Silverthorn Reserve 13-Year Bourbon Review: Worth $140?

Silverthorn Reserve 13-Year is a delicious oak bomb at 107 proof, though its $140 price gives one of us pause. For Whiskey on the Fly, our quick-review format, we landed on different ratings despite both enjoying that old-school bourbon flavor.

At a glance

• Age: 13 years
• Proof: 107
• Mash bill: 80% corn, 10% rye, 5% wheat, and 5% malted barley
• Price: $140
• Ratings: A solid double blue and a red on our scale

Eight years in Georgia, five in Kentucky

This bourbon was distilled in Georgia and spent its first eight years aging there. It then spent another five years aging in Kentucky.

We’ve heard rumors that Ivy Mountain in north Georgia distilled it, though we don’t know for sure. The aging journey gives this bottle an interesting story before we even get to the glass.

Russell’s 13 is the first 13-year bourbon that comes to mind for us. That age statement catches our attention, and 107 hits a proof point we really like.

Nose: seasoned oak, leather, and brown sugar

The bourbon is extremely dark, with what we’d call a motor-oil tint. The nose immediately delivers seasoned oak, along with leather, a little caramel, and brown sugar.

One of us also picked up a note we couldn’t identify that felt slightly off-putting. Even so, the main impression was clear: this smelled like an oak bomb before we tasted it.

Palate: thick oak and sweet pipe tobacco

The first sip backs up the nose. This is thick, viscous bourbon with plenty of seasoned oak.

We get dark brown sugar, leather, and sweet tobacco that comes close to pipe tobacco. We think the 80% corn and 10% rye help explain why there isn’t much rye spice in our tasting.

It has the old-school bourbon profile we enjoy. For us, those flavors deliver what we want from a 13-year bottle.

Finish: oak and tobacco linger

The oak and tobacco hang around on a long finish. That lingering flavor, paired with the thick mouthfeel, is a big part of what we enjoy about this pour.

$140 is the sticking point

Using our rough $10-per-year yardstick, 13 years works out to $130. This bottle sits a little above that at $140. Silverthorn is a small distillery, and we suspect it had to pay up for the original whiskey.

One of us gave it a solid double blue, with the price holding that rating back. The other gave it a red on our scale and would love owning it even at $140. We both enjoy the bourbon; we differ on how comfortable we feel paying for it.