bourbon review

Booker’s Batch 2017-02 “Blue Knights Batch” Bourbon Review

The second of 2017’s four batches of Booker’s bourbon has been released.  Last year saw owner Beam Suntory announce a price hike (now $70 – $75) and a reduction in the number of batches of the cask-strength bourbon released each year.  The new batch, “Blue Knights Batch,” is named after the Blue Knights, an organization of retired and active law enforcement officers who love motorcycles.  What does that have to do with Booker Noe?  Well, as you guessed – there’s always a story involving Booker.  Many years ago he was invited to take part in a Blue Knights rally near the distillery.  Ever the friendly soul, Booker ended up invited about 300 members to his house for a BBQ lunch the next day.  Booker’s son and current Jim Beam Master Distiller Fred Noe said, “You can imagine Mom’s face when he told her at breakfast the next day. But, that was Dad – larger-than-life and always making new friends.”  The entire local chapter of the organization showed up for lunch, and it became an annual tradition for years.  Booker was even named an honorary member.  

This batch of Booker’s comes in at 63.7%, or 127.4 proof.  The youngest whiskey in the batch is 6 years, 3 months, and 6 days old.  Barrels were pulled from four different warehouses.  Noe says a few barrels were more than nine years old.  Blue Knights Batch is as robust as you’d expect, with hints of charred sweet corn, vanilla bean, cinnamon-spiced caramel and oak on the nose.  The palate comes across as rich, but has moments of vibrancy.  Big notes of vanilla pudding, sweet buttered corn bread, slight nuttiness, and maple syrup give us the rich side, as a touch of citrus and wood spice add some sparkle.  The backend has some bitterness, courtesy of charred oak.  The long, warm finish is what fans of Booker’s have come to expect.  There are a few lingering notes of orange peel, vanilla and oak tannins.

Booker’s is typically a powerful barrel-strength bourbon, and this batch easily fufills its role.  Ever so full of character, Booker’s 2017-02 still tastes like “Booker’s,” but offers a slightly more straight-forward, leaner tone.  I didn’t pick up some of the herbalness past batches offered.  Rather, the classic bourbon notes of vanilla, caramel and oak shine.  It’s a nice batch, and it’s always refreshing to see slight variations on the Booker’s house style.  8/10

Thanks to Beam Suntory for the sample.  As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Booker’s Bourbon Batch 2016-06 “Noe Hard Times” Review

My first whiskey review of 2017 is of one of the most controversial newsmakers of the past year – Booker’s bourbon.  Batch 2016-06 is the last batch of 2016, and the last to carry the old SRP of $59.99.  Beam Suntory has decided to raise the price of Booker’s to $99.99, only to come back with the decision to gradually raise the price.  We’ll first see a small increase to $69.99 in the beginning of 2017 with the next batch, followed by an eventual increase to $74.99 by the end of the year.  I think it’s a move they should have made from the start, as I agree with the company in that Booker’s has been undervalued. A few years ago $50-$60 was just the right price for this whiskey, one I’ve called the best regular production bourbon in the Jim Beam staple.  However, in today’s current bourbon market, where $100 seems to be the new $50, I’m not so upset seeing Booker’s eventually make it to the $100 price range.  There’s currently nothing in the Beam lineup in that price range, and it’d be an idiotic move to not bump up the price.  Yes, they shouldn’t have announced the immediate jump, but they’ve since rethought things (or looked through their anger-filled Twitter feed) and decided upon the incremental price rise.  There will be many of you who disagree, and that’s perfectly fine.  I’ve shared my thoughts and have nothing more to say on the matter.  Now, to the more urgent matter at hand, and the reason you’re here – onwards to the review!

“Noe Hard Times” remembers Booker Noe’s nickname during his football-playing youth.  Jim Beam Master Distiller Fred Noe said this about this current release:

Dad was larger-than-life in personality and stature, and possessed both from an early age. Needless to say, no team in central Kentucky wanted to line up against such a formidable opponent. This, combined with a birthday in December 1929, just on the cusp of the Great Depression, earned him the nickname “Hard Times” on and off the field.

Batch 2016-06 comes from six different rack houses and six different production dates.  It’s bottled uncut and unfiltered at 127.8 proof and is aged a minimum of 6 years, 10 months, and 1 day.

The nose is full of big vanilla and baked corn notes, as well as hints of wood smoke, burnt sugar, black cherries and roasted peanuts.  Booker’s slightly oily and somewhat creamy entry features vanilla bean, cherry cola, barrel char and sweet corn.  A touch of herbs fill the back palate.  Cinnamon sticks and caramel chews linger on the long, warm finish.

As expected, we have another great batch of Booker’s bourbon.  Sure, the pricing controversy has overshadowed this batch, but rest assured – this is the Booker’s bourbon we all know and love.  8.5/10

Thanks to Booker’s Bourbon for the sample.  As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Barrell Bourbon Batch 009 & Batch 010 Review


The folks at Barrell Craft Spirits have been on helluva hot streak lately.  I might even argue it’s some of the best bourbon I’ve tasted this year.  Since the release of batch 005, every new batch of bourbon has managed to maintain an extremely high level of quality.  Each batch is different, whether it be age, source or where in the rickhouse it matured, but all delicious in their own way.  Company founder Joe Beatrice has a refined palate when it comes to sourcing his whiskey, and  a knack for picking interesting barrels.  The two latest batches should be on shelves now.

The oldest bourbon released from Barrell Craft Spirits, Barrell Bourbon batch 009 matured for 13 years.  Like the last few previously released batches, batch 009 was distilled in Tennessee and aged in Tennessee and Kentucky.  It’s bottled at cask strength, coming in at a surprisingly lower proof than expected for such an older bourbon – 112.1 proof.  The mashbill is a bit different this time:  75% corn, 18% rye and 7% malted barley.

Batch 010, on the other hand, has been all over the place.  It was distilled in Indiana.  I’ll give you three guesses as to which distillery in Indiana produced this, but you’ll only need one.  The whiskey was then aged in Michigan, ending its journey in Kentucky, where it was crafted and bottled at a healthy 122 proof.  Batch 010 is 8 years old and is made from a slightly different mashbill than batch 009: 75% corn, 21% rye and 4% malted barley.

How do they taste?

Batch 009 is starting to show its age.  The nose features toasted oak, coconut macaroons, and burnt caramel, with some vanilla bean and anise on the backend.  Flavor-wise, it’s a nice example of a mellow, rounded bourbon with notes of caramel-drizzled vanilla cream, toasted grain, dried basil and some spice.  Oak is also a big player on the palate, but I won’t call this one overoaked.  Batch 009 has a rich creamy mouthfeel.  The finish carries some sweet notes with some baking spices.  8.5/10

Where Batch 009 was a bit laid back, the younger Batch 010 comes across as robust.  There’s cinnamon, rubbing alcohol, stewed fruits, some dill (I only seem to get a dill note in MGP whiskies), lime zest, and brown sugar on the nose.  The palate is full of candied fruits, freshly squeezed lime, caramel chews, dark chocolate and pecan cookies.  There’s that slight bit of nuttiness.  The second time I tasted this one the lime played a more prominent note, and I don’t remember ever tasting lime in bourbon before.  The finish is not as long as I’d like, but has sweet citrus and spice notes.  8.5/10

So, how would I compare them?  Batch 009 is a refined, classic, well-aged bourbon.  But… Batch 010 is the more exciting one.  It’s got more interesting flavors.  Not that one is better than the other.  They are just two completely different, well-crafted whiskies, and you really can’t go wrong with either.

http://www.barrellbourbon.com

Thanks to Barrell Bourbon for the samples.  As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.