Four Gate 'River Kelvin' Rye Whiskey Batch 13
Four Gate 'River Kelvin' Rye Whiskey Batch 13 is a 113-proof (56.5% ABV) cask-strength 8-year-old straight rye whiskey in a 750mL bottle — Indiana-distilled MGP stock (95% rye / 5% malted barley), non-chill filtered, and bottled at full barrel strength by Four Gate Whiskey Company in Kentucky. Just 2,470 bottles were released in June 2021, and despite the name it carries no Kelvin Cooperage barrel finish: the River Kelvin tribute is in the name only — this is the rye presented as-is, a maturation study on the same whiskey as 2020's Batch 7 with one extra year in wood. Order it online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- Proof / ABV: 113 proof (56.5% ABV) — cask strength, non-chill filtered
- Age: 8 years — straight rye whiskey
- Mash bill: 95% rye / 5% malted barley, distilled by MGP of Indiana
- Blender/bottler: Four Gate Whiskey Company, Kentucky
- Bottles: 2,470 — released June 2021
The Name Is a Tribute, Not a Finish
Four Gate named this batch for the River Kelvin, which flows through Glasgow, Scotland — the founding city of Kelvin Cooperage, whose barrels have appeared across Four Gate's lineup. But per the brand and Whisky Advocate, Batch 13 never touched a Kelvin finish: the toasted-barrel versions of this whiskey were released separately through Four Gate's private-select program. What you get instead is the straight rye at cask strength, exactly as the blender intended — and a side-by-side with 2020's Batch 7 (the same whiskey at seven years, 90 points from Whisky Advocate) showing what one more year does. See more from Four Gate Whiskey Company or browse Del Mesa's rye whiskey shelf.
Tasting Notes
Medium amber. The brand's notes: black pepper, orange peel, lemon zest, and candied peaches on the nose; slight dill with black pepper spiciness followed by candied lemon drops and orange blossom on the taste; a medium finish where pepper and citrus intermingle. Reviewer consensus: a flavor bomb — herbal on entry with a full, oily mouthfeel and no harshness at 113 proof.
How to Enjoy
Neat — cask-strength rye this clean doesn't need ice, though a few drops of water open the citrus. Built for rye lovers, not cocktail dilution (but it will make a monumental old fashioned).
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called River Kelvin?
For the River Kelvin in Glasgow, Scotland — the founding city of Kelvin Cooperage. It's a tribute in the name; Batch 13 itself is not barrel-finished by Kelvin.
Is Batch 13 barrel-finished?
No — it's presented as-is at cask strength. Four Gate's Kelvin-toasted finishes were separate private-select releases.
What is the proof?
113 proof (56.5% ABV). (The official Four Gate page shows a "1132 Proof" typo — the correct figure is 113.)
How many bottles were made?
2,470 bottles, released June 2021.
An 8-year, cask-strength, tribute-named rye in a tiny bottling — get Four Gate River Kelvin Batch 13 online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.