bourbon review

Booker’s Bourbon Batch 2016-05 “Off Your Rocker” Review

Photo credit: Booker’s Bourbon


As autumn hits us, so does a new batch of Booker’s bourbon.  The fifth batch of 2016, “Off Your Rocker,” references both late Jim Beam Master Distiller Booker Noe’s favorite chair and his lively personality.  A statue of Booker sitting in a rocking chair can be found on the grounds of the Jim Beam distillery.  As for the man himself, he was known as a straight shooter and a funny guy.  I just started reading a new book about Booker’s life – “The Big Man of Jim Beam” by Jim Kokoris.  So far, it’s a great read about an interesting, larger-than-life man.  I’ll share some thoughts on the book soon.  In the meantime, let’s talk about the whiskey.

Booker’s bourbon is always bottled at barrel strength.  This batch comes in at a high 129.7 proof.  The youngest barrels in this batch are 6 years, 7 months, 23 days old, and all barrels come from four different rack houses.

One thing that’s common among all batches of Booker’s is a big vanilla note.  “Off Your Rocker” is no exception.  Buttered corn grits, vanilla and molasses play big on the nose.  That high proof is evident on entry at first, ever so slightly numbing the tongue.   Your sense of taste quickly recovers and experiences big vanilla, cornbread, and cinnamon & allspice notes alongside some oak, roasted peanuts and a touch of leather.  I’ve never detected leather as a tasting note in Booker’s until now.   (After several tastings it’s still there.) The finish is long and warm, as expected, and carries caramel corn and oak notes.

I’ve said before that I’ve never encountered a batch of Booker’s I didn’t like.  Sure, on the surface they all have that Booker’s flavor profile.  Dig a little deeper and you can find some nuances that differ from batch to batch.  Most batches I like, and some batches I really like.  Batch 2016-05 falls in the latter category.  The subtleties here make it slightly more intriguing than previous batches.  Pick up a bottle and let me know what you think.  Highly recommend.  9/10

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

Four Roses 2016 Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon Review

Photo courtesy: Four Roses

One of the more anticipated fall bourbon releases is Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batches.  Four Roses produces 10 distinct bourbon recipes using two different mash bills and five different strains of yeast.  If you want to learn more about each recipe, visit the distillery’s website.  Their standard Small Batch is made up of four of the ten recipes.  This year’s Limited Edition is comprised of three: a 12-year-old OESO, 12-year-old OBSV, and 16-year-old OESK.  Also of note is the proof.  Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch bourbon is bottled at cask strength of 55.9% abv, or 111.8 proof.  Only 9,258 bottles will be available in the U.S. market.  Let’s get to it.

On the nose, cinnamon apples and spice cake waft out of the glass first.  They are followed by burnt orange peel, toffee and a touch of tobacco.  I love the journey this whiskey takes you on.  First, there’s an initial burst of sweet caramel.  Then, the spices ramp up – cinnamon, clove, and cayenne pepper.  Next a vanilla creaminess quenches the fire, so to speak.  Finally, the long finish is full of sweet orange candy and some rye sharpness.  There’s lots going on here.

Master Distiller Brent Elliott came up with a great combination of ages and recipes for this year’s lucious edition.  It’s different from last year’s solid release, showing these guys can make lots of quality whiskey.  Very well done.  I don’t have to tell you to pick one up if you see it.  You already knew that.  9/10

Thanks to Four Roses for the sample.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rebel Yell 10-Year-Old Single Barrel Bourbon Review

Earlier this year I was invited to a Luxco event in St. Louis.  At some point I was offered a pour of Rebel Yell Single Barrel.  It’s been a few years since I’ve tried it, but I’m not the biggest fan of the standard Rebel Yell.  I remember it being a bit one dimensional.  (I have a bottle and will give it a fresh tasting soon.) Presented with this opportunity I thought, “what the hell.”  The whiskey instantly struck a chord with me.  I liked it.  I REALLY liked it.

Rebel Yell Single Barrel is aged 10 years and is bottled at 100 proof.  That’s a long way from the standard bottling.  As far as I know, it still shares the same wheated mashbill and is most likely sourced from Heaven Hill.  Luxco states there will be about 2000 cases of Rebel Yell Single Barrel in 2016, and double that next year.  My sample is from barrel # 4744359.

The presentation also sees an upgrade over the standard Rebel Yell bottling.  This one comes in a nice cardstock box.  The bottle itself stands tall, with a thick glass base.  I like that the barrel number is handwritten.  I’m a sucker for handwritten labels.  Onto the whiskey…

The nose is vibrant (but not young) with aromas of vanilla pudding, honey butter biscuits, light toffee, and sweet corn, with a feint floral note buried beneath.  Kettle corn hits the palate first, followed closely by vanilla bean and carmelized brown sugar.  Wood spice begins to pick up on the mid palate, providing a touch of cinnamon and clove.  The finish starts sweet, but soon transitions to slightly-astringent, thanks to the oak tannins.  This is a really easy-drinking bourbon with character.

Why is this so much better than the standard Rebel Yell?  I think the answer is simple: age and proof.  The standard bottling is at least two years old and 80 proof.  This single barrel offering is 10 years old and 100 proof.  Luxco has a hit on their hands with this one, so long as there are consistently good quality barrels in their inventory.  Rebel Yell 10 year single barrel is priced right too, coming in at about $50 a bottle.  Make no mistake – this is no bottle shelf whiskey.  I said it before, and I’ll say it again:  I think Rebel Yell Single Barrel is the best whiskey Luxco currently has on the market.

8.5/10

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