One of Beam’s Best Annually Released Bourbons Is Returning to Shelves This Month

The James B. Beam Distilling Company is bringing back Baker’s 13, a limited-edition 13-year-old single barrel bourbon that highlights the differences that develop from barrel to barrel during extended aging.

Named for Baker Beam, grandnephew of Jim Beam, the Baker’s brand is built around individuality within the Beam family’s long distilling tradition. According to the company, Baker’s bourbon is distilled at a lower proof and always aged for at least seven years, a process the brand says allows the whiskey to draw additional toasted nut, fruit and vanilla character from the barrel.

The returning Baker’s 13 is bottled at 107 proof and will be released in limited quantities beginning in September. Each bottle is 750 milliliters and carries a suggested retail price of $149.99.

The 13-year expression is designed to demonstrate how both time and a barrel’s location within the warehouse can influence the character of bourbon. As a single-barrel release, individual bottles can reflect the characteristics of their specific barrel rather than a uniform blend of multiple barrels.

The Baker’s line doesn’t always get the fanfare that Booker’s releases do, but in the opinion of this writer, Baker’s 13 is one of — if not the — best annual releases from Beam. 2025’s was one of my favorite whiskey releases of the year (find my review here), and I’m very excited to taste the 2026 iteration. Keep your eyes peeled for that review soon.