pure dumb luck
Our mash bills are carefully crafted. Our barrels are aged to taste, not just to time. And our whiskies are masterfully blended. We’re driven by a promise to make quality spirits as palatable to your wallet as they are to your taste. The fact that we built our distillery in South Georgia where the perfect climate adds a little natural magic to the aging process? Well, that was just the best kind of pure dumb luck.
Hot temperatures and huge temperature swings within rickhouses are ideal for aging spirits. Here’s the science behind why: Temperature changes called heat cycles move the aging liquor in and out of the barrel wood’s pores. As it gets hotter, the whiskey expands, seeping into the pores of the barrels and reacting with the oak to extract color, character and aroma. When the whiskey cools, it shrinks and flows back out of the wood along with all those compounds extracted from the barrel. Other distillers climatize their rickhouses to emulate these swings. Thanks to the natural heat cycles and 20-degree temperature swings in our South Georgia hometown of Americus, we simply open the doors.
When it comes to humidity, it’s as if Americus was destined to be a bourbon-aging paradise. The ideal humidity for aging spirits is between 60 and 75%. Lower humidity causes alcohol to evaporate, leaving more water in the barrel and lowering the proof. Higher humidity causes water to evaporate, leaving a more robust and higher-proof spirit. The average humidity in Americus is 72%. Yep, good fortune sure was on our side.
our story
Back in 2009, our founders decided to test their distillery talents, making liquor as holiday gifts for family and friends. What started as a one-time event became a lifelong passion for crafting spirits when they asked themselves, “If we make liquor for the friends we know, shouldn’t we also make it for the friends we don’t know yet?” The answer was, and still is, YES.
Today, we’re the oldest operating distillery in Georgia since Prohibition. We age to taste, not just to time, if we believe more time in the barrel will produce a better-quality spirit. We remain owned and operated by the same family and friends that turned one special occasion into a generational business where we celebrate every day as exceptional. We couldn’t imagine having a better job than to roll up our sleeves with the people we like best and, in the tradition set by our founders, create premium bourbon and craft spirits at an affordable price for the friends we don’t know yet.
our mission
Every bottle of our small-batch spirits reflects our dedication to exceptional quality and flavor while staying true to our roots. We stand for slowing down, savoring, getting a sense of perspective and a good laugh with friends.
At 13th Colony, we believe anything worth doing is worth taking your time. Our distillery operates out of a no-frills, old-school warehouse where tradition and creativity collide. From our flagship bourbons and whiskeys to specialty releases and other distilled spirits, we create award-winning liquors that are worth drinking slow.
meet our master distiller
Graham Arthur is the kind of distiller every bourbon drinker wants crafting their whiskey. A trained chef with a passion for fine liquor, Graham sharpened his skills in some of the South’s best restaurants in Atlanta and Charleston. That same dedication to flavor now goes into every bottle of 13th Colony.
At 13th Colony, we age to taste, not just to time. Graham tastes every barrel to make sure it meets our high standards. In fact, our Southern Bourbon and Rye Whiskeys don’t carry age statements. After a four-year minimum aging period, Graham decides when the barrels are ready, blending 4-, 5-, and 6-year-old barrels into each batch for a perfect balance of flavor.
A proud U.S. Coast Guard veteran, Graham’s years of service instilled the discipline and care he pours into 13th Colony. Every decision is made with intention and every batch is crafted with a chef’s precision. When you pour a glass of 13th Colony, you’re sipping on something authentic, handcrafted and downright exceptional.
Sign up for our Insider newsletter and be the first to learn the latest news from 13th Colony. Our Insider community receives exclusive chances to win 13th Colony experiences and hears first about our latest releases, new spirits, coming events, special discounts, and new places to find us. Become an Insider today. Because life is stressful. But bourbon, yeah.