Stands Out

Booker’s 2020-02 “Boston Batch”

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Booker’s “Boston Batch” Batch 2020-02
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

6 Years, 3 Months, 10 Days
63.25% ABV
$90
Website
Bookers 2020-02 "Boston Batch"
We would like to thank Beam Suntory and Multiply for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says:

The second release of the Booker’s Bourbon 2020 Collection is Booker’s Batch 2020-02 “Boston Batch.” This is named after the production site where 6th Generation Master Distiller Booker Noe first started his distilling career.

The distillery, now renamed the Booker Noe Distillery, is located in the small community of Boston, Ky., and was purchased by the James B. Beam Distilling Co. in the early 1950s as a second distilling location to increase production capability at the time. Because Boston was removed from the day-to-day of our flagship Clermont, Ky. distillery, Booker was able to experiment with whiskey a bit more and really master the bourbon-making process. Some may say this is where he found his love of experimentation.

If you ever wanted to find Booker, Boston is where he’d be. That plant was his life for more than 40 years. His wife always said that the Boston plant was Booker’s first baby, and Fred Noe was his second.

TASTING NOTES
Booker’s “Boston Batch” has a rich light brown color. The aroma contains vanilla, toasted nuts and hits of baking spices. The flavor is full and has a finish that can be enjoyed neat.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Toasted caramel, vanilla, cocoa, charred oak, nutty spice; bit of water brings to mind smores with charred marshmallow and graham cracker creeping in.
Palate:  Warm caramel with dark chocolate, cinnamon, pepper, vanilla, honey, bit of peanut butter at the end; some water tamps down the pepper bite and brings out some orange zest.
Finish:  Moderately long and drying with oak and spice.
Comments:  While there is variation in batches, I can’t recall a batch I didn’t like – and this one doesn’t break that streak.  A delicious, high proof and intense dram that doesn’t soften too much with water (just enough). If you’re not accustomed to the heat, pouring over a cube and letting it sit for a while helps (and if you find yourself with a bottle and still not caring for it – please reach out; happy to try to provide some disposal options for you!.

Rating: Stands Out

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Little Book Chapter 4: Lessons Honored

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Little Book Chapter 4: Lessons Honored
Blended Straight Whiskey

61.4% ABV
$125
Website
Little Book Chapter 04 Lessons Honored
We would like to thank Beam Suntory and Multiply for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

Little Book Chapter 4: “Lessons Honored,” is the fourth chapter in 8th Generation Beam Distiller Freddie Noe’s acclaimed Little Book Whiskey annual release series. This year’s release honors the man who taught Freddie some of life’s most important lessons — his dad and Beam’s 7th Generation Master Distiller, Fred Noe.

Little Book Chapter 4: “Lessons Honored,” is an ode to what Fred has taught Freddie through the years, and the lessons that have been passed down through the generations of the Beam family. Integrity, remaining true to himself, patience and knowing when to slow down are just some of the lessons that have made Freddie who he is today, both as a man and as 8th Generation Beam
Distiller.

Each annual release of Little Book features a different blend of uncut and unfiltered liquid streams carefully chosen by Freddie Noe himself and meticulously blended until it meets his vision. Little Book Chapter 4 is composed of three liquids that have a special connection to Fred and the lessons instilled by him.

Blend Components:
4-year-old Kentucky Straight Brown Rice Bourbon delivers more complex notes of oak and fruit. It’s a very approachable liquid that gives the final blend a noteworthy quality.
8-year-old Kentucky Straight “high rye” Rye Whiskey lends complex, sweet flavors from its time in the barrel paired with a rye spiciness that lingers into the blend’s finish.
7-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey anchors the unconventional flavors from the rye and brown rice liquids with a depth of character representative of the Small Batch Bourbon
Collection.

Tasting Notes: Little Book Chapter 4: “Lessons Honored” features flavors of full-bodied vanilla balanced by notes of rich charred wood and dried cherries. The finish is soft and decadent, leaving a warm caramel taste on your tongue, followed by a spicy finish from the rye.

