Disclosure: the sample for this review was provided at no cost. Our tasting notes and score are our own.
A little background
Old Swagger 13 Year Bottled in Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a 13-year-old bourbon from Rising Tide Spirits, the whiskey company founded by bourbon expert Ed Bley. It was distilled at MGP in Indiana and bottled in Kentucky, and as a Bottled in Bond release it is bottled at 100 proof (50% ABV). This release was drawn from 15 barrels and totals just under 1,700 bottles, with each 750 ml bottle selling for $175. The mash bill is a low-rye recipe of corn, rye and malted barley; the exact percentages are undisclosed.
The 13 Year is the follow-up to the brand’s debut Old Swagger 12 Year Bottled in Bond. It comes in a handcrafted “bowling pin” style bottle with a hand-blown glass cardinal, the Rising Tide bird, at the bottom. Before founding Rising Tide, Bley hand-selected or blended more than 250 private barrels while selling limited releases to enthusiasts and collectors out of one store in Northern Kentucky, and in 2017 he was named Wild Turkey’s global private barrel customer of the year.
(Tasted neat from a Glencairn Glass)
Color
Deep Amber
Nose
Toasted caramel, dark cherries, pecans, sweet vanilla cream, leather, and oak.
Palate
Burnt brown sugar, dark chocolate, maple syrup, vanilla, dark berries, roasted almonds, leather, cinnamon, oak, and spice.
Finish
Long, with cinnamon, sweet pipe tobacco, maple syrup, clove, leather, and dry oak.
In closing
Old Swagger 13 Year Bottled in Bond is a rich, mature bourbon that leans into dessert sweetness and dark fruit without letting the oak take over. Toasted caramel, dark cherries, and pecans lead the nose, with sweet vanilla cream, leather, and oak underneath. The palate has a rich, oily mouthfeel and opens on burnt brown sugar, dark chocolate, maple syrup, and vanilla before moving into dark berries, roasted almonds, leather, cinnamon, oak, and spice. The finish is long, with cinnamon, sweet pipe tobacco, and maple syrup giving way to clove, leather, and dry oak.
This is a very well balanced bourbon that’s super enjoyable from start to finish and exactly why I’ve come to love MGP bourbon so much. At $175 it is not an inexpensive bottle, but for a 13-year-old Bottled in Bond release limited to about 1,700 bottles, the price is fair for what is in the glass and the stunning handcrafted bottle and tube. If I had to enjoy one single bourbon, this could very well be it.
NOTE: The sample used for this review was provided at no cost courtesy of Rising Tide Spirits. We thank them for the sample and for allowing us to review it with no strings attached.
Old Swagger 13 Year Bottled in Bond
100 Proof
