Baker's Single Barrel Bourbon 13 Year

This limited release from Beam is noteworthy. I'm a major admirer of the standard 7-year expression of Baker's (the recently discontinued small batch variety.) Initially, I saw this priced at $80, which felt like a steal considering it's the most aged (and costly) bourbon I've ever possessed, and I've spent more on younger bottles. I hesitated, and by the time I grasped its scarcity, it had vanished. When I finally located it again, the price had climbed to $150. Oh well. I won't let that diminish my anticipation for this one. Nose: Abundant brown notes: brown sugar, caramel, cocoa, chocolate, significant oak. Classic Beam peanut brittle. Apple, orange, raisin, toffee, vanilla. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and allspice. Considerable barrel char. Sawdust. Tobacco smoke. It presents as a rather typical bourbon aroma. Remarkably subtle for 107 proof; no hint of ethanol. A solid, clean, crisp aroma. Palate: Apple, cocoa, caramel, brown sugar, vanilla. More peanut brittle, now with walnut. Increased barrel char, alongside oak, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and allspice. A substantial amount of spice is present. Black pepper and black licorice. Carrot cake. Fudge. A slightly greater presence of orange citrus. Once again, it's quite standard for a bourbon in terms of its flavor profile. However, its clarity and refinement are exceptional. This quality alone distinguishes it. It's a far more tranquil and composed rendition of its younger sibling. Finish: A prominent burst of orange citrus immediately. Apple, vanilla, and toffee sweetness. Caramel and cocoa. Leather. It closely mirrors the overall experience. Barrel char, oak, clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon contribute a significant amount of spice and warmth. This is the sole portion of the spirit that evokes the 7-year expression. The notes are consistent throughout, but the bold intensity and heat on this extended finish bring back memories of the original small batch release. An excellent finish. My assessment of the oldest bourbon I've ever owned, or even sampled (having tried many with age statements of 12 years, this isn't a huge leap)? Clean, refined, and measured. I've employed these descriptors previously, and I believe they best capture what makes this one stand out. The individual notes are standard; the execution, however, is truly unique. The only bourbon I recall possessing a superior blend of crispness and maturity is Weller 12. So, is it worth $80? Absolutely, without question. Is it worth $150? That's a tough decision. Regardless, I'm pleased I acquired it. Thus, I confirm its value justifies the price tag. It deviates from many characteristics I seek in a bourbon, apart from that powerful 53.5% finish. Nevertheless, age profoundly benefits this spirit, delivering an experience I haven't encountered since finishing my Weller 12 over a year ago. Next, I need to get the new Baker's 7 year SB. I hope this 13-year version becomes a regular offering. One could interpret the change as Jim Beam replacing Baker's in the core lineup. Conversely, one might argue the distillery is revitalizing its most overlooked line. This expression is a superb example of JB's 107 proof standard. If you can still find a bottle, I strongly endorse it. Edit: Just under three years later, I must upgrade this from 4.75/5. The bottle improved with time and aeration. I can't believe I suggested this deviated from my usual bourbon preferences. Even then, I didn't imply the profile was anything less than great—just different. But now I'm convinced this bottle was one of the few that shaped my developing palate. Truly top-shelf, no question.

So, I typically evaluate everything from the nose downwards and then average my results for a composite score. I won't do that with this one because this bottle represents more than the sum of its components; it's a broader experience. Let me elaborate- A wonderfully vibrant nose. Oaky, butterscotchy, ethanol. It smells like I recall Jim Beam's rickhouses from my distillery tour in June. It's wonderful when a bourbon evokes a pleasant memory rather than just triggering mental files of its "flavor profile." To me, that's when a whiskey transcends from very good to truly special. The palate is exceptionally balanced. The spices, caramels, and vanilla are in near-perfect harmony. No single element dominates the others. I feared this might be too spicy or too oaky, but 13 years in a barrel seems to be the ideal duration. The 107 proof is neither too heavy nor too light—like Goldilocks and the Three Bears, it's "just right." The finish provides a warm embrace. Not the forceful embrace of a high-proof Booker's, nor the "thanks for visiting, goodbye" hug of a whiskey at or below 100 proof. I liken it to a "grandma hug"—warm and welcoming. This is a superb bourbon, plain and simple. No single element overshadows the others. For context, we shared this at a tasting alongside a 2016 Van Winkle Estate 12 yr, a 2019 GTS (which was my favorite, but this was remarkably close), Parker's Heritage Char Rye (just to add some spice—reviews on that later, it took my top spot for favorite rye of 2019!), and this year's OF Birthday. That's significant company; it was an impressive lineup! The seven of us consistently ranked Baker's 13 within our top 3. I have no issue considering this a premium offering. It far exceeds expectations!

