Bourbon

Bourbon Review: Baker’s 13 Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon

We review Baker’s 13 Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon, distilled from a mash bill of 77% corn, 13% rye, and 10% barley, and aged in new American oak.

OVERALL RATING

8
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Baker’s 13 Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Tasting Notes

About:

Mash bill of 77% corn, 13% rye, and 10% barley, aged in new American oak; 107 proof/53.5% alcohol by volume; MSRP of $129.99, but commonly found for $200 or more on secondary markets.
Appearance:
Dark copper, the color of a penny.
Nose:
It’s warm and rich wafting up from the glass. For some reason, it brings the color red into my mind as I inhale. I smell honey, brown sugar, soft leather, and a buttered dinner roll.
Palate:
This is clearly a Kentucky bourbon, hitting all the notes regulars expect from American whiskey’s heartland. I taste zucchini bread, caramel, fresh-tapped maple syrup straight from the tree, and maybe a hint of apple juice.
Finish:
Comments:
This is a smooth, happytime bourbon, with virtually no rough edges. It comes with a thick – almost chewy – mouthfeel, and a long-ish fish. The 13+ years in the barrel have given it both texture and a subtle complexity that is a lot of fun for someone who drinks a lot of bourbon. It’s a nice whiskey, and I’d be happy to add a few more bottles of it to my bar.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Scott Bernard Nelson

Scott Bernard Nelson is a writer, actor, and whiskey reviewer based in Portland, Oregon. While currently working in higher education, he previously dedicated 22 years to journalism, covering impactful events such as 9/11 in Manhattan, crossing into Iraq with U.S. Marines, and contributing to The Boston Globe's Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of abuse in the Catholic Church, which inspired the film "Spotlight." Since 2019, Scott has shared his insights as a whiskey reviewer for The Whiskey Wash.  

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