Instead, I found myself going back for more and more sips just to capture some additional flavor. Since then, it lost 73 percent of its volume to the angels as it rested in warehouses C, K, M, and Q on various floors. Buffalo Trace's Pappy Van Winkle 's $3,000 price point points to the fact that it's one of the best bourbons on the market today. Its slightly more than what you would pay for aStagg Jr.or anElijah Craig Barrel Proofbottle. Complete Booker's Batches Spreadsheet Batch # Barrel Date Proof Age Wax Notes . The palate takes the apricot and stews it with the spices to create a jammy compote next to an earthy and wet cellar beam dripping with cobwebs as the hibiscus brightens and leads towards a hint of raisin, prune, and white pepper. I always look at which bottles are almost empty at the end of the year to see which ones I actually like drinking, and this bottle only has a few ounces left in it. Now, you can find it on most shelves, making this one finally accessible to the masses. 61% of the barrels were stored . Booker's Bourbon is on a tear of small batch releases, with six limited editions arriving in 2015. This bourbon is a pure classic that will feel familiar yet refined. That dry pepper holds as a light dry herbal note lingers on the senses. In no event Whiskybase B.V. gives any guarantee or accepts any liability in relation to the content, use and availability of such websites. In spring of this year, those barrels were vatted and whiskey was proofed down to 100 (per bottled-in-bond law). New Riff always delivers. This new release from Redemption feels perfect for the end of the year and all the feasting that comes along with it. The taste, on the other hand, leans into vanilla oils, dry cedar, and a dusting of white pepper that leads back to the spice without the jam. The rye comes in late with a mild pepperiness and a slight savory fruit vibe. The end lasts awhile on your palate and in your senses, leaving you warmed up and wanting more. Barrell puts out a lot of whiskeys every year. But what can I say? Pear drives the nose with a pear compote or pear butter made with plenty of dark spice and just a hint of dark chocolate and tobacco. The mid-palate explodes with heat that then mellows pretty quickly as the finish leans into creamy vanilla pudding spiked with cloves, leather, and a wet cedar vibe with mild cherry tobacco. He actually coined the term "small batch." The taste holds onto the honeyed sweetness with burnt sugars, light cedar, chocolate tobacco leaves, and a hint of orange oils. The actual whiskey is a two-year-old bourbon thats batched to highlight the bright fruits of this new and craft-forward whiskey. The palate is pecan-loaded waffles smothered in butter and syrup with vanilla ice cream, light brown spiciness, and maple-infused sweet tobacco on the end. And while I dig the Cowboy Bourbon and Guadalupe, this is the one that stuck out in my mind for a heavy-duty yet accessible flavor profile that whisked me back to the dry grass plains of Texas. Baker's 7 Year Single Barrel Price: ~$70 Proof: 107 Distillery: Jim Beam Tasting Notes: Rye spice, caramel, vanilla Review Summary: If you want a lower-proof version of Knob Creek, this bourbon is for you. Order Booker's 2022-03 "Pinkies Batch" Bourbon online at sudsandspirits.com and have it shipped to your door nationwide. Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of 2021. The palate has a pecan pie vibe with the maple syrup turning into Caro syrup as the oak gets a little toasty, with rich buttery toffee and a dollop of creamy vanilla pudding. Grab a bottle and try for yourself. If you're not old enough to drink, then you're not old enough to read Breaking Bourbon. The end tends to be slow and velvety with the spice, fruit, oak, and vanilla all blending nicely until the very last. Among the more than 150 bottles considered, we sampled brands from across the country and encountered more craft expressions than ever before. The palate builds on that cinnamon spice with a touch of nutmeg and clove that ties to a vanilla pudding-esque svelte body next to little pops of dried pecan shells, faux maple syrup, cinnamon toast with plenty of butter, more of that ginger, and a touch of subtle red fruit. However, Whiskybase B.V. cannot give any warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of the information on this website. Part of that may be due to just spending more time with this one. Noe recommends drinking Pigskin, though, as temperatures start to drop a little and youre watching your favorite football teams this season. This years 199 bottles are going to be super tough to find. The brand took the time to release its own contract distilled juice. Their High Rye Bourbon is a mash of 64 percent corn, 24 percent rye, and 12 percent barley grains that are fermented with a proprietary Wildness Trail yeast using the sweet mash process. The Booker's releases reviewed since 2018 have consistently scored 90 . It's bottled at its natural proof of between 121 and 127, and aged between six and eight years. Its a dream on the rocks when a little water really starts to open up the flavor profile. Advertisement. The original barrel proof bourbon has been incredibly consistent over the years. The crystal decanter has two eagles, one as a stopper and one that is blown into the bottom of the bottle. Boston Batch was selected on an unseasonably cool and rainy day, according to the notes from Fred Noe. I thought it was a little hot when I first tried and now its hitting just right. Stagg Jr. vs Booker's. As far as cask strength bourbons, Stagg Jr. and Booker's are some of the more established products. Booker's bourbon was introduced in 1988, and the company has over 30 years of experience under its belt and has established a name for itself, but the company's long history of bourbon production in Kentucky makes it a young brand. The nose on this has a distinct barnyard funk tied to wet bales of straw that leads to a salted caramel sweetness with a twinge of a pine box full of cherry pits. The expression is made from 100 barrels that are matured for 34 months before being small-batched by Pinhooks Master Taster Sean Josephs. The whiskey is a blend of barrels that all lost a lot of juice to evaporation (or the angels). Grannys Batch has a distinct note that Ive occasionally referred to as Beamnut butter: a peanut aroma and flavor note, which can vary from fresh roasted peanuts to peanut butter fudge. We try to make them a little different if possible, because, if you dont its just the same thing. This was my favorite of the three