Little Book Chapter 10: All The Wiser
Blended Straight Whiskey
61.3% ABV
$160
Website
We would like to thank Beam Suntory and SAVONA COMMUNICATIONS for sending us a sample to review.
What the Distillery Says
Ten whole chapters of Little Book, and through every one of them, I’ve learned something new. Back in the beginning, I looked at blends differently, focusing on percentages and “perfection”. The whiskey sure tasted good, but I had a feeling I was missing out on something bigger. So, I set out on a journey to see what the whiskey could teach me. Each release a milestone along the way.
From one blend to the next, my know-how grew. But I found something else to be just as important: an instinct to listen to the whiskey. Because no matter how sure I am of the profile I want to get to – the whiskey has its own plans. So now, I don’t push it towards one specific outcome. I guide it, and I let it guide me. With every Chapter, I’ve gotten more at ease with the push and pull.
Chapter 10 is only possible because of what I gleaned from the chapters before it. Made up of aged expressions from our celebrated Small Batch collection to our iconic Jim Beam finished in sherry and toasted bourbon casks, this blend could have gone in any direction. But with expertise, intuition, and plenty of flexibility, we got it exactly where it needed to be.
Freddie Noe, 8th Generation Master Distiller, Fred B. Noe Distillery
Blend Components:
14-yr Basil Hayden Straight Bourbon Whiskey
11-yr Knob Creek Straight Bourbon Whiskey
10-yr Booker’s Straight Bourbon Whiskey
9-yr Knob Creek Straight Bourbon Whiskey
9-yr Baker’s Straight Bourbon Whiskey
4-yr Jim Beam Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Finished in Sherry and Toasted Bourbon Casks
Tasting Notes
Color: Deep Auburn
Aroma: Layers of fig, raisin and molasses
Taste: Full bodied with velvety caramel, cinnamon, and oak
Finish: A long finish with seasoned oak and raisin
What Gary Says
Nose: Orange zest, fig, oak, brown sugar, raisins, honey, vanilla, peanut brittle & hint of cedar.
Palate: Thick mouthfeel, caramel, cinnamon, sour oak, tart cherries, pepper spice and a nuttiness.
Finish: Medium length, drying with vanilla, baking spices, cocoa and oak.
Comments: This is a well-balanced dram, with nice depth. A bit of water brings out notes of dark chocolate on both the nose and the palate, as well as bringing some peanut butter to the palate. Wish they had listed the estimated mix of each component, but this is a nuanced pour for sitting and pondering over.