Bourbon

Penelope Estate Collection Private Select
Straight Bourbon Whiskey

50.6% ABV
$80
Website

We would like to thank Luxco and BYRNE PR for sending us samples to review.

What the Blender Says

Penelope Private Select annual release explores new and unique expressions of our straight bourbon whiskey blends using the finest of our aged barrel stocks.

From hand selecting the barrels to creating each blend, Private Select strives to showcase the best in all of us.

Mash Bill: 74% Corn | 20% Rye | 1% Wheat | 5% Malted Barley
Blend of Straight Whiskies
9 Years Old
#4 Staves, #2 Heads
Four Grain
101.2 Proof
Un-cut, Non Chill-Filtered

TASTING NOTES
AROMA: Rich caramel, vanilla custard, and cherry fruit
FORWARD NOTES: Smooth caramel syrup, brown sugar, subtle barrel char, and hints of butterscotch and crème brûlée
BODY: Marshmallow, caramel, sweet cherry and black pepper
FINISH: Vanilla crème brûlée, allspice, and light smoke

What Gary Says

Nose: Salted caramel, toffee, vanilla, brown sugar, dried cherries and charred oak.
Palate: Creamy mouthfeel with vanilla, caramel, black cherry, bit of orange zest and cinnamon.
Finish: Moderate in length with vanilla, classic oak spice and a bit of pepper.
Comments: A very nice, solid bourbon. Tasting this next to the Estate Collection Single Barrel, this is similar but with a thicker, richer mouthfeel. Both are non-chill filtered but it really stands out here, which I appreciate (as well as the orange zest notes). Also appreciate this being slightly less expensive for a dram I appreciate more!

Rating: Stands Out

Penelope Estate Collection Single Barrel
Straight Bourbon Whiskey

49% ABV
$90
Website

We would like to thank Luxco and BYRNE PR for sending us samples to review.

What the Blender Says

Penelope Single Barrel uncovers the character that lies within our finest aged stocks. Each barrel, unique in profile, is hand selected from various warehouses and floors after a decade of aging.

Some barrels are just too exceptional to blend.

Mash Bill: 75% Corn | 21% Rye | 4% Malted Barley
Three Grain
Single Barrel Whiskey
98 Proof
Non Chill-Filtered

TASTING NOTES
AROMA: Vanilla, caramel, dried fruit, sweet cherry
FORWARD NOTES: Smooth caramel syrup, brown sugar, subtle barrel char, and hints of butterscotch and crème brûlée
BODY: Caramel, buttercream frosting, maraschino cherry, and light rye spice
FINISH: Dried cherry, marshmallow with lingering spice

What Gary Says

Nose: Salted caramel, vanilla, oak, cherry, hint of blackberry and chocolate.
Palate: Vanilla, crème brûlée, cherry, caramel, hint of maple candies, nutmeg and blackberry.
Finish: Moderate in length, drying with sour oak, vanilla and cinnamon.
Comments: A nice bourbon, and stands out as unique as I don’t often get blackberry as a note in bourbon (or whiskey in general). Not sure where that’s coming from either, although should note that with any single barrel products there’s built in variability. I wouldn’t add any water to this one – on the nose it does bring out more fruit notes with apples, but thins out the palate. Neat this one drinks nicely, although at MSRP seems a bit pricey.

Rating: Stands Out

Woodinville Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Casks

45% ABV
$45
Website

We would like to thank Woodinville Whiskey for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

Our award-winning flagship Straight Bourbon Whiskey, further aged in port barrels.

We source our casks from Portugal’s Douro Valley to finish our Straight Bourbon Whiskey. This 2017 Special Release was such a distillery favorite that we made it the third full-time member of the Woodinville portfolio.

Six months in, the emptied casks introduce a rich texture and notes of sticky baked plums and chocolate-covered cherries, creating a complex and delectable bourbon you can really chew on.

This dark amber beauty is available in our tasting room and at select retailers in states where Woodinville is carried.

