13th Colony Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished With Maple Wood Spirals

Maple Without the Pancake Problem

Maple-finished bourbon can go wrong fast. Too much sweetness and suddenly the glass starts feeling less like bourbon and more like breakfast syrup with a proof point. That is not what we want. Thankfully, 13th Colony Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished With Maple Wood Spirals takes a different road.

This is not bourbon dumped into a used maple syrup barrel. According to 13th Colony, this release uses spiral-cut pieces of real maple wood placed inside the barrel. The idea is to pull character from the wood itself: subtle sweetness, toasted depth, and earthy warmth, without turning the whiskey into a flavored pour. That distinction matters...and in the glass, it shows.

About 13th Colony Distilleries

13th Colony Distilleries is located in Americus, Georgia, and the brand leans hard into its South Georgia identity. The distillery describes its aging environment as a big part of the story, pointing to Americus humidity and climate as factors that help shape its whiskey.

The company traces its beginning to 2009, when the founders started making spirits as gifts for family and friends. That eventually grew into what 13th Colony describes as the oldest operating distillery in Georgia since Prohibition. 

That was also the story angle we used in our earlier 13th Colony Rye article: South Georgia climate, Americus, natural temperature swings, and the distillery’s “pure dumb luck” line. That same background fits this bourbon well because the Maple Spirals release feels like another expression of 13th Colony trying to build flavor through climate, wood, and finishing technique rather than just leaning on a label gimmick. Their Double Oak really put them on the bourbon map, and rumor has it they will soon be releasing a bourbon-rye blend that should be interesting.  

About This Bourbon

13th Colony identifies this bottle as 113 Bourbon Finished With Maple Wood Spirals. It is a straight bourbon whiskey, aged between 5 and 6 years, bottled at 113 proof, and made from a mash bill of 70% corn, 21% rye, and 9% malted barley.

The product was first announced as a limited release in March 2025. 13th Colony later said it was moving the bottle from limited release into its year-round lineup after strong reception. The finishing method is the point of interest here. Maple wood spirals increase surface area inside the barrel, giving the whiskey more contact with the wood. 13th Colony says the spirals rest in the whiskey for three to twelve months, depending on the desired profile. That makes this a more interesting pour than a simple “maple finished” label might suggest.

First Impression

This bourbon looks excellent in the glass. The color is copper, rich and attractive, with long, thick legs that cling to the side of the glass. That visual weight makes a good first impression before the first sip. For a maple wood finished bourbon, this is exactly the kind of appearance we want. It looks mature, warm, and structured. It does not look thin. It does not look young. It looks like it has some body behind it.

Appearance Score: 4.00 / 5

Aroma

The nose brings vanilla, baking spice, and maple. The maple is present, but it does not take over the glass. That is the first good sign. This does not come across like maple syrup poured over bourbon. It feels more like a wood-influenced sweetness layered into a traditional bourbon profile. The vanilla gives it a familiar bourbon foundation. The baking spice adds warmth. The maple gives it a softer, rounder edge.

13th Colony’s own tasting notes mention light caramel, fresh marshmallow, sweet corn, maple, clover honey, peppercorn spice, and malted milk ball. We did not get every one of those notes in our glass, but the general direction lines up: sweet, warm, lightly spiced, and maple-touched. This is a good nose. Not explosive, but very pleasant.

Aroma Score: 3.50 / 5

Flavor

The palate is built around caramel and baking spices. That is the right core for this kind of bourbon. The caramel gives it sweetness without becoming sticky. The baking spice keeps it from flattening out. The maple influence is there, but it behaves itself. That is the best part. This is not a novelty pour. It does not taste like someone tried to make “maple bourbon” for people who do not like bourbon. It still tastes like bourbon first.

The 70% corn base brings sweetness. The 21% rye gives it just enough spice. The 9% malted barley helps round the edges. At 113 proof, it has enough weight to carry the finish, but the flavor remains approachable.

Compared to the 13th Colony Rye Finished With Maple Spirals, this bourbon feels softer and sweeter. The rye version naturally leaned more into spice and structure. This bourbon gives the maple finish more room to show without having to compete as hard with rye grain character. That difference makes sense. The rye was maple over spice. This bourbon is maple over caramel and baking spice. Both ideas work, but this bourbon is the easier pour.

Flavor Score: 3.75 / 5

Finish

The finish is medium, smooth, and sweet. This is where the maple wood finish makes its best argument. The sweetness lingers, but it does not get heavy. The finish is not overly hot for 113 proof, and it does not turn bitter or woody on the back end.

13th Colony describes the finish as moving through smoky oak, maple, bittersweet chocolate, and warm spice.  Our tasting found it simpler than that, but in a good way, smooth, sweet, and balanced. The finish does not overstay its welcome. It gives enough sweetness to make the maple spiral concept meaningful, but it still finishes like a bourbon instead of a dessert whiskey. That is a win.

Finish Score: 4.00 / 5

The Maple Spiral Question

The key question is simple, Does the maple wood finish improve the bourbon, or does it distract from it?

Here, it improves it. The maple character adds softness and sweetness without smothering the base whiskey. That is important because the phrase “maple finished” can make bourbon drinkers nervous. Some people expect syrup. Some expect a flavored whiskey profile. Some expect too much sweetness. This does not go there.

13th Colony’s own explanation helps.  They are using maple wood spirals, not syrup-soaked barrels. The wood is intended to add natural maple character, toasted woodiness, and earthy depth.  That matches the experience in the glass. The maple is an accent, not the entire song.

Barrel Proof Notes Score

Barrel Proof Score: 3.75 / 5

The average score is 3.81, which rounds to 3.75 / 5 under our quarter-star scoring approach.

Final Call

13th Colony Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished With Maple Wood Spirals is a very good finished bourbon. It looks great in the glass. The nose is warm and inviting. The flavor stays bourbon-first. The finish is smooth, sweet, and easy to enjoy.

The best thing about this bottle is restraint. The maple finish is noticeable, but it does not hijack the whiskey. It adds a sweet, polished edge to a caramel-and-spice bourbon profile without turning the pour into a gimmick. This is a stronger pour than the label might suggest to anyone suspicious of maple-finished whiskey. It is not syrupy. It is not candy. It is not trying too hard. It is a well-built finished bourbon from a Georgia distillery that continues to give whiskey drinkers something worth talking about.

This is worth revisiting, especially for bourbon drinkers who like finished whiskey but still want the bourbon to remain the main event.

Perfect Pairing

Pair this one with the Barrel Proof Collection from Old Route One.

This bottle has enough character for the whiskey crowd, but it is still approachable enough for a relaxed evening pour. That makes it a good match for Barrel Proof gear built around the same idea: bourbon culture without pretending every pour has to be rare, impossible to find, or overhyped.