Must Try

Booker’s 2022-02 “The Lumberyard Batch”

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Booker’s “The Lumberyard Batch” 2022-02
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

7 Years, 1 Month, 7 Days
62.40% ABV
$90
Website
Booker's Bourbon "2022-02" The Lumberyard 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 lumberyard that Booker Noe worked at during his pre-distillery years. While his journey to becoming a distiller wasn’t exactly a straight path, it led him to his true passion.

After a short stint at the University of Kentucky, Booker hitch-hiked across America in hopes of joining the Air Force. After being accepted, the local police called his mom to verify his information. When Booker’s mom found out where he was, she convinced him to come home and work at the local lumberyard with Jeremiah Beam, also known as Uncle Jere. Booker was strong, over 6 feet tall and never backed away from physical labor of any kind, so he was a natural for the job. Booker gave 110 percent during his time at the lumberyard, which eventually landed him his first role working at the distillery. From then on, the rest was history.

Since that first day, Booker held just about every job at the distillery and worked his way up to Master Distiller. Booker’s esteemed distilling career wasn’t given to him, he earned it. His experience at the lumberyard shaped the solid work ethic and curiosity he is known for.

TASTING NOTES
Like all batches of Booker’s Bourbon, Booker’s “The Lumberyard 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 unfiltered, this batch has the following characteristics:
PROOF: 124.8
AGE: 7 years, 1 months and 7 days
BATCH NOTES: Booker’s “The Lumberyard Batch” has a beautiful amber color and deep aroma with a hint of vanilla and oak that opens its depth. It has a balanced taste with a bit of sweetness that leads to a pleasant finish.
SIPPING SUGGESTIONS: Booker’s “The Lumberyard Batch” is best enjoyed neat, over ice or with a few drops of water.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Salted caramel, peanut brittle, oak, vanilla wafers, pecan praline, nutmeg, brown sugar with a hint of clove.
Palate:  Caramel, chocolate, vanilla bean, cinnamon, nutmeg, honey, cracked pepper and roasted peanuts.
Finish:  Moderately long with caramel, oak and trailing spice notes.
Comments:  Another classic batch of Booker’s, although I enjoyed this one just a tad more than the 2022-01 ‘Ronnie’s Batch’ release (which was the oldest since 2015, until this one). The nose on this seemed to have just a bit more complexity, with a pecan praline/brown sugar note that I really dig. These are subtle differences, but if I saw both on the shelf – I’d personally take this one (but if you prefer more cherry notes, the ‘Ronnie’s Batch’ might be the better pick). Good news is that I don’t think you’d be disappointed in either!

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Stellum Black Fibonacci Blend #1

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey /

Stellum Black Fibonacci Blend #1
Cask Strength Blend of Straight Rye Whiskies

57.56% ABV
$100
Website
Stellum Black Fibonacci Blend 1 Rye Whiskey
We would like to thank Stellum Spirits and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

This release of Stellum Black Specialty Rye celebrates the Fibonacci sequence, a series of numbers, each the sum of the two previous numbers. Six separate rye blends were combined in accordance with this sequence. Just like so many other presentations of Fibonacci, the blend that it produced was both balanced and beautiful.

TASTING NOTES
Color: Deep copper.
Nose: Citrus forward with a delicate spice on the back and lasting earthy notes of tobacco and oak.
Palate: Honey and lemon hit the tongue with a slight earthiness reminiscent of black tea. Brown butter and molasses come forward revealing the softer side of the whiskey followed by clove and brown sugar. A touch of cinnamon-apples and chocolate come through before revealing the charred oak tannins.
Finish: A long finish that touches each part of the palate. Savory and sweet, the lemon and honey are a delicate sweet base layer to the rich clove, ginger, and tobacco spice forefront. The oak shows through on the finish, highlighting that there is some finely aged whiskey in the blend.

WITH 3 DROPS OF WATER: The addition of water brings out more of the charred oak on the nose with a delectable, sweet cinnamon. On the palate, clove and ginger become more present with an addition of burnt orange peel. Rich dessert notes, such as brown butter and caramel are a bit more subtle.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Exotic citrus notes of tangerines, blood orange and nectarines, oak, baking spices of clove and gentle cinnamon.
Palate:  Thick mouthfeel with brown sugar, orange, honey, cinnamon, pepper, oak, cloves and cocoa.
Finish:  Moderately long and drying with citrus zest, tobacco, ginger and oak.
Comments:  Wow – just a delicious rye whiskey that has plenty of spice and zip without being ‘sharp’; brilliant blending!  Don’t get me wrong – I don’t mind a sharp rye with an edge, but rare that it has this much spice without it. Some water actually thickens it up even more, with the nose reminding me of a baked cinnamon treat found in most malls (complete with gently melted icing) and the palate taking on more cloves.

