Brian’s Baker’s Single Barrel Bourbon Review:
written: 09-March-2021
BAKER’S SINGLE BARREL BOURBON REVIEW:
Baker’s Single Barrel Bourbon (Baker’s SiB) is a well blended and remarkable bourbon. From its warm aroma, slightly fruity taste and woody finish, in my opinion, its an improvement to its predecessor, Baker’s Small Batch Bourbon. While I’m certain other barrels will differ from the one I enjoyed during this review, I will seek others.
BAKER’S SINGLE BARREL BOURBON VITAL STATS:
Category: Single Barrel Bourbon
Region: Kentucky, USA
Distiller: Jim Beam, Master Distiller Fred Noe
Mash bill: 77% Corn, 13% Rye, 10% Malted Barley
Casks: New Charred Oak
Barrel Char: #4
Barrel Entry Proof: unpublished
Barreled: December 2011
Barrel Serial #: 000330410
Storage Warehouse: CL-Z
Time in the barrel: 8 yr, 1 Mo
Bottle Age Stated: 7 Years
Non-Chill Filtered
ABV: 53.5% (107 Proof)
Purchase Price: $59.95 USD (2020, Idaho)
Learn more at Baker’s Bourbon and click to check out your barrel’s journey.
ENJOYMENT METHOD:
For the evaluation, I shared the juice neat from Glencairn glasses with my daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer Hannah.
Check out her review for this bourbon here!
BAKER’S SINGLE BARREL BOURBON NOSE:
At first nosing, Baker’s SiB is dry and warm with a slight ethanol aroma. But the alcohol is not enough to overpower its potpourri of herbal roasted corn and mix of dry grain. More nosing brings berries, cherries and even roasted almonds blended in a dark fruit leather spiced with powdered ginger, green pepper and rye. This pour is only slightly sweet; I get traces of vanilla, brown sugar, buttery caramel and nutty toffee. However, most dominate is wood. I smell dry, heavy, old oak and hazy barrel flavors.
BAKER’S SINGLE BARREL BOURBON PALATE:
The first sip of this Baker’s SiB pour is easy to hold, yet there is a definite tickle on the tip of the tongue. I also get warmth, which almost grows to a burn, but for me the 53.5% ABV isn’t enough to cause discomfort. And as sensed on the nose, I get herbal roasted corn and dried grain hiding a hint of both maraschino and dark cherries rolled in fresh raisin fruit leather as spices of cinnamon, ginger, black pepper and rye blend with sweets of light vanilla, brown sugar, woody burnt caramel and toasted almond toffee. This is a wood forward bourbon with elements of dry, heavy, old oak and plenty of hazy barrel char spice.
Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
Well blended aromas and flavors fade in and out of each Baker’s SiB waft and mouthful. The liquid is full bodied and has a soft, oily mouthfeel. Each tip of the glass allows the dark honey colored liquid to fall in fat clinging legs to leave behind an irregular crown.
BAKER’S SINGLE BARREL BOURBON FINISH:
Baker’s SiB has a nice effervescent tickle in its medium-long, throat warming finish. The potpourri and herbal notes from the nose and palate pass through as does the dried dark fruit leather as spices of cinnamon, clove, ginger, black pepper and rye dominate the sweets of light vanilla and woody caramel. And as found in the aroma and taste dry, heavy, old oak dances with the hazy spice of barrel flavors. What I enjoy most about this pour is the sensation in my throat of Montmorency cherry juice as each sip passes. When the last dram is downed, a faint memory of dry old oak wafts from the empty Glencairn.
MY BAKER’S SINGLE BARREL BOURBON RATING: 90/100
Will I buy this whiskey again? YES
I look forward to finding other Baker’s Single Barrel releases.
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.
To access other whiskies with this score, click 90/100.
Click to see other Baker’s whiskies.
BAKER’S SINGLE BARREL BOURBON TRAITS AND FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:
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