releases this year. 125-128 Proof Semi-Limited Clermont, KY. By law, bourbon must go in the barrel no higher than 125 proof and be bottled no lower than 80 proof. The nose opens with a build of vanilla pods next to caramel, a touch of oak, and a thin line of fresh maple syrup. As is the case with all batches, Booker's son Fred selected the bourbon for this release personally in an effort to uphold his father's standards. They take that whiskey and fill it into Redbreast whiskey casks that had previously aged Irish whiskey for 12 years. Bib & Tucker is another classic example of what great blending can do with sourced juice. Naming and ranking the 50 best bourbons of 2021 is a fun, if difficult, task. You really cant beat this bottle, especially if youre looking for a one-off bourbon gift. Every year, beam is kind enough to provide details on the batch ingredients for these bourbons, and itd be wrong not to take advantage of that information, so here are some interesting anecdotes about this years batches: Warehouse H is the only warehouse to be represented in all three batches this year. This opens with this medley of marzipan, soft leather, prunes and dates, Gala apples, a hint of cedar, and a whisper of ripe red cherry. The bourbon spent 12 months finishing in those old-school barrels before vatting, proofing, and bottling. I also thought this would end up my favorite bourbon of the year since it marries Kentucky and Ireland. The juice is barely touched with that soft Kentucky limestone water to take the edge off. These barrel blends from Heaven Hill are meant to highlight the precise quality of the distillerys prowess from grain to bottle. One final word before we jump in, price and accessibility are not factors here. The nose opens with deep vanilla that mingles with hints of dark chocolate sugar cookies with a touch of mint. Now, his son, Fred Noe, carries on his father's legacy with the series. The sip ends quietly and fades quickly, leaving you with a nice touch of lemon oils next to dark chocolate powder and a hint of spicy stewed oranges. Pinhooks contract distilled bourbon is all about refinement. The whiskey is distilled and has the highest alcohol content of all other brands in the Jim Beam "Small Batch Bourbon Collection.". This brand new bourbon from Heaven Hill celebrates the five brothers who started the distillery back in 1935. Yes, I would like to receive emails from The Bourbon Review. Of course, the latter point is pretty specific to my particular palate. The juice in the bottle is hand-selected by Jim Rutledge and barreled as a single barrel at cask strength with less than 150 bottles per release. This years drop from Stephen Beams Yellowstone line is a mix of seven-year-old and 15-year-old bourbons. "Noah's Mill is a 114 proof bourbon coming from the Willett family again. The website of Whiskybase B.V. includes references and/or hyperlinks to third party websites. This years 20-year drop helped solidify the excellence of this expression. That sweetness tends to lean into fresh honey with a touch of caramel and maybe a little dark chocolate on the end. While I didnt notice much improvement with just a few drops of water, that doesnt mean you should avoid adding it to this one if you feel its too high in proof for your liking.Booker's surprised me at how easy it was to sip for being barrel proof. This is really fruity. Theres really little more you could ask for. . George T. Stagg Producer: Buffalo Trace Proof: Barrel Proof MSRP: $80 Why it's better: Simply put, George T. Stagg is the best bourbon currently being produced. This really feels like a great place to start this list. Booker's Bourbon is a series of bourbons started by sixth-generation Beam master distiller Booker Noe, who died in 2004. Some bourbons get bottled up uncut. The taste becomes a sort of buttered-biscuit-smothered-with-berry-jam thats been touched with spice as a note of sweetened vanilla lurks in the background. Bardstown is doing some of the most interesting blending (and contract distilling) in the game. This whiskey marries four of those recipes with two from Mash B (very high rye) and two from Mash Bill E (high rye). This thirst quencher was sourced from 6 different rickhouses with an age statement of 7 years, 4 months, and 14 days. The nose on this one is mildly sweet with almost earthy maple syrup next to pecans from a pie with a touch of dried apple and old leather. The whiskey is around five to six years old and comes from one barrel that lets the grains shine through before it goes into another barrel that lets the oak shine through. The juice is aged in Ozark oak for four years and then finished in oak from Minnesota for another year, all under that blazing West Texas sunshine. While Ive used it more in cocktails, it works well on the rocks if youre looking for something a little different. This years Remus Repeal Reserve V is a hell of a whiskey. The juice is then aged in warehouses built by the Colonel over 100 years ago. That juice then goes into ex-port casks for an additional maturation of one to three years. This years release is a whiskey that was warehoused in spring 2007. Aged 6 years, 10 months and 10 days, "Pinkie's Batch" exemplifies Booker's signature vanilla notes, adding touches of cinnamon, clove and toasted peanuts to the bourbon. This was a fleeting release this summer. Creating duplicate accounts (split personality is not a good reason.). It also makes a great cocktail. This years spring release is a marriage of eight-year-old whiskeys produced in the spring of 2013. This delicious Bookers batch has the structural grandness of a skyscraper. I know, weve all heard it before. Booker's bourbon is one of the few bourbon brands left bottled straight from the barrel. Oh, and don't worry, purists. This expression is all about the prowess of the team at Nelson Green Brier. The whiskey in the bottle is the classic Jim Beam mash bill of 77 percent corn, 13 percent rye, and ten percent malted barley. The end circles back around to all that sweet and chocolatey creaminess with a final slice of pecan pie on a slow fade. Clay is Editor at Large of The Bourbon Review. The views, opinions . And a little goes a long way to spike your cocoa."Gullo. That fruit and oak will carry through on the palate as hints of buttery toffee, rich vanilla, and peppery spice mingle on the tongue and set your lips abuzz. The taste has a hint of almond or walnut shell on the end that marries to a dry mouthfeel, vanilla notes, and a touch of tobacco chewiness. 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