Remus Babe Ruth Reserve 2025
🥃 Intro
Some bottles you buy because they’re rare.
Some because they’re hyped.
And some because they line up perfectly with a moment in your life you’ll never forget.
The Remus Babe Ruth Reserve 2025 Edition falls squarely into that last category for me. This bottle officially earns celebratory bottle status in my house because it landed the same year my son Dean was born, also known around here as Dean-o-Bambino, among many names. Between the Babe Ruth tie-in, the baseball lore, and the timing, this one was destined for the shelf, whether it was good or not. Luckily… it actually backs up the moment.
📜 History
Remus Bourbon is produced at Ross & Squibb Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana—a historic site dating back to 1847. Long known to whiskey fans as MGP, the distillery spent decades quietly producing high-quality bourbon and rye for brands across the industry before reclaiming its Ross & Squibb name in 2021 and stepping into the spotlight with its own legacy-driven releases.
Remus Babe Ruth Reserve is a collaboration with the Babe Ruth Estate, honoring one of the most iconic figures in American sports. Each annual release reflects a chapter of Babe Ruth’s life through carefully selected, high-aged barrels. The 2025 edition blends three mature bourbons—a nod to Babe’s legendary #3—and is limited to 8,399 bottles, one for each of his career at-bats. This bottle leans as hard into storytelling as it does flavor, celebrating American legacy, larger-than-life moments, and doing things in a big way—fitting for both Babe Ruth and a newborn making his grand entrance into the world.
🍾 Bottle Design
This bottle is sharp. Heavy glass, vintage-inspired labeling with its diamond shape design, Babe Ruth’s signature front and center, and what feels like a cork that's a piece of a wooden bat. It feels like something you’d find behind glass at a museum — or tucked away on a top shelf waiting for the right occasion. This is not a casual Tuesday-night pour bottle. This is a “company’s over,” “special moment,” or “my kid just arrived” kind of bottle.
🥃 The Pour
Deep amber with rich copper tones in the glass. It pours with confidence — thick legs, slow movement, and immediate visual weight. Right away, it looks like a bourbon that’s spent some serious time in wood. But I can't say I wasn't nervous. I'm not a Rye-Guy, so I was hoping this wouldn't be overpowering.
👃 Nose
The nose opens with dark caramel, oak, and vanilla, followed by dried fruit and baking spice. There’s a mature sweetness here — more molasses than sugar — with a subtle hint of leather and toasted barrel char. It smells rich and composed, like it knows it doesn’t need to rush. I remember this smells like walking into the Louisville Slugger Museum and factory there in Louisville…fitting!
👅 Palate
This is where the bottle delivers. The palate is full and layered, with waves of caramel, brown sugar, dark cherry, and seasoned oak rolling through. There’s spice, but it’s controlled — cinnamon and clove rather than heat for the sake of heat. Everything feels intentional. Nothing sticks out awkwardly. It drinks like a bourbon that understands balance and patience.
Is it a flavor bomb? No.
Is it complex and satisfying? Absolutely.
🔥 Finish
Long, warming, and oak-forward, with lingering sweetness and spice. The finish hangs around just long enough to remind you this is a high-aged, thoughtfully blended bourbon—no sharp edges, no rough exits, just a slow fade that invites another sip… and yeah, we sipped fast.
This release is a three-bourbon blend, broken down as 2017 (73% of the blend, 46% rye), 2016 (15%, 44% rye), and 2015 (12%, 36% rye). The full mash bill details aren’t fully disclosed, even though I found some information. But I didn't want to post that, and it would be wrong. Regardless of rye levels like that, you don’t need a spec sheet to get the picture.
💭 Final Thoughts
Remus Babe Ruth Reserve 2025 Edition is more than just a limited release — for me, it’s a memory marker. This is officially a celebratory bottle tied to the birth of my son, Dean (aka Dean-o-Bambino, aka Dean-o-saur, aka Dean Machine; I could go on), and that alone guarantees it a permanent place on my shelf, even after the bottle is empty.
But sentiment aside, this bourbon stands on its own. It’s well-crafted, mature, balanced, and worthy of its premium positioning, maybe not in price. You’re paying for age, story, estate, and presentation — but thankfully, the liquid shows up to the game.
Would I buy another? No, not at that price. It feels like a one-time thing.
Will I rush through this bottle? Not a chance. It’s likely a glass once a year on his birthday for whoever wants to celebrate with me. This one gets saved, poured slowly, and revisited when the moment feels right.
Because some bottles aren’t just about what’s in the glass — they’re about when you open them. And this one? This one’s staying special.
Cheers to a dram good time! 🥃✨
The Details:
Proof: 111 • Distillery: Ross & Squibb Distillery • Mashbill: 73% Rye, 44% Rye, 36% Rye • Aged: 8-10yrs •Price: $199
Brown Water Rating Scale:
Nose: 4 • Palate: 5 • Finish: 4 • Uniqueness: 3 • Value: 2 • Overall: 3.6
This is a 5-point scale based on my own preferences. This was also tested by my father-in-law, another whiskey lover. 