Maturation of rum without oaking

[PalCabral]

Hi Rum makers.

I've read a lot posts on the forum where I get the impression that it's quite common to first mature rum without oak to let flavors develop, before deciding when and how to oak the rum. Maybe it's a misinterpretation from my part but it kind of make sense considering the complex flavor profile that some rums have coming off the still. So my questions are simple:

Do you mature rum before adding oak?

1. If you do, what is the positive development you are after, for how long do you mature the spirit, and do you do it differently if the rum is destined to be white or dark?

2. If you don't mature rums before adding oak, do you consume the white rum immediately, do you filter the rum at all, and what do you look for to see that the rum is ready for consumption?

3. Dilution before bottling. How do you do that? Is it a process over days, weeks or months, or all in one go? Do you have a preferred bottling strength and why?