Booker’s 2019-01 Teresa’s Batch Review

Hannah’s Booker’s 2019-01 “Teresa’s Batch” Review

Original review written December 17, 2019

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

My first Booker’s review, but certainly not my first Booker’s, Teresa’s Batch fits with the bunch well. A good pick for those who like the drier, dark spirits. 90/100

VITALS:
Booker's Teresa's Batch Review Bottle

– Made In: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Jim Beam; Master Distiller: Fred Noe
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey; Small Batch
– Age: 6 yrs. 3 mo. 1 day
– Mash Bill: Corn=77%; Rye=13%; Malted Barley=10%
– Casks: New charred oak; undisclosed char
– Barrel Entry Proof: undisclosed; Cask Strength; Non-Chill Filtered
– ABV: 62.95% (125.9 proof)
– Price: $84.95 USD in Idaho

– From Master Distiller notes: This batch is made up of barrels from three production dates, aged in nine different locations within four warehouses (WH)
28%: 5th floor of 9-story WH J
25%: 5th floor of 9-story WH E
25%: 6th floor of 9-story WH E
10%: 6th floor of 9-story WH D
3%: 4th floor of 9-story WH E
3%: 6th floor of 9-story WH J
3%: 8th floor of 9-story WH J
2%: 2nd floor of 7-story WH 5
1%: 4th floor of 7-story WH 5

Visit bookersbourbon.com for more information

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed the juice neat from a Glencairn glass with father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.

Check out his review for this bourbon here!

SETTING:

This is a brilliant bourbon for sitting in an old theater, majestic red curtains pulled back to put on a breathtaking show. With Teresa’s Batch, the production is perfect and you go home satisfied and with a smile.

Photo by Peter Lewicki on Unsplash

NOSE:

Thick vanilla custard greets the nose, along with buttery pecans. For being so high proof, there is a surprising mellowness that makes this spirit easy to nose and enjoy. On deeper inhales, I find a pleasant tingle, but it doesn’t hurt. For spice, I find both nutmeg and white pepper, with the white pepper being slightly higher in concentration. Plums occupy the fruit category, being all sweet with little to no tartness. At the tail end of the plum, I detect a single cherry, again, not tart at all. Overall, the nose is rich, warm, and very inviting.

PALATE:
Booker's Teresa's Batch Glass

– Mouth Feel: Dry, but in the sense that many of the flavors are dried.
– Balance: Solid. There’s a pinch of brightness to contrast the dark well.
– Visual: Burnt amber in color, there is a suspended crown, as the legs drop quickly.

– Taste: The plums carry over from the nose, along with the pecans. The fruit isn’t juicy, rather dried to become prunes. Nevertheless, it is enjoyable, especially since it is accompanied by the classic Booker’s Bourbon warmth that surrounds the prunes and all other flavors. Subtle pepper begins to bloom, bringing with it dark chocolate and maple candies. The sweets here combine for an almost toffee effect, but not quite. I also find a wood element, but I wouldn’t say oak, maybe a bit more cedar.

With a Kentucky chew, the alcohol naturally is stronger, but the prune comes more forward, mixing with the cherry on the nose and a sprinkle of orange zest. Behind the fruits is a darker and more sinister leather. Still, chew a 126 proof bourbon at your own risk.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Medium-long. The flavors stick around longer than the overall warmth.
– Between Sips: Along with the orange zest that won’t go away after my Kentucky chew, I find buttered popcorn! A strange combination, but I’m actually liking it!

– No More: The essence of the the corn (not in the popped state) is more apparent the further I get, exacerbated by my craving for popcorn. Otherwise, it seems that the increase in warmth is most notable.

The empty Glencairn is a mellow oak, soft and absolutely ready to give you a Kentucky hug with its warmth.

WORTH THE PRICE?

I would buy it again at this price, but I will say that I think other varieties of Booker’s provide a better value, such as Kitchen Table.

RATING: 90/100

Click to see Hannah’s rating process

Click 90/100 to access other whiskies with this rating.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Booker’s.

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The Whiskey Rating Process

Hello, all! Welcome to Whiskey for the Ages, where father and daughter trio, Brian, Hannah and Elora Dawson, explore whiskey and give their unique reviews and opinions on the whiskies they have tried.

