Must Try

Booker’s “Pigskin Batch” Batch 2020-03
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

6 Years, 7 Months, 7 Days
63.65% ABV
$90
Website

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

What the Distillery Says:

The third release of the Booker’s® Bourbon 2020 Collection is Booker’s Batch 2020-03 “Pigskin Batch.” This batch is a nod to 6th Generation Master Distiller Booker Noe’s love of American football, which eventually became a whole family affair.

Booker was a good football player back in the day, playing both tackle and kicker on his high school team. He was quick for his size — standing 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighing close to 300 pounds — and strong from working as a farm hand growing up. Although he ultimately never pursued a college football career, he was talented enough to practice with the team when he attended the University of Kentucky as a freshman – a rare honor in those days.

Anyone who knew Booker knew his love of football. Whether it was his favorite team on the television or his son and grandson playing in the backyard, Booker loved watching a game and made the sport into a true Noe family tradition.

TASTING NOTES

Like all batches of Booker’s Bourbon, Booker’s “Pigskin 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 and that fans of the brand have come to know and love. Uncut and unfiltered, Booker’s “Pigskin Batch” has a beautiful light brown color. The aroma contains brown sweets and slight vanilla notes. The flavor is big and bold with a finish that is long and warm.

Booker’s “Pigskin Batch” is best enjoyed neat, over ice or with a few drops of water.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Salted caramel, vanilla crème brûlée slightly over-roasted, heavy oak, pecan praline, peanut brittle and chocolate.
Palate:  Rich mouthfeel with heavy caramel, spice notes of nutmeg and pepper kicking in with dark chocolate, oak and a bit of orange.
Finish:  Moderately long, drying with dark chocolate, oak and citrus spice.
Comments:  A really nice pour. I don’t have all of the various batches from 2020 to try to compare against, although in a blind side-by-side against 2018-04 “Kitchen Table” and 2013-06, I did find I preferred this one (which is props as I really liked 2013-06, one of the initial ’roundtable’ batches). The variation is subtle from batch to batch, and I found this one to be more on the sweet side, with a bit less spice and oak. Takes water really well, although I don’t mind it at bottling proof. The streak of “hadn’t met a Booker’s I didn’t like” remains unbroken!

Rating: Must Try/Stands Out

Bib & Tucker 10-Year-Old
Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey

Batch No. 2 | Bottle No. 1829
46% ABV
$85-$100
Website

We would like to thank Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits and R\West for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

This award-winning 10-year-old bourbon is distinctly American in that it forges a path all its own. To create its singular flavor profile, we double-distill it and choose not to chill-filter as is traditional with Tennessee Bourbons. Combining traditional rick houses and Level 1 char palletized barrels for aging provides a high level of wood contact and yet keeps the vanilla and oak influence subtle. This gives us an even greater depth of flavor going into the bottle. Incredibly well balanced, it’s a standout bourbon for moments that are to be remembered.

Taste profile
Aroma – leads with the scent of vanilla layered with sweet roasted corn, toasted oak, and pipe tobacco.
Taste – starts with a velvety entry marked by a hint of well-balanced sweetness. It fulfills the promise of its nose before evolving into a warm, slightly dry, cocoa covered mid-palate.
Finish – enrobes the senses with a rich, warming, and full-bodied finish of spicy cedar and kettle corn.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich caramel, vanilla, leather, nutmeg, cinnamon, tobacco, subtle mineral note, brown sugar, oak.
Palate:  Creamy tiramisu, notes of maple, caramel, milk chocolate and baking spices.
Finish:  Moderately long with cocoa and baking spices trailing.
Comments:  This is just delicious!  The additional age over the 6 Year really tamps down the mineral/vitamin notes, and brings more complexity to both the nose and palate.  Takes a bit of water well, amping up the chocolate notes.  This is definitely on the sweet/pastry side of the spectrum, which I rather enjoy.  A bit pricey for a 10 yr bourbon, but if you’re a fan of the 6 yr or Dickel – I would definitely consider it a ‘Must Try’.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

Yellowstone 2020 Limited Edition
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Finished in Armagnac Casks

50.5% ABV
$100
Website

We would like to thank Limestone Branch and Common Ground PR for sending us samples to review.

What the Producer Says

The 2020 edition of Yellowstone® Limited Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon will be on shelves in September, just in time for National Bourbon Heritage Month. This year’s edition features a seven-year-old straight bourbon finished in French Armagnac barrels. The new release brings a soft leather aroma with hints of honeydew melon, vanilla notes on the palate with hints of burnt orange and dried plum. The finish is toasted coconut with lingering oak making for a well-rounded, deeply satisfying bourbon.

“When I began working on this limited edition, I knew I wanted to finish our bourbon in a cask and I was looking for one that would add complexity and a dimension that expands the flavor profile,” says Steve Beam, master distiller at Limestone Branch Distillery. “Armagnac is a rustic, full-bodied spirit that contributes dark fruit notes, complementing the vanilla notes in the bourbon. Just like a chef adds spices to enhance flavors, I believe cask-finishing should be similar, where it simply enhances the natural flavors in the bourbon.”

Beam also notes that the French brandy, which uses several different grape varietals each with their own flavors and characteristics, creates a rich flavor and packs a bit more punch than cognacs.

The 2020 Yellowstone Limited Edition also boasts a stunning new bottle, which feels timeless and vintage, similar to Yellowstone Bourbon, which has been around since 1872. The new premium bottle, designed by David Cole, also highlights the year more prominently for collectors.

Approximately 5,000 cases of this bourbon are being produced at Limestone Branch Distillery, bottled at 101 proof in 750ml bottles. The suggested retail price is $99.99.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Caramel, leather, oak, fudge, subtle notes of cinnamon baked apples, floral with a hint of brandy.
Palate:  Vanilla, honey, orange zest, slight pepper bite, nutmeg and apricot.
Finish:  Moderately long with oak, cinnamon and vanilla fudge trailing.
Comments:  The Armagnac finish is subtle on the nose, a bit more pronounced on the palate, but balanced nicely throughout. It definitely adds a nice fruity layer of complexity. The packaging change is also a nice touch for this limited edition. A bit of water tamps the edge on the palate and brings out the fruit notes more. I’ve had the privilege to try samples for the past three Yellowstone Limited Editions, and this might be my favorite (don’t have any left to compare against – I also really liked the 2018). The more of these finishes that are done well (which in my opinion means they’re not too aggressive, and don’t overwhelm the base bourbon), the more I like what they bring to the bourbon party.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try