I'm just going to say it. I cracked this bottle expecting a solid cask strength pour. What I got was George T. Stagg standing at the foot of Pike's Peak, wearing a Colorado flannel, daring me to keep up. This is one of the most exciting bourbons I've poured all year — and most of you have never heard of it.

Let me put 13th Century on your radar right now. These folks are operating out of the base of Colorado's Pike's Peak, aging their spirits in small 30-gallon barrels through the high-altitude Rocky Mountain climate — and if you don't think that makes a difference in the glass, this bottle will change your mind fast. The 2024 Hazmat Release is a 25-barrel blend of 7 to 9 year bourbon, distilled in Indiana, aged 100% in Colorado, and comes out the other end at a full-throttle 141.4 proof. That's HAZMAT territory, gentlemen. You need a permit just to talk about this in some states.

The masterstroke of this release? They aged this blend across char 2, 3, 4, and 5 barrels — the full spectrum. From lighter char giving you early vanilla and fruity sweetness, all the way up to char 5 delivering the deep, dark, almost smoky backbone. Layer those profiles across 25 barrels of 7-9 year liquid, let Colorado's altitude and temperature swings work on it, and you get something that shouldn't drink the way it does at this proof. And yet — somehow — it does.

Distillery	13th Century Whiskey — Aged at the base of Pike's Peak, Colorado
Distilled In	Indiana — Aged 100% in Colorado
Age	Blend of 7–9 Year Bourbon
Proof	141.4 (70.7% ABV) — HAZMAT Classification
Mashbill	83% Corn · 12% Rye · 5% Malted Barley
Barrel Blend	25 Barrels · Char 2, 3, 4, and 5
Format	Cask Strength · Unfiltered · Uncut
Find It	Seelbach's — seelbachs.com

Poured neat, this one opens with an absolute wave. The first thing that hits you is concentrated barrel-aged cherry — not fresh cherry, not maraschino, but that thick, dark, slow-cooked cherry syrup you'd find at the bottom of a bitters bottle. It's bold and immediate. Right behind it come berries and cream — a warm, almost lush quality you wouldn't expect from something pushing 141 proof. Give it thirty seconds and the leather pulls through, along with dry oak and a whisper of espresso grounds.

There's a complexity on the nose that punches well above what you'd expect from a 7-year whiskey. The Colorado aging environment is doing real work — those altitude swings and dry air pull the spirit deep into the wood and back out in ways Kentucky just can't replicate. The nose feels older and more developed than the age statement suggests.

Add a touch of water and this thing blooms. Fresh nutmeg, toasted vanilla, and dark chocolate come forward that are almost hidden neat at full proof. Experience it both ways.

This is where it gets serious. That intense cherry syrup is front and center — thick and coating, like it's staking a claim on every square inch of your tongue. Then the brown sugar hits. Heavy brown sugar. Not subtle sweetness — we're talking deep, dark, almost molasses-level richness that just keeps building.

What's remarkable is what happens next. That sweetness starts to work against the proof in the best possible way. You'd expect 141.4 to bring serious heat — and it's absolutely there — but the cascading sweetness acts like a buffer, pulling you along instead of knocking you flat. It slowly draws out chocolate, fresh-ground coffee, and nutmeg in a way that reminds me of the proofer expressions of George T. Stagg, minus that heavily matured, tannic oak profile Stagg sometimes carries.

The mid-palate stretches long. Toasted vanilla comes back in waves, layered with dry oak that keeps things from getting cloying. The 83% corn mashbill brings classic high-corn sweetness, while 12% rye adds just enough spice and structure to keep the whole thing honest. The malted barley rounds the edges. It's a masterclass in mashbill balance at extreme proof.

The finish on this thing is substantial. Not a quick fade — this hangs around like a good poker hand. Brown sugar and oak lead the retreat, holding strong and dry well into the exit. A faint waft of smokiness lingers toward the end — subtle but deliberate, likely from those higher-char barrels in the blend. The coffee and dark chocolate from the mid-palate thread through and keep the whole experience feeling luxurious rather than harsh.

Long. Warming. Confident. The finish alone is worth the $149 price of admission.

Here's the truth: 13th Century is one of the best-kept secrets in the American whiskey market right now. They're doing serious work at the foot of Pike's Peak, aging in small 30-gallon casks across multiple char levels, and putting out HAZMAT-level releases that genuinely compete with the Pappy tier of the conversation. And because nobody's talking about it, you can still actually find it.

The 25 Barrel Blend 2024 HAZMAT Release is the crown jewel of what they've done. Every pour I found something new — something the altitude gave it, something the char 5 barrels delivered, something the 12% rye brought to keep the sweetness from running away. It's a technical achievement and a genuinely delicious bourbon.

For $149 on Seelbach's, you're getting a cask-strength HAZMAT blend that trades blows with bourbons retailing at two or three times the price — if you can find them. This one is actually available. Go get it before that changes.

Final word: This is a must-buy. Full stop. Live the Life. ♠