What Gary Says

Nose: Caramel, vanilla, dried plums, cherries, currants, milk chocolate and toasted oak.
Palate: Round mouthfeel with caramel, chocolate covered cherries, vanilla, raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg, hint of anise and clove.
Finish: Short to moderate in length with dried fruit and fading baking spices.
Comments: Quite nice dram! Very dark in the glass, but the port finish is balanced well; not heavy handed. This is something I look for in finished whiskies – not overpowering the base whiskey with too much finishing (which can be too much time in the cask, or where/how they age it). A very easy to drink bourbon that gives you those lovely fruit notes you’d expect from a port finish. While I enjoy it, I’d love to see this offered at a higher proof (maybe a limited edition cask strength port finish?)

Rating: Stands Out

Booker’s “Jimmy’s Batch” 2024-04
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

7 Years, 9 Months, 19 Days
62.9% ABV
$100
Website

We would like to thank Beam Suntory and SAVONA COMMUNICATIONS for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says:

The fourth release of the Booker’s® Bourbon 2024 Collection is Booker’s Batch 2024-04 “Jimmy’s Batch.” This batch is named in honor of Master Distiller Jimmy Russell, living legend for bourbon lovers everywhere, and one of my dad’s dearest peers, competitors, and most importantly friends. Jimmy was like a second father to me after dad passed away, and I’ve learned a hell of a lot from him over the years. There are many life lessons to thank him for, but here are a few that stand out to me.

Once at a bourbon festival, Jimmy came up to Dad and me and poured out three glasses of a whiskey he wanted us to taste. It was some real nice stuff, and when Dad asked what it was, Jimmy said it was something new he was working on, something special. I thought it was pretty cool to bring a new product to a competitor and ask what they think. It showed me the importance of trust and camaraderie, and just how much those old timers respected each other.

The other big thing Jimmy taught me was to treat everybody like I wanted to be treated. When we went to events at bars or liquor stores, he always stayed late to make sure everyone got their picture taken and their bottle signed. It’s easy to take for granted that we get to do what we do because of the people that stand in line for our whiskey, but Jimmy never did.

Just like Dad, there are few things Jimmy loves more than a damn good bottle of bourbon. So, cheers to him and the mentorship he’s given me through thick and thin all these years. I hope you get to share a glass with company as good and true as Jimmy.
— FRED NOE, BEAM FAMILY 7TH GENERATION MASTER DISTILLER

MASTER DISTILLER’S NOTES
The fourth and final batch of Booker’s Bourbon for 2024 is a tribute to a cherished friend of the Noe family, Jimmy Russel. A close friend to my dad and a second father figure to me since my dad’s passing in 2004. The breakdown of this batch is as follows:
• 12% came from the 5th floor of 7-story warehouse Z
• 20% came from the 5th floor of 7-story warehouse 1
• 46% came from the 3rd floor of 7-story warehouse 3
• 22% came from the 4th floor of 7-story warehouse Q

This batch was made up of 3 production dates stored in 4 different warehouses. It stands at 125.8 proof and the age is 7 years, 9 months, and 19 days. It boasts a rich amber color shaped by the charred white oak barrels it aged in until the barrels were dumped. I first tasted this batch at my kitchen table, and its aroma filled the whole room. That first sip is sweet and smooth, and the way the vanilla notes mixes with the brown spice notes is just right- inviting you in for another taste. The finish is very pleasant and relaxing in taste.

I am really proud to put this batch together for Jimmy, and I know my dad would have loved seeing a batch of his namesake bourbon dedicated to his great friend.

TASTING NOTES
Color: Deep Amber
Taste: Sweet and Smooth
Aroma: Vanilla, Brown Spices
Finish: Pleasant and Relaxing

What Gary Says

Nose: Salted caramel, vanilla, oak, brown sugar and a hint of peanut brittle.
Palate: Caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, bit of dark chocolate followed by pepper.
Finish: Moderately long with oak, cocoa and pepper spice.
Comments: This is a solid Booker’s batch, squarely in the brand profile. The cinnamon note seems to be turned up more than usual, although that certainly could be more me than the whiskey (don’t get me wrong – this isn’t “off brand” by any means). The relationship that Jimmy and Booker had (and that Jimmy and Fred have, and many of the other great master distillers in Kentucky) truly does set this industry apart from most. From many of them helping Heaven Hill following that tragic fire in 1996 to countless other stories; I’ve witnessed the comradery first hand at many a Bourbon Festival and in the stories they generously share of growing up knowing one another.

Rating: Stands Out