November 2023

Booker’s 2023-03 “Mighty Fine Batch”

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Booker’s “Mighty Fine Batch” 2023-03
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

7 Years, 1 Month, 10 Days
63.3% ABV
$90
Website
Booker's Mighty Fine Batch
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 the signature phrase Sixth Generation Beam Master Distiller Booker Noe would use to compliment anything he approved of – from his namesake bourbon to his country ham.

“Mighty fine” was Booker’s go-to phrase. He would often get together with others in the whiskey industry to taste samples of Booker’s Bourbon, and everyone knew he was happy with his selection when he sipped it and said it was “mighty fine,” followed by, “that’s a damn good batch!”

Shortly before Booker passed away in 2004, his son, Seventh Generation Beam Master Distiller Fred Noe, was in charge of selecting the barrels for a Booker’s Bourbon batch. Fred was a little nervous at first – he had big shoes to fill – but after Booker tasted the sample, he looked at Fred and said, “Mighty fine job, son.” A lot of people thought it was one of the best batches, but receiving Booker’s vote of confidence made it that much more special for Fred – a moment he will never forget.

TASTING NOTES
Like all batches of Booker’s Bourbon, Booker’s “Mighty Fine Batch” was selected by Seventh 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 unfiltered, this batch has the following characteristics:
PROOF: 126.6
AGE: 7 years, 1 month and 8 days
BATCH NOTES: Booker’s “Mighty Fine Batch” has a rich color with a pleasant aroma of vanilla and sweet brown sugar. The flavor is full bodied and further opens up with a small touch of water that gives a “Kentucky Hug” finish.
SIPPING SUGGESTIONS: Booker’s “Mighty Fine Batch” is best enjoyed neat or with a few drops of water.

What Gary Says

Nose: Caramel, chocolate toffee (almost butterscotch), vanilla, peanut butter, charred oak and brown sugar.
Palate: Rich and thick mouthfeel, chocolate fudge with roasted peanuts, caramel, oak, cinnamon, nutmeg and pepper.
Finish: Moderately long, drying with cocoa and oak.
Comments: Unmistakably Booker’s through and through. This batch is a bit richer on the palate than some recent batches, and the tilt towards butterscotch on the nose is lovely! Appreciate the consistency across Booker’s while also enjoying the batches that have that little something that stands out from the others.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Barrell Foundation Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Barrell Foundation Bourbon
A Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskies

50% ABV
$60
Website
Barrell Foundation Bourbon
We would like to thank Barrell Craft Spirits and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Blender Says

Louisville, KY (October 11, 2023) – For the past 10 years, Barrell Craft Spirits® (BCS) has become synonymous with some of the most exciting cask strength releases being made in America, showcasing its ability to blend complex flavors in bourbon, rye, and American whiskey from a variety of different distillery partners across the world. Today, the original independent blender of unique aged, cask strength whiskey since 2013 announced the launch of Barrell Foundation Bourbon, its first non-cask strength bourbon, in select U.S. markets. The new ongoing release is a blend of Kentucky (8yr), Indiana (5, 6, and 9yr), Tennessee (8yr), and Maryland (5 and 6yr) bourbon whiskeys bottled at 100-proof (50% ABV). Featuring a derived mashbill of 73% corn, 23% rye, and 4% malted barley, the expression presented a unique challenge for the award-winning blender to show it can produce a great, consistent whiskey at a lower ABV and for all occasions.

“Barrell Foundation is a delicious and easy drinking bourbon whiskey with all the flavor of a cask strength bourbon whiskey at 100-proof,” said BCS Founder Joe Beatrice. “We believe that a true art form in bourbon-making is the ability to produce bourbon whiskey that can be enjoyed by everyone, and we welcomed the challenge to show that we can produce great bourbon whiskey at a more approachable strength and price for all occasions. For 10 years we’ve led the blending movement in the U.S. and now welcome this exciting opportunity to be a trailblazer of an entirely different style of bourbon whiskey.”

Having recently opened its new 31,000 square foot blending facility in Jeffersontown, Kentucky, BCS can now support the growth of its current brands as well as new product launches. Featuring eight blending tanks with 64,000 gallons of capacity, the new facility enables the team to blend larger stocks of its bourbon into a profile that tastes great neat and works well in cocktails.

Founded in 2013 in Louisville, Kentucky, BCS selects and blends products that explore different distillation methods, barrels, and aging environments. BCS’s extensive stocks of high-quality casks mean it can craft extraordinary blends that maximize the nuances of each ingredient. Creative finishes and a liberated approach to blending guides every product release.

Barrell Foundation is now available for purchase online via the Barrell Craft Spirits website and in select markets (AZ, CA, DC, DE, IL, MD, MI, MO, NJ, NV, NY, TX, and WA beginning this month for the suggested retail price of $59.99 per 750ml bottle. The new offering will rollout nationally in January of 2024.

BLEND COMPONENTS:
Kentucky: 8 years old
Indiana: 5, 6, & 9 years old
Tennessee: 8 years old
Maryland: 5 & 6 years old

DERIVED MASH BILL:
Corn: 73%
Rye: 23%
Malted Barley: 4%

Crafted and bottled in Kentucky

FLAVOR NOTES
​Neat
Appearance: Golden amber.
Nose: An initial wave of honey, candied-strawberry, dark cherry, and grilled cantaloupe greet you. Notes of lavender and fennel emerge and are balanced by cocoa, brown butter, and cardamom. Grilled peaches and hazelnut linger, followed by a burst of lemon and lime zest with a touch of oily, waxy fruit peel.
Palate: Maple pecans, dark chocolate and cinnamon unfold and are quickly followed by rich flavors of tiramisu and cardamom cake, with a mouthfeel to match. This expands to include hints of fennel, lemongrass, and lemon zest, balancing the creamy, full-bodied mouthfeel.
Finish: Creamy and sweet, emphasizing cinnamon, toffee, vanilla pudding.
With a splash of spring water
Even more viscous and creamy with the vanilla pudding evolving into bananas foster. The citrus zest and the lemongrass become more elevated with notes of orange sherbet.

What Gary Says

Nose: Cocoa, caramel, oak, toasted citrus zest, blackcurrant, black cherry, subtle floral and mineral notes.
Palate: Creamy mouthfeel with caramel, cinnamon, dark chocolate, blood orange, vanilla, cherries and toffee.
Finish: Moderate in length with cinnamon, coffee cake with vanilla icing.
Comments: This is Barrell Craft Spirits first foray into bottling a bourbon at a specific proof with a consistent flavor profile. They’ve proven that they’re damn good at blending bourbons from different distilleries to create something unique and delicious, and Barrell Foundation continues this legacy. This is a delicious, complex but approachable bourbon.  A bit of water brings out a bit more of the mineral note on the nose as well as amping up the citrus vibe, although I really love this neat. I did find this delightful in an Old Fashioned as well, and look forward to picking it up when it comes to Georgia next year (and seeing how the consistency holds up over time).

Rating: Stands Out

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