Sipping Suggestions: Little Book Chapter 4: “Lessons Honored” is best enjoyed neat or over ice.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich caramel, nutmeg, vanilla, oak, orange zest, note of peanut butter cookies, touch of dried mint.
Palate:  Thick mouthfeel, sweet with chocolate covered black cherries, caramel, spicy with nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, peanut butter, honey and a bit of mint.
Finish:  Moderately long and drying with caramel spices.
Comments:  I really love the nose on this – reminds me a lot of Knob Creek with a twist. The palate is really sweet with spice notes – not syrupy but close (which I like my bourbon on the sweeter side).  Bit of water doesn’t hurt it – in fact I think it shines. I wish I had some Little Book Chapter 3 to compare it to, not that it is a competition. Mint is a different note I’m not accustomed to from Beam, but it goes well.  While each release/chapter is a unique take, they’re all done really well.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Decades

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Decades
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

52% ABV
$150
Website
Wild Turkey Masters Keep Decades

What the Distillery Says

WILD TURKEY DECADES
This hand-selected lot of precious and rare barrels, aged between 10 and 20 years, represents the very best of two decades of bourbon making. Master Distiller Eddie Russell’s harmonious mingling of liquid results in an extraordinarily enjoyable whiskey with the finesse and deep character of older bourbon, anchored by the bold, balanced, and vibrant backbone of younger bourbon.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Vanilla, charred oak, caramel, cinnamon, orange zest, brown sugar, grilled corn (over charcoal), allspice roasted walnuts, a hint of maple.
Palate:  Caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, hefty oak, cherries, orange bitters, pepper, bitter dark chocolate.
Finish:  Long, drying with oak, spice and caramel.
Comments:  I’m not a big oak fan, so this isn’t my favorite Wild Turkey – but it is a damn nice, big and robust bourbon. A bit of water tamps the oak a bit, and amps up the chocolate and orange notes.

Rating: Stands Out

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Fighting Cock 6 Yr Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Fighting Cock 6 Year
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

51.5% ABV
$17
Website
Fighting Cock Bourbon 6 years 103 proof

What the Distillery Says

The bad boy of Bourbon is bottled at a robust 103 proof, but its 6 years of aging smooth out the feathers real well. Through award-winning packaging and point-of-sale, and a unique and irreverent marketing campaign, Fighting Cock appeals to both male Gen X-ers and serious Bourbon lovers alike.

The “kickin’ chicken” has been a favorite throughout the South for years.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Salted caramel, vanilla, oak, brown sugar, nutty spice, subtle mint with a faint hint of overripe banana.
Palate:  Warm with vanilla, caramel, pepper bite, cinnamon, toffee and mint.
Finish:  Short and drying with oak, pepper and mint.
Comments:  For a sub-$20 bourbon, this is solid and definitely a great value. With an unapologetic rye bite, this has the edge you’d expect with the proof but also isn’t particularly harsh. While the web-site in September 2020 is still mentioning “6 years”, I want to be clear that current distribution of Fighting Cock Bourbon no longer carries the 6 year age statement regrettably (that was dropped in early 2015). This review however is from a bottle which did carry that age statement. I haven’t done a side by side (yet!) with the current version, but have that on my growing to do list.

Rating: Stands Out; Great Value

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Tomatin 18 Year

/ / Highland, Review, Scottish Whisky / , ,

Tomatin 18 Year
Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

46% ABV
$90 – $100
Website
Tomatin 18 Year Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

What the Distillery Says

The Tomatin 18 Year Old is a truly world class malt. Matured in traditional oak casks and first fill Oloroso Sherry butts, honey and soft oak flavours develop into a hint of dark chocolate with a citrus bite before a sustained sweet and slightly dry finish.
Non-chill Filtered
Aroma: Orchard fruit, cinnamon, vanilla, maple syrup with just a hint of smoky heather.
Palate: Deliciously sweet, citrus and dark chocolate with a slightly oaky edge.
Finish: Long, sweet and slightly dry.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich fruit notes of apricots, figs, caramelized grilled peaches, subtle baking spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, hint of maple syrup, oak, subtle floral notes.
Palate:  Thick and creamy mouthfeel, rich , sweet with blood orange, peaches, plums, dark chocolate, toffee, a touch of cinnamon and oak.
Finish:  Moderately long, slightly drying with cocoa and fruit.
Comments:  This is delicious. Like the 12 yr, this is finished (not fully matured) in sherry which gives it a lovely balance. I appreciate the higher proof and non-chill filtration.
Age isn’t everything, but this is a great value for an 18 yr single malt (and I like as well as others that are 20-30% more expensive).

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try/Great Value

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