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I won’t get into the 13th Colony backstory for this review. If you want to read what I’ve previously said about them, tap on this link here. Instead, I’ll dive right into what makes this single barrel of rye whiskey unique.
13th Colony’s highest proofed barrel ever
What we’re looking at is one of 66 bottles that came from Barrel 830. If you’re curious, I previously reviewed another 13th Colony Single Barrel Rye about a year ago. The barrel was undoubtedly sourced from MGP, but I’m assuming that some of it’s 12 years in oak was spent maturing in Lawrenceburg, Indiana before being moved to Americus, Georgia. 13th Colony divulged that maple wood spirals were added into the barrel (through the bung) in 2017. That means this unique wood has influenced the rye whiskey for over 7 years – just baking away in the heat and humidity of the Peach State.
Bourbon Outfitters took a trip down to 13th Colony’s facility in early June, 2025 for a barrel pick. By all accounts, the team barely had to debate which barrel was the winner as this one was head-over-shoulders above the rest. The email sent out from Bourbon Outfitters claims it was “the easiest pick they’ve ever done.”
Max Darby – 13th Colony’s owner – told the pick team that he also believed this barrel to be the best whiskey they’ve ever put out. It came in at a scorching 149.57 proof which was also their highest-proofed barrel yet. Keep in mind, this Indiana rye whiskey goes into the barrel at 120 proof. I can’t believe there was anything left in the barrel after so much water evaporated!
Bourbon Outfitters priced the 66 bottles at $299.99 and held a special lottery to decide which lucky boy or girl got the opportunity to buy one. Luckily for me, my good friend Mike over at Mostly Peaceful Bourbon was able to score one and asked if I wanted to come over to open it with him. How could I say no? As usual, I sampled this neat in a glencairn.
Tasting Notes
Nose: The scent of Girl Scouts Thin Mint Cookies coupled with maple buttercream frosting gets this bottle off to a sweet start. There are other scents beyond these to include ground cinnamon, light brown sugar and cherry Twizzlers. Another fruit note my nose is telling me it can smell is lemon curd. It seems to pair well with the vanilla cake batter note. There is some seasoned oak underlying all of it which makes sense for spending 12 years in a barrel.
Palate: I’m surprised to find that this dram is not hitting with the power you’d expect from almost 150 proof, but it’ll getcha if you hold it in your mouth for too long. I find flavors of peppermint candy canes dipped in chocolate, smores and a caramel macchiato. Other sweet flavors include Karo Syrup and a small amount of hard maple candies. Oak, charred wood and a touch of ash add the tannins but it delivers a certain level of bitterness that I didn’t expect to find. The longer the session lasted, the more it came off as slightly unbalanced. The experience is more like a mosh pit rather than an evening at the Jazz Bar, so plan accordingly.
Finish: 150 proof doesn’t just leave your mouth when you’re done with it. It will linger until you have your next meal and maybe get a full night’s sleep. While you dream that evening, you’ll still be reminded of the oak, peppermint, chocolate, maple and caramel notes from this dram. It goes out on a good note overall.
Score: 8/10
This dram is powerful, flavorful and a handful. Obviously the proof is going to knock you on your ass, but the surprising part was it didn’t melt my face off. Having this across two separate nights has definitely yielded a micro-hangover at minimum the following day. As I always say, that’s “future Mike’s” problem, so who cares?
Stronger whiskies almost always translate to strong flavors, but it’s how well those flavors are integrated that makes a whiskey truly great. For me, this single barrel had a lot of flavors but they didn’t produce a particularly refined or harmonious experience. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting it would anyway but still hoped it would. Experiencing these barrels are half the fun, so as long as you come into it with the mindset that your tasting notes will probably go out the window after the third sip, you can relax and appreciate it for what it is.
Final Thoughts
Let’s talk value for a minute. Because the price of this bottle is based on exclusivity and the fact it was a “short” barrel (barrel costs are set regardless of how full they are). A better value would probably be one of the many NDPs selling 12 year MGP rye whiskies at 1/3 or 1/2 the price of this bottle. But they don’t have a proof like this and are usually much lower in price. I can still find them just as enjoyable if all things are equal – which my score kind of hints at.
Hazmat whiskies aren’t for everyone, but when they don’t drink their proof (like this one), it’s easy to get carried away. That’s why they really should only be used for special occasions or to end the night with. Otherwise bottles like this will blow out your tastebuds and make everything else taste like water. But in the right amounts, it’s guaranteed to give you and your friends a night to remember.