As whiskey explorers visit the many reviewing websites and phone applications, rating their bottle seems to be a common denominator among adventurers; everyone has an opinion. However we’ve noticed, the various ways sippers score and appreciate their spirit can sometimes be confusing; their rubrics or methods used to determine a score are rarely discussed. In this post we aim to highlight our individual processes.

As this blog matures, our readers and podcast listeners can find many reviews (over 350 as of this post!) One can interpret ratings and recommendations in the reviews by discerning Brian’s and Hannah’s individual thoughts then decide for themselves if a particular offering is one they might enjoy. Consider our evaluations as tools; use them much like you would read from multiple movie reviewers before deciding which theater to attend.

While this blog was started because we enjoy whiskey intricacies, what we each look for in a spirit varies. What we perceive on the nose, palate and finish is often quite different as well.

REVIEW TOOLS

Discerning some of these finer details comes from the use of a Whiskey Traits and Flavor Wheel created by the team. This aid is free and available for download through the link above or in the “Tools” sidebar. It allows both Brian and Hannah to be as specific as they’d like with flavors, – anywhere from pop rocks candies, to bitter walnuts, to lavender.

The wheel also allows the pair to be broad when pinpointing exact flavors becomes more challenging. In which case they may leave it as “spice” or “old” or may even broaden the scope further when truly stumped, saying “fruit” or “wood.”

Scoring methods can be highly personalized, even between Brian and Hannah. When using the Whiskey for the Ages website, we hope fellow sippers will have a better understanding of what the ratings mean and can make their interpretations and possible purchases more accordingly.

Read on to see how each come score the whiskeys they review.

Brian’s “Comparison Scoring Method”

The Rating Process

I began my whiskey rating process from a purely novice perspective: I knew what I could afford, then what I liked and later which “experiments” fell short. I kept track of these findings.  Soon I began to read other reviewer thoughts on the spirits I was trying; some I aligned with, some I did not.

SIMPLE REVIEWS

Early on my reviews were simple:
NOSE:
Clean, crisp bourbon aroma.
PALATE:
Along with hints of citrus fruit, there is toffee followed by oak and mellow black pepper.
FINISH:
Long and woody with a peppery finish.

TRAIN YOUR NOSE AND PALATE

But I wanted to sense and perceive more; smell and taste what the distillers suggested one might find in the dram which had been written on the bottle notes. About this time I began seeking rudimentary flavor profiles, flavor lists and other tools to transform and train my nose and palate.

Soon, my whiskey (predominantly bourbon) library increased. The more samples I tried, the more I wanted; the more I secured, the more refined my senses became.

Now at the end of each review, I give my overall rating followed by a list of similarly scored whiskeys. The flavors, profiles, proofs and styles of each dram in the scoring group are seldom similar, but the reviewed spirit is better than the group rated below and not quite as good as the whiskeys scored just above.

Cheers!

Hannah’s “Grader Method”

The Rating Process

Because I spent two years in a teaching and grading capacity at university, whiskeys come to me as a completed assignment, essay or exam would, with 100%, or 100/100 being the highest score possible that a whiskey could earn.

GRADING RUBRICS

Much like how I would grade an essay, there are certain things I look for more than others, and thus use the whiskey rating process to score higher. First, I like to assess on a basic level, whether the whiskey “passed” or did not, meaning whether I would buy it again. This is largely based on enjoyment level, but the value/price tag that a whiskey comes with is also taken into account.

Then I break it down into smaller components of the whiskey – flavors, balance, warmth/richness, the finish, complexity, and level of barrel involvement. Each of these is based on what I personally value and appreciate the most in a whiskey.

GRADING TABLE

You can see how each of these is broken down in the table below!

BaseFlavorBalanceWarmthFinishComplexityBarrel
Repurchase: 75Fruit: 5Great: 5Rich: 3Great: 4High: 3Strong: 5
Maybe repurchase: 70Earth: 4Good: 3Fair: 2Good: 2Fair: 2Fair: 3
Bad value: 60Spice: 3Poor: 0None: 0Poor: 0None: 0None: 0
Average; no repurchase: 55Citrus: 2
Bad; no repurchase: 50Caramel: 1
BE SURE TO ENJOY THE POUR

Lastly, when I get to the “No More” stage of my reviews, I like to sit back with my whiskey and just enjoy it. While casually sipping, I let my mind wander, letting the bourbon “speak to me” as it were, telling me where it would most like to be enjoyed. This could be anywhere from a picturesque landscape to a specific moment in time, to an intangible feeling. With this setting, I try to find a photo that captures that scene to share with all of you. I’d love to hear from anyone who wants to test some of my settings out!

