Brian’s Baker’s Bourbon Batch B-90-001 Review
review written on 08-May-2019
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
NOTE: The review below is for the old style bottling. Click Baker’s Single Barrel Bourbon to go to the more recent bottling.
In this Baker’s Bourbon Batch B-90-001 review, read on to discover how this premium Beam-Suntory offering stands up to similarly priced whiskeys, While Baