Baker's 13 Year Old

[Kyjd75]

Well, I picked up a bottle of Baker's 13 year old single barrel release.  I had mentioned to the owner of my local store (John O's) that if he got any of the bottles, I would like to have one.  Was in there this morning for other reasons and he advised that he had received ONE bottle, and had been holding it for me.  I am a big Baker's fan, and so I bought it without hesitation.  $170.  Not cheap, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do.

 

 

[Richnimrod]

Good Luck, Kyjd75!    I hope it exceeds all your expectations.    Let us know how you find it's attributes.

I too always liked the 'old' Baker's.   It was somewhat of an outlier for Beam.  To my taste buddies, anyway.

[Davesnothere]

Yes, let us know how it drinks. I've really been enjoying the Baker's 7 recently, I would imagine this is similar but different.

 

[Kyjd75]

I will once I open it.  I do not buy bottles to keep and look at.  However, I may wait just a little while before I open this one, i.e. for some sort of special occasion, even if it is just a good friend at our fire pit.  I am a huge Baker's fan and once before had a bottle of the original (as far as I know) 13 year release.  It was fantastic, so I am definitely looking forward to this one.  When Whiskey House Kentucky gets up and going down the street from me, and you guys start visiting, maybe we can have a get together at the fire pit.  It is a great setting to enjoy bourbon.

Edited August 28, 2023 by Kyjd75

[geclbxf]

On 8/28/2023 at 4:39 PM, Kyjd75 said:

I will once I open it.  I do not buy bottles to keep and look at.  However, I may wait just a little while before I open this one, i.e. for some sort of special occasion, even if it is just a good friend at our fire pit.  I am a huge Baker's fan and once before had a bottle of the original (as far as I know) 13 year release.  It was fantastic, so I am definitely looking forward to this one.  When Whiskey House Kentucky gets up and going down the street from me, and you guys start visiting, maybe we can have a get together at the fire pit.  It is a great setting to enjoy bourbon.

tell us more about Whiskey House Kentucky?

[Kyjd75]

Quote

Whiskey House Kentucky is a new distillery started by a couple of the guys who started Bardstown Bourbon Co.  They were bought out and moved to Hardin County to start a new venture.  $360 million IRB offering by the City of Elizabethtown to finance the project.  The "largest contract distiller" in the world according to their press releases.  The distillery they are building is HUGE.  I drove by it the other day and was amazed at the sheer size of the place.  Appears they have prepared sites for 7 or 8 rick houses initially.  I just hope they have a restaurant equivalent to BBC.  This is located 6/10 mile as the crow flies from my house in Cecilia, Ky.  I have posted links to a couple of drone videos re construction if you do a search.  It is a BIG deal not just for Hardin County but for the bourbon industry overall, as it is a serious project that they are undertaking.

 

 

[stevegoz]

On 8/28/2023 at 3:39 PM, Kyjd75 said:

I will once I open it.  I do not buy bottles to keep and look at.  However, I may wait just a little while before I open this one, i.e. for some sort of special occasion, even if it is just a good friend at our fire pit.  I am a huge Baker's fan and once before had a bottle of the original (as far as I know) 13 year release.  It was fantastic, so I am definitely looking forward to this one.  When Whiskey House Kentucky gets up and going down the street from me, and you guys start visiting, maybe we can have a get together at the fire pit.  It is a great setting to enjoy bourbon.

Having acquired a bottle this week that I will likely open in January, I'm curious about your tasting notes (assuming you've had a taste by now!).

[GaryT]

I was fortunate enough to try this and liked it, although the price point is still tough for me.  Below were my tasting notes:

 

Nose:  Warm, vanilla, toasted crème brûlée, caramel drizzle, oak, hint of peanut brittle with some subtle fruit notes.
Palate:  Cream mouthfeel with caramel, vanilla, mixed nuts (some lightly salted, some cinnamon glazed), oak, bit of apple and raisins along with brown sugar.
Finish:  Moderately long and thick with caramel, oak and spice notes.
Overall Comments: I’ve always been a Baker’s fan, and thought it was one of the most under-rated of the Beam small batch collection. I think part of that is the proof point of 107, which for my money – if you’re not going cask strength – this is a damn fine place to be. This is a really nice bourbon, and fans of Baker’s won’t be disappointed. As a single barrel, there is apt to be some variation but I can’t see the fine folks at Beam selecting barrels for this that would stray too far. The house style of Beam (that peanut/nutty note) comes through, and is balanced really nicely with oak and spice, while not approaching anywhere close to over-oaked. Another really nice addition to the Baker’s saga!

[Clueby]

On 12/17/2023 at 3:37 AM, GaryT said:

I was fortunate enough to try this and liked it, although the price point is still tough for me.  Below were my tasting notes:

 

Nose:  Warm, vanilla, toasted crème brûlée, caramel drizzle, oak, hint of peanut brittle with some subtle fruit notes.
Palate:  Cream mouthfeel with caramel, vanilla, mixed nuts (some lightly salted, some cinnamon glazed), oak, bit of apple and raisins along with brown sugar.
Finish:  Moderately long and thick with caramel, oak and spice notes.
Overall Comments: I’ve always been a Baker’s fan, and thought it was one of the most under-rated of the Beam small batch collection. I think part of that is the proof point of 107, which for my money – if you’re not going cask strength – this is a damn fine place to be. This is a really nice bourbon, and fans of Baker’s won’t be disappointed. As a single barrel, there is apt to be some variation but I can’t see the fine folks at Beam selecting barrels for this that would stray too far. The house style of Beam (that peanut/nutty note) comes through, and is balanced really nicely with oak and spice, while not approaching anywhere close to over-oaked. Another really nice addition to the Baker’s saga!

I lucked into one at the gift shop a few months ago. We just stopped in on our way down to Bardstown just to look around.  I saw an employee pushing a cart with empty boxes and one was a Baker's 13 empty box.  I asked him where the bottles are that were in that box and he took me over to where there were 6 bottles he just put on the shelf.  They were $135+tax at the distillery.  Mrs. Clueby was with me and could have gotten one as well but we elected to just get the one since we had a pretty big spend weekend ahead of us and that was our first stop.

My tasting notes would pretty much echo Gary's but with less of the Beam/nutty notes.  It's pretty great stuff imho.

[DeepCover]

On 12/17/2023 at 3:37 AM, GaryT said:

I was fortunate enough to try this and liked it, although the price point is still tough for me.  Below were my tasting notes:

 

Nose:  Warm, vanilla, toasted crème brûlée, caramel drizzle, oak, hint of peanut brittle with some subtle fruit notes.
Palate:  Cream mouthfeel with caramel, vanilla, mixed nuts (some lightly salted, some cinnamon glazed), oak, bit of apple and raisins along with brown sugar.
Finish:  Moderately long and thick with caramel, oak and spice notes.
Overall Comments: I’ve always been a Baker’s fan, and thought it was one of the most under-rated of the Beam small batch collection. I think part of that is the proof point of 107, which for my money – if you’re not going cask strength – this is a damn fine place to be. This is a really nice bourbon, and fans of Baker’s won’t be disappointed. As a single barrel, there is apt to be some variation but I can’t see the fine folks at Beam selecting barrels for this that would stray too far. The house style of Beam (that peanut/nutty note) comes through, and is balanced really nicely with oak and spice, while not approaching anywhere close to over-oaked. Another really nice addition to the Baker’s saga!

How does Baker’s 13 compare to KC15 and/or KC18? Your tasting notes seem very familiar to what I got from the most recent release of KC18.

[Kyjd75]

OK, I am now into my bottle of Baker's 13 a little bit.  Have to say it is incredibly good, especially if you are already a Baker's/Beam fan.  In usual Baker's fashion, very drinkable at 107 proof.  I definitely prefer it to KC 12 or 15, and I am a fan of those bottles.  I guess what I am saying is that this Baker's 13 is exceptionally good and if you get a chance to buy a bottle, I recommend that you do.

[GaryT]

On 2/3/2024 at 8:03 PM, DeepCover said:

How does Baker’s 13 compare to KC15 and/or KC18? Your tasting notes seem very familiar to what I got from the most recent release of KC18.

Here are my notes on those three (which were done 10 months+ apart).  I liked all of them, but didn't love any of them (in fact, I'd pick KC 12 over any of these three for my taste buddies).

 

 

[GeeTen]

39 minutes ago, GaryT said:

Here are my notes on those three (which were done 10 months+ apart).  I liked all of them, but didn't love any of them (in fact, I'd pick KC 12 over any of these three for my taste buddies).

 

 

 

Woof!  You wrote all those notes down and then made a Word file out of them???  YOU are da' man, my friend.  My notes are simple - great, good, ok, and drain pour!  

 

[GaryT]

On 2/10/2024 at 6:01 AM, GeeTen said:

 

Woof!  You wrote all those notes down and then made a Word file out of them???  YOU are da' man, my friend.  My notes are simple - great, good, ok, and drain pour!  

 

Well, technically I copied and pasted those from the posted reviews on Whisk(e)y Apostle rather than just shamelessly plugging it   And there, they all got the same rating (Stands Out) while the KC12 was a 'Must Try'.  But you're four point scale is solid (and honestly the way I'd view most bottles in my inventory, except for 'drain pour' because if they got that - in the drain they went!)