Booker’s “Ronnie’s Batch” 2022-01
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
6 Years, 11 Months, 22 Days
62.15% ABV
$90
Website
We would like to thank Beam Suntory and Multiply for sending us a sample to review.
What the Distillery Says:
This batch is named in honor of Ronnie Land, a longtime employee at the Jim Beam Clermont and Boston, Ky., plants, when Booker Noe was master distiller.
Ronnie worked at Jim Beam for 40 years, eventually working his way up to Warehouse Manager. Ronnie was responsible for keeping inventory of aging barrels, a key part of the bourbon-making process, and he knew the quantities and locations by heart. He also knew exactly where Booker preferred to store his namesake barrels and was trusted to prepare the samples for batch evaluation. Once, Ronnie sent Booker a box of small samples to taste, and Booker immediately knew they weren’t big enough to get a proper sense of the whiskey. Ronnie then went back and prepared samples that were notably bigger, and Booker was more than pleased. This became the standard sample size which 7th Generation Master Distiller Fred Noe and his son, 8th Generation Beam Family Distiller Freddie Noe, still use to this day.
Booker always had final sign off when it came to batches, but he knew he was working with barrels that met his standards when they were under Ronnie’s watchful eye.
TASTING NOTES
Like all batches of Booker’s Bourbon, Booker’s “Ronnie’s Batch” was selected by 7th Generation Master Distiller Fred Noe to ensure it upholds the qualities and standards that his dad set for Booker’s Bourbon more than 30 years ago. Uncut and unfiltered1, this batch was chosen with the following characteristics:
PROOF: 124.3
AGE: 6 years, 11 months, and 22 days
BATCH NOTES: Booker’s “Ronnie’s Batch” has a nice color and a rich vanilla aroma with hints of brown spice that is enjoyable even before the first sip. It has a sweet taste that comes from the time spent aging in the unique Kentucky climate. It has a warm and pleasant finish, making it an ideal pour.
SIPPING SUGGESTIONS: Booker’s “Ronnie’s Batch” is best enjoyed neat, over ice or with a few drops of water.
What Gary Says
Nose: Musty oak rickhouse, salted caramel, dark chocolate, vanilla, peanut brittle, cinnamon, cloves and a hint of cherries.
Palate: Vanilla, chocolate fudge, caramel, peanuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper and a bit of cola.
Finish: Moderately long, damp with oak, caramel and pepper spice.
Comments: Classic Booker’s – rich and intense, but well balanced and squarely in the Booker’s flavor profile. One note that I got here which I usually don’t get is a bit of cola. At 6 years, 11 months and 22 days, this is the oldest batch of Booker’s released since 2015 – which I think is interesting in highlighting that age isn’t everything (and the age on any given batch is just that of the youngest barrel to be included in the batch). I long for the days when Booker’s was $50 (or less on sale!), but appreciate the consistency and quality this has maintained over time.