Booker’s

Booker’s Bourbon Whiskey Review

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I first tried Booker’s about 3 or so years ago.  It was the first barrel-proof bourbon I tasted.  I remember thinking, “Hell, this is hot!”  A few years and a few barrel-proof bourbons later,  I bought a bottle of Booker’s 25th Anniversary early 2014 and loved it.  That left me wanting to try a normal batch of Booker’s again.  With the 25th anniversary release being so good, how does a normal batch of Booker’s bourbon compare?  Read on.

Jim Beam releases several batches of Booker’s each year.  Each one is slightly different in age and proof.  Booker Noe, the former (and now passed) master distiller at Jim Beam who first released this in the late 1980s, loved his bourbon to be aged between six and eight years.  The releases of Booker’s tend to live within that range.  Booker’s is barrel-proof, uncut and unfiltered.  This batch (2014-06) is 7 years 2 months and 14 days old, and comes in at 127.7 proof.  Booker’s is part of Jim Beam’s Small Batch Collection, a premium line of bourbons that also includes Knob Creek, Baker’s and Basil Hayden. (The distillery’s PR firm provided this sample for review.)

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Right out front I get a really robust aromas.  Caramel, oak, orange peel, vanilla, ripe banana.  On the palate there is lots of caramel and sweet oak.  There’s a slightly herbal quality… mint maybe?  I also get a little cinnamon spice.  The finish is sweet and long, with a little spice.  Afterwards, there’s a slight bit of dry oak.  Let’s compare to the 25th anniversary:  that one is a bit more vanilla and oak forward, and seems a little more elegant (not a term I’d normally use for a barrel proof bourbon) compared to this.  As of this writing, your chances of finding a bottle of Booker’s 25th are slim to none.

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This is one outstanding bourbon.  It’s got all the classic bourbon flavors I love turned up to 11.  The high proof on this release adds to the robust nature of the bourbon instead of detracting.  I find it completely drinkable, even at such a high proof. Sure, some folks will have a hard time with bourbon proofs north of 100.  To those people I’d suggest a splash of water.  A bottle of Booker’s will run you just north of $50.  I think every bourbon collector should have a barrel proof bourbon in their collection.  Thankfully, this one is readily available on store shelves.  Recommended.

8.5/10

Booker’s 25th Anniversary Bourbon Review

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I don’t see a lot of reviews online for this monster of a bourbon, so here goes.  Booker’s is produced by Jim Beam.  It’s part of their Small Batch collection, which also includes Knob Creek, Basil Hayden, & Baker’s.  Booker’s is named after Booker Noe, Jim Beam’s grandson and former Master Distiller at Jim Beam.  Booker, like many of the older generations of master distillers, used to bottle “the good stuff” and give it out as gifts to friends and family.  In the late 1980s, he decided to release it for the general public.  Booker’s label says it’s bottled uncut and straight from the barrel.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the first release of Booker’s, Fred Noe (Booker’s son and current Master Distiller at Jim Beam) decided to release this bourbon in very limited numbers.  The bourbon inside this release is said to be among the last barrels of whiskey distilled by Booker Noe before he died.

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This release is 10 years 3 months old.  Normally Booker’s is 6 to 8 years old.  Does the extra time in the barrel make a difference?  Yes.  The normal release of Booker’s is an intense experience – a concentration of wood, spice, and sweetness.  This special release gives a similar experience.  Even at 130.8 proof I find the extra couple of years in the aging warehouse mellow this beast out a little.  That is, it’s a little smoother (if you want to use that word for whiskey) than the regular Booker’s.

This magnificent bourbon is intense when you drink it neat.  A little splash of water might be recommended.  I find it a little sweeter when I dilute it.  I get a lot of vanilla and caramel here, whether I drink it neat or diluted.

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I’ve said before I’m a sucker for great packaging.  This one comes in a stained wooden box that’ll look impressive on your shelf.  The bottle is dipped in a copper colored wax and has gold embossed writing.  Booker’s 25th anniversary is my favorite packaging in a bourbon.

So cost…  $99 a bottle.   Because this is a special limited release, it’s going to be pricey.   There are only 1,000 cases of this available, which means only 6,000 bottles total, period.  It’s supposed to hit shelves later this month.  I bet it will be pretty tough to find.  Is it worth $99?  Short answer:  yes, if you like barrel-strength bourbon.  Booker’s regular release is about $50.  This one’s older and a bit more rounded in flavor.  If you like Booker’s, you’ll love this release.  If you’re new to barrel strength whiskey, sample Booker’s regular release first.

This is easily the best bourbon I’ve tasted from folks at Jim Beam.

Pick this one up while you can.  9.5/10