varnished piggy bank, and after the recommended couple of days being filled with water to take up like a boat and rinsed to remove any loose char, it doesn't leak. I doubt I'll actually ever fill it with Pulteney (some things shouldn't be messed with, especially at $40+ per bottle) but it's currently full of a fairly inexpensive blend mixed with a bottle of young Speyburn that tasted pretty raw to us. I'll let it age for a bit and see what we get. In any case, it's just kind of a neat thing to own. The spigot is a little crude, but works. When I get time I'll turn a nicer one, maybe walnut or something with tighter grain that will finish up a little nicer.

It came from.
http://www.barrelsonline.com