Baker’s 13 Bourbon Review (2024 Release)

Baker’s 13 Bourbon
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Single Barrel
2024 Release Year
13 Years Old (Minimum)
107 Proof
MSRP: $149.99
Review

Please enjoy our Baker’s 13 Year Old Bourbon Review! (2024 Release)

So, Just Who Is Baker?

Baker’s Bourbon was named by prior Beam Master Distiller Booker Noe after his cousin, Baker Beam. Baker grew up at the Jim Beam Distillery (now known as the James B. Beam Distilling Co) in Clermont, Kentucky. Later on, he worked there for 38 years, starting as a night watchman, and reportedly then doing almost every job before becoming a distiller at Clermont in 1974.

After he retired, Baker’s Bourbon was born. It was introduced in 1992, originally as part of the “Small Batch Collection” developed by Booker. However, in 2019, Baker’s was rebranded as a single barrel bourbon bearing a 7 year age statement, although some bottles are a year or so older than that. The first limited release of Baker’s 13 Bourbon was also in 2019, to commemorate the event. Then, in 2023, and again in 2024, Baker’s 13 Year Single Barrel Bourbon was released, again as a limited edition only available in select markets as well as at the distillery.

Baker’s 13 Bourbon Details

Baker’s Bourbon is made from Beam’s standard undisclosed bourbon mash bill of either 75% corn, 13% rye & 12% malted barley or 77% corn, 13% rye & 10% malted barley. I tend to favor the first option, but it’s tough to know which is correct. According to the BakersBourbon.com website, Baker’s barrels age on the higher floors of the warehouses. That being the case, we would expect some interesting characteristics at 13 years, since generally older barrels aren’t left to age that high up.

In addition, a press release from 2019 stated that “Baker’s Bourbon is distilled at a lower proof than most whiskies from the James B. Beam Distilling Company…” That lower distillation proof would also be expected to contribute to Baker’s unique flavor profile. Lastly, all Baker’s Bourbons are single barrels, so there will be some variations between each one.

Tasting Notes – Baker’s 13 Year Bourbon Review

Let’s taste it:

🛏 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn

👉🏻Nose: Oak, vanilla, brown sugar, toffee; hints of dark cherries; alcohol vapor less than expected for proof
👉🏻Taste: Oak, brown sugar, caramel, tannins
👉🏻Finish: Oak, white pepper; faint brown sugar; tannins; mild barrel char; long; increasingly dry; pleasant warmth

Oak is the Hallmark of Baker’s 13 Year Bourbon

Oak is quite evident throughout the sip, dominant in the nose and palate, but sharing the stage with white pepper and tannins in the finish. It is not overbearing, or what I would consider “over-oaked”; however, this is definitely an oak lover’s bourbon.

In addition to oak, the nose also has plenty of vanilla, brown sugar and toffee, with fairly subtle dark cherries. The taste has similar flavors of oak, brown sugar and caramel, but picks up some tannins and early white pepper spice. The white pepper grows in the finish, and the brown sugar fades. The oak is definitely still present, with some tannins and mild barrel char. The finish is quite long, with a pleasant warmth.

Not A Young Bourbon

While a 13 year old bourbon is no youngster, Baker’s 13 drinks a bit older than that. The flavors are full and rich, but not necessarily complex, as they remain fairly similar throughout. Nonetheless, they are the flavors that I would expect in a well-aged bourbon, albeit a bit heavy on the oak.

Conclusion – Baker’s 13 Year Bourbon Review

Baker’s 13 was one of my favorite bourbons of 2023, and the 2024 release is of the same caliber. Perhaps this bourbon may be a bit heavy on the oak for some people’s palates. However, if you are an oak fan, and enjoy the rich flavors of a mature bourbon, then you’ll want to give Baker’s 13 Year Bourbon a try!

Have you tried Baker’s 13? What did you think? Cheers!🥃

We hope you have enjoyed our Baker’s 13 Bourbon Review (2024 Release)! If you would like to learn more about the distillery where it was made, then check out our detailed James B. Beam Distilling Tour Review! Or, read about some of the other Beam bourbons in our Jim Beam Black 7 Year Bourbon Review, our Knob Creek 9 Year Bourbon Review, and our Basil Hayden Bourbon Review!

Would you like to learn more about distilleries and bourbon? Are you planning a trip to Kentucky Distilleries? Maybe you would like to live the bourbon life vicariously through us? If any of these are true, then check out BourbonObsessed.com today!