Appearance: Deep copper-amber Scent: The aroma is not very intense, offering familiar notes of oak and leather with just a faint hint of alcohol. Taste: (Consumed with a large ice sphere) The initial taste on the front of the palate is sweet, but it quickly gives way to a powerful spicy oak presence, followed by a warm sensation in the chest. This profile strongly resembles a "Booker's" style – which is fitting. Indeed, it possesses that characteristic Beam nuttiness and significant oak char. It's a robust spirit, decidedly driven by spice and oak. As expected, the melting ice tempers the spice, uncovering notes reminiscent of salted caramel. Aftertaste: A prolonged finish featuring more barrel char and a prominent spicy character. Overall Assessment: At 13 years of age, I would anticipate categorizing this Bourbon as "premium"... and it certainly fits there. My experience over these past few years of tasting Bourbon has taught me that while "age" doesn't automatically equate to "superiority," it consistently enhances "depth" and "sophistication." This pour performs as its proof suggests and exhibits the refinement expected from such an age statement. Does it meet all my expectations? I'm uncertain. I'm not entirely sure what I was anticipating. Baker's 7 Year is among my favorites, and I suspect that is sufficient for me from this particular brand. This offering didn't distinguish itself significantly from the younger expression. I obtained this using a gift card from Total Wine. Had I paid full price, I might feel somewhat... unsatisfied. 3.5 stars for its quality, though I'm not fully convinced its cost is justified.

Interestingly, I didn't recall rating this before, and I arrived at the same score. I utilize a nitrogen-argon barrier in all my open whiskey bottles and stand by it. All top-shelf bottles without a backup are immediately decanted into three 2oz Boston Rounds to the brim and stored away. When I taste a sealed Boston Round against the same bottle, there's no discernible degradation. Last night, I poured the pictured Baker's 13 – revisited after a considerable period – it was opened with the store owner at the time of purchase 2 years ago (or more), as I believe I bought it in December 2019. Long story short, once the Baker's opened up in the glass, it truly excelled. Considering this isn't a small batch like all previous Baker's releases... The nose on this single barrel was full of sweetness, oak, caramel, and vanilla – everything you seek in a bourbon = 5/5. The palate maintained balance and smoothness, with no heat; a slightly higher proof might have provided more mouthfeel and consequently a higher palate rating, but it's respectable at 4.25/5. The finish was good, starting strong but slightly deviating = 3.75/5. Total Score: 4.25/5. Nitrogen-argon barrier rating: 5/5 😉. Cheers.

The aroma is abundant with brown sugar, pine, charred barrel, molasses, vanilla bean, custard, oak, clove, stone fruit, and leather. Highly intricate. Ethanol is almost imperceptible. The taste diverges from the aroma, as more classic vanilla/caramel/cinnamon notes take center stage, which is by no means a negative. It also features more barrel char, almond butter, black cherry, peanut, and clove. The lengthy, smooth finish is where the experience truly elevates, gradually transforming into crème brûlée, mellow, sweet oak, charcoal, black pepper, tobacco, mint, and a delightful hint of raspberry. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied with just a slight graininess. My palate desired a full-bodied and silky texture; perhaps one cannot have every attribute. Overall, a wonderful spirit with no significant shortcomings, and a fine illustration of a "highly aged" bourbon. I paid $149.99, which is not drastically above the suggested price, yet still quite expensive. Did I find it enjoyable? Yes. Would I rush to purchase it again at that price? Almost certainly not. It's challenging to rate, as a score of 4.0 signifies a repurchase for me, but I cannot classify this as a sub-4.0 spirit. I will disregard price in this evaluation. 4.25

2023 release. AROMA - May I simply call it standard bourbon? Very well... I shall elaborate. This presents as light and fruity, approaching caramel apples. However, upon deeper examination, the rich oak emerges, with hints of leather, old spice, dusty storage, and naturally, vanilla extract. It's quite pleasant but slightly subdued, initially giving the impression of a less nutty version of a certain well-known bourbon. TASTE - Similar to the aroma, the initial taste is rather conventional but exceptionally clean for a bourbon. Light fruit and vanilla notes. Fortunately, the character develops as you swallow, and the finish delivers impressive oak notes characteristic of a particular renowned distillery (that distinct, rich oak they consistently offer), leather, and a very satisfying level of spice emerges. A very well-executed 13-year-old bourbon. Nothing extraordinary here, simply skillfully crafted and composed. I'll assign it a solid 3.25. That equates to approximately 87 on a 100-point scale. At around $150, I believe this represents fair value.