Baker's 7 Year Old Single Barrel High Rye Bourbon Whiskey

Baker's High Rye is a limited single barrel Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey — 107 proof (53.5% ABV), 750mL, aged a minimum of 7 years at the James B. Beam Distilling Co. in Clermont. It keeps everything that defines Baker's — the proof, the age floor, the single barrel format — and doubles the rye in the mash, turning the spice up on Beam's most quietly cult bottling. First launched in fall 2024 as a limited expression and re-released in 2025, it is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.

• ABV: 53.5% (107 proof)
• Size: 750mL
• Age: minimum 7 years, single barrel
• Recipe: twice the rye of standard Baker's (Beam does not publish percentages)
• Distillery: James B. Beam Distilling Co., Clermont, Kentucky
• Release: limited expression, launched fall 2024

A Truck Driver's Grain Bill, Revisited

Baker's was created in 1992 by sixth-generation distiller Booker Noe as part of the Jim Beam Small Batch Collection, and named for his cousin Baker Beam — Jim Beam's grand-nephew, who spent 38 years at the distillery after starting out as a night watchman. Since 2019 every bottle of Baker's has been a true single barrel. The High Rye edition is an homage to Baker Beam's working life before and around the distillery: he ran a business hauling the grains that became Beam bourbon. For this release, Beam's seventh- and eighth-generation distillers — Fred and Freddie Noe — kept the classic 107 proof and 7-year minimum, and rebuilt the recipe with twice the standard rye, so the barrel's charred-oak sweetness meets a noticeably firmer spice.

Tasting Notes

Beam's official notes: charred oak, vanilla, caramel and dried fruit on the nose; charred oak, brown sweets and subtle rye spice on the palate; and a full-bodied finish showing baking spice. Because every bottle is one barrel, expect small variations from the barrel your bottle came from.

How to Enjoy

Neat or with a splash of water — single barrel bourbon is best tasted unhurried. The extra rye makes it an assertive old fashioned or Manhattan base, too.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much rye is in Baker's High Rye? Beam has not published a percentage. The official wording is that the mash carries twice the standard amount of rye used in classic Baker's — online percentages are inferences, not Beam figures.

How is Baker's High Rye different from regular Baker's? Same 107 proof, same minimum 7 years, same single barrel format — the difference is the recipe. High Rye doubles the rye content for more spice, and it is a limited expression rather than a permanent shelf item.

Is Baker's High Rye a single barrel bourbon? Yes. Baker's has been exclusively single barrel since 2019, and High Rye follows the same rule — each bottle comes from one barrel aged at least 7 years (sampled barrels for the release ran roughly 7½ to 7¾ years).

Baker's, but with the spice turned up — get the High Rye single barrel at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA before the release runs out.