Rating: Must Try

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Longmorn 2002 18 Year

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside / ,

Longmorn 2002 18 Year
Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection
Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

58.8% ABV
$120
Website
Longmorn 18 Yr Signatory

What the Bottler Says

AGED: 18 years
DISTILLED ON: September 17 2002
BOTTLE ON: October 21 2020
MATURED IN: Bourbon Barrel
CASK NO: 800626
BOTTLE NO: 204 of 220
NATURAL COLOUR

What Gary Says

Nose:  Heather, honey suckle, peaches, marzipan, hint of caramel, oak, and sponge cake.
Palate:  Thick mouthfeel, honey, fruity with peaches and baked pears, subtle kiwi notes and a bit of pepper and toffee.
Finish:  Long, drying with honey, fruit and milk chocolate.
Comments:  Yep, it’s official – I love Longmorn. I’ve only reviewed one other Longmorn, although I’ve tried several independent bottlings and don’t recall any being less than “really good”. This particular dram takes water well, retaining the thick mouthfeel and bringing out more peaches and pears on the nose. I really dig those tropical fruit notes of kiwi that come through.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Stellum Rye Single Barrel

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey / ,

Stellum Rye Single Barrel
Selected By ‘The Chocolate Fountain’ E2 Serpens

58.35% ABV
$60
Website
Stellum Single Barrel Rye Chocolate Fountain

What the Blender Says

Single barrel whiskeys are an expression of distinction and power. Every cask is different. Many make good ingredients, but only some possess the particular character and balance to make a worthy single barrel bottling.

While marrying barrels for Stellum Bourbon and Stellum Rye, we occasionally identify specific barrels that we feel speak strongly alone. We set these barrels aside and bottle them at their true cask strength. Each is very much an individual experience, an unfiltered expression of one specific aging rather than a blend.

We offer Stellum single barrels as unique and exclusive picks for stores, clubs, and private gatherings. We also offer bottle-by-bottle Stellum single barrels in select markets.

Serpens – Selections made in the Spring and Summer of 2021
95% Rye/5% Barley Malt

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rye spice, mint, bit of dill, cedar, caramel, toffee, subtle toasted oak, citrus tilting from orange to grapefruit.
Palate:  Dark sweetness (molasses?) with blood orange, cloves, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg and pepper.
Finish:  Moderately long, drying with mint, brown sugar and orange spice.
Comments:  A really robust rye, where the nose presents squarely in the 95% rye mash bill quadrant, but the palate took a left turn with a surprisingly dark sweetness note. I found this worked really well in a Vieux Carré, although it was delicious neat as well. Bit of water thickens it up nicely, and brings the orange notes more into focus.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Barrell Single Barrel Rye “Honey Badger”

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey / ,

Barrell Single Barrel Rye
“Joe’s Playlist” Track #4 Honey Badger V416
Canadian Rye Single Barrel Whiskey

74.15% ABV
$130
Website
Barrell Single Barrel Rye Honey Badger

What the Blender Says

“Honey Badger!” sounds cute, but don’t mess with it. This 14-year-old Canadian Rye clocks in at 148.3 proof. It has a charming nose of honey and white flowers, but like it’s namesake, it devours its prey. There are only 72 bottles of “Honey Badger!”, so act fast!

What Gary Says

Nose:  Charred oak, honey, caramel, savory herbal notes, orange with a mineral note.
Palate:  Warm, sweet with mint, caramel, savory notes with orange, cinnamon, pepper and nutmeg.
Finish:  Moderately long, drying with oak and caramel.
Comments:  A really robust and intense rye, with some sweetness but a lot of savory spice going on. Love that balance! The sample bottle I received didn’t note the details (I thought the nose was ‘a tad hot’ but given the ABV, it really isn’t!). This is a lovely rye whiskey, and takes water really well, thickening up, amping the orange and caramel notes, while toning the edges (but not taming it too much). Only 72 bottles, so probably won’t find this again, but if you run across it in the wild – don’t be afraid of the honey badger!

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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