A High-Proof Rye That Does Not Come Out Swinging
Some ryes announce themselves with a sharp elbow. This one takes a different route.
Thirteenth Colony Distilleries out of Americus, Georgia has built a strong reputation around South Georgia aging, bold proof points, and a willingness to experiment with wood finishing. Their 113 Rye Whiskey Finished With Maple Wood Spirals fits squarely into that lane. It is a 113-proof rye, aged 5 to 6 years, with a 95% rye and 5% malted barley mash bill, then refined with maple wood spirals.
That description sounds like it could go one of two ways. It could become an aggressive rye spice bomb. Or it could become overly sweet and lose the rye character altogether. Thankfully, this pour lands somewhere much better: warm, flavorful, approachable, and surprisingly mild for the proof.
First Impression
In the Glencairn, this rye showed a very attractive copper color. It looked rich, mature, and inviting, with thick, long legs after a swirl. That was one of the strongest parts of the pour. Before the first sip, it already looked like a whiskey with some weight behind it.
Appearance Score: 4.00 / 5
Aroma
The nose was pleasant but not overpowering. We picked up caramel, maple, sweetness, and a light floral note. The maple was clearly present, but it did not turn the aroma into pancake syrup or candy. It stayed more controlled than expected, especially for a maple-finished rye.
The published notes from 13th Colony lean into baked raisins, vanilla sugar, toasted pecan, honey, and cooked plums. We can see where those notes are coming from, especially on the sweeter side of the aroma. Our glass showed more caramel and maple up front, while the official notes found more dried fruit (baked raisins would fall into this note for us), vanilla, and nutty depth.
Aroma Score: 3.00 / 5
Flavor
This is where the whiskey became more interesting.
For a 113-proof rye, it drinks surprisingly mild. That does not mean thin or weak. It means the proof is handled well...very well. The heat does not dominate the first sip, and the rye spice does not overwhelm the rest of the flavor.
We found caramel, maple, rye pepper, and dried fruit. The rye pepper is there, but it behaves. The maple wood finish adds sweetness and roundness without making the whiskey feel artificially flavored.
The published notes mention cooked plums (we never had cooked plums, so again, this is probably the dried fruit we noted), toasted rye bread, graham cracker, biscotti, craft root beer, bittersweet dark chocolate, and clove. Our tasting matched most closely with the dried fruit, rye spice, and sweet baking-spice direction. We did not get as much dark chocolate or root beer as the official notes suggest, but we did find the same general balance of sweetness, rye grain, and spice.
Flavor Score: 3.75 / 5
Finish
The finish was the biggest surprise.
Many ryes finish sharp, dry, or a little harsh. This one did not. The finish was pleasant, medium in length, and warm without being rough.
That lines up well with 13th Colony’s stated goal for the maple wood finish: softening the heat while adding sweetness, fruit, and baking spice. In our glass, that finishing approach worked. The whiskey still tasted like rye, but the back end was smoother and more rounded than expected.
Finish Score: 3.25 / 5
How Our Notes Compare to the Published Notes
The official tasting notes are more detailed and more dessert-driven than what we found in the glass. They describe baked raisins, vanilla sugar, toasted pecan, honey, cooked plums, toasted rye bread, graham cracker, biscotti, craft root beer, bittersweet dark chocolate, and clove.
Our notes were a little more direct: caramel, maple, rye pepper, dried fruit, and a warm medium finish.
The overlap is clear.
Both sets of notes point toward sweetness, dried fruit, rye spice, and baking-spice character. The difference is intensity and complexity. The published notes find more layers — pecan, biscotti, root beer, dark chocolate — while our tasting found a more straightforward, enjoyable profile built around caramel, maple, rye pepper, and dried fruit.
The most important agreement is this: the maple wood finish does soften the rye. This does not drink like a harsh 113-proof rye. It is warmer than it is sharp, sweeter than it is aggressive, and more approachable than the proof might suggest.
Barrel Proof Notes Score
Appearance: 4.00 / 5
Aroma: 3.00 / 5
Flavor: 3.75 / 5
Finish: 3.25 / 5
Barrel Proof Score: 3.50 / 5
Final Call
13th Colony 113 Rye Finished With Maple Wood Spirals is a well-built rye with a softer edge than expected. It is not a runaway maple bomb. It is not an overly sharp rye. It sits in the middle with caramel sweetness, maple influence, rye pepper, dried fruit, and a warm finish that keeps the proof under control. This is a good example of a finished rye that still tastes like rye. The maple wood adds character without taking over the pour.
Final Call: This is one we would gladly revisit, especially for someone who thinks rye whiskey always has to finish harsh.
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