These settings don’t have any impact on the rating of a whiskey, as even the ones I don’t care for are given a setting. However, they are a unique and fun way to get to know the whiskeys even more and show – what I like to believe – their best sides.


Whiskey for the Ages looks forward to sharing this blog with you as the team explores the wide world of whiskey, and they hope the ratings and reviews are both entertaining and informative. Get ready for an adventure!

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Featured image (Glencairns) Photo by Andrew Seaman on Unsplash
Cover image (pencils) Photo by Joanna Kosinska on Unsplash

Wyoming Whiskey Small Batch Review

Hannah’s Wyoming Whiskey Small Batch Review

Original review written on December 14, 2019

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

Good taste, great nose, but the two are not the same. I could be convinced to buy again, but if the price went up too much, I’d likely do without. But this is a very decent bourbon. I look forward to reviewing this distillery more in the future. 84/100

VITALS:
Wyoming Whiskey Small Batch Review Bottle

– Made in: Kirby, Wyoming, USA
– Distiller: Wyoming Whiskey Inc.
– Classification: Wyoming Straight Bourbon Whiskey; Small Batch
– Age: Minimum of 5 years*
– Bottled: October 27, 2016
– Mash Bill: Two yeast strains used, including a high yield and a proprietary yield. The propriety yield yeast is said to provide more fruit flavors.
Corn=68%; Wheated=20%; Malted Barley=12%*
– Casks: Char undisclosed
– Barrel Entry Proof: undisclosed
– ABV: 44% (88 proof)
– Price: $39.95 USD in Idaho

*For more information visit wyomingwhiskey.com

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed the juice neat with father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.

Check out his review for this bourbon here!

SETTING:

Though not full of woodsy flavors, I picture this spirit being a perfect breath of fresh air in a wood-working shop, taking happy sips when you take a step back to admire how far you’ve come, and even how far you have yet to go.

Photo by Ricky Kharawala on Unsplash

NOSE:

There is a brightness on the first shallow inhales, almost like a white wine. The oak is sweet with floral and fruity notes. I can detect white pepper as a subtle spice with a pinch of ginger. As far as specific fruit, I’d say apricot and raisins. Deeper inhales coax out a simple syrup that is just shy of caramel and apple. The proof is low enough that any experienced whiskey drinker can breathe as long as deep into the dram as they’d like without fear of getting burned – a great feature for a bourbon with such a nice bouquet.

PALATE:
Wyoming Whiskey Small Batch Review Glass

– Mouth Feel: Fresh and a little sinus-clearing, but pleasant.
– Balance: Blended. Not outstanding, but not awful. Average.
– Visual: Tawny in color (could be argued to be a little lighter), there are fat legs that drop slowly in the Glencairn, leaving behind a stunning crown.

– Taste: There is freshness in a slight citrusy tang that morphs to become an apricot fruit leather. Green grapes creep in second that are a little overripe. I’d say the citrus is most similar to grapefruit, but it’s overshadowed quickly by maraschino cherries that are married to a brittle hay/straw bale. The raisins from the nose sit quietly at the back of the palate.

Not much spice is here either, aside from the pinch of ginger from the nose. Aside from the freshness and brightness from a lemon-scented wood polish, there is very little oak detectable.

With a Kentucky chew, vanilla bursts through in a dark and rich variety. The chew also is the only place in this bourbon where the alcohol has any strong voice, given its low proof.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Long. Not an overabundance of bourbon warmth left over, but enough to feel lit from the chest to the mouth for every breath. Very nice!
– Between sips: Believe it or not, but I find marshmallows here! This seems to be the only spot where any kind of caramel shows up, but it is SO subtle. As a fruit lover, I’m not disappointed by this.

– No More: The flavors don’t change the further into the glass I get, but the warmth does continue to grow.

The empty Glencairn is a peaceful and gentle oak aroma, just enough to lull you into serenity.

WORTH THE PRICE?

Yes, but I’d be hesitant to pay $50 for it.

RATING: 84/100

Click to see Hannah’s rating process

Click 84/100 to access other whiskies with this rating.
To access other whiskies by this parent company, click Edrington.

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