1st barrel (3gallons)

[larsend]

OK it is time to get a barrel. I have been reading a lot about the flavoring and aging parts of barrel stored spirits. I have thought about doing a bourbon as a first fill as that is the traditional way to age rum but I would like to use what I have in stock.
I currently have 3 gallons of apple brandy as well as 6 gallons of a nice red wine and am currently in the middle of stripping enough rum wash so I can do a spirit run to fill the barrel.
I would like to get the rum and the brandy in the barrel at some point and the red wine could be used to add some wine character and remove some of the oak so the spirits could stay in there longer without being over oaked.
Any advice or thought would be greatly appreciated.

[DAD300]

Start soaking the barrel in water for at least a few days.

Barrel the brandy first for a short time, sampling along the way, just to make sure you really want to oak it. Empty and do the wine...last do the rum and leave it in there for the longest time. The hints and depth of character of the first two will add a lot to the rum.

I've done sherry followed by rum, followed by whiskey in a barrel and it is a great path.