Review: Silverthorn Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon 13 Years Old
Serving as CEO and CFO, Drew Thorn spent a decade shaping Sagamore Spirit into a nationally recognized name. In February 2026, he stepped away from that platform to pursue something intentionally smaller and more hands-on: Silverthorn Reserve. The new venture focuses on single barrel curation, custom finishing, and nano-blending projects ranging from 2 to 10 barrels, an approach built on precision rather than scale.
Thorn shared a sample of Silverthorn Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon 13 Years Old with Drinkhacker for review. Batch 12A18 was filled into an Independent Stave Co. cask with a #4 char on January 18, 2012, and bottled in mid-November 2025, reaching 13 years and 10 months of maturation. Age alone warrants attention, yet the origin deepens the intrigue. The bourbon was distilled in Mt. Airy, Georgia, by Ivy Mountain Distillery.
In late 2022, World Whiskey Society released an 8-year-old bourbon under the Doc Holliday label that traced back to Georgia distillate. Soon after, Bardstown Bourbon Company began incorporating similarly aged Georgia bourbon into house blends and client programs. At the time, much of the American whiskey community was caught off guard. Few were aware that a Georgia distillery had been operating long enough to support age statements of that length.
Ivy Mountain began distilling in 2011, continued through 2019, and closed its doors in 2021. Its remaining barrels were quietly sold to brokers before many enthusiasts even knew the distillery existed. My own introduction came through Judith Garrison and her book North Georgia Moonshine: A History of the Lovells & Other Liquor Makers. While the book chronicles the legacy of illicit distilling in North Georgia, with particular focus on the Lovell family, it also details Carlos Lovell’s decision to establish Ivy Mountain as a legal operation rooted in family tradition.
At Ivy Mountain, sour mash fermentation ran 4-5 days in stainless steel tanks. Batch 12A18 carries a mashbill of 80% corn, 10% rye, 5% wheat, and 5% malted barley. The barrel matured for 8 years in Georgia before spending its final 5 years in Kentucky. When Ivy Mountain’s inventory entered the broker market, Bardstown Bourbon Company acquired a substantial portion, with other barrels dispersing to locations including Houston. Bardstown confirmed its stocks never aged in Texas, sidestepping the intense maturation associated with the Texas-aged Doc Holliday release from World Whiskey Society.
Drew Thorn arrives with a single barrel defined by noteworthy age and a scarcely documented source. The narrative is fascinating. The lineage is unusual. The journey from North Georgia to Kentucky adds to it. Does the whiskey in the glass rise to meet the story behind it?
Silverthorn Reserve Single Barrel Straight Bourbon 13 Years Old Review
The nose opens with a nuttier, less sweet take on Grade A Dark maple syrup that quickly shifts into praline. As the nutty sweetness recedes, burnt orange peel and chai tea come forward. The aromatics are well balanced, with sweet, nutty, and spice notes in clear harmony. Despite its initial 8 years of maturation in North Georgia, there is no sign of excessive oak influence.
On the palate, blondie brownies lead, followed by a punch of black jellybeans. The mid-palate delivers concentrated cola syrup and a subdued lemon zest. The mouthfeel is medium-thick. The finish leans more toward spice and tannin, expressed as chai tea. That tannic character quickly gives way to a brighter lemon zest note, more pronounced than it was on the initial palate. Very late in the finish, Nutella and a mild tobacco note tie it all together.
After my experience with the Doc Holliday, aged for 8 years with its final stretch in Texas heat, I approached this pour with some apprehension. I expected a heavy-handed oak presence. Instead, after nearly 14 years of aging, including the first 8 in North Georgia, this bourbon shows impressive balance. Nothing about it reads as over-oaked, making for a thoroughly enjoyable pour.
Drew Thorn noted that 5 barrels of this Georgia-distilled bourbon will be released as single barrels at cask strength, ranging from 104 to 107 proof, all bottled without chill filtration. The relatively low cask strength is interesting, especially when compared to the World Whiskey Society’s 8-year-old release aged between Georgia and Texas, which was bottled at 131 proof. It raises questions about factors such as barrel entry proof or warehouse placement. While the specific aging conditions remain undisclosed, differences in climate and storage location may have played a role. Regardless of the proof variation, the whiskey itself is high-quality, balanced, and well worth seeking out. The quality certainly matches the backstory.
104 proof.
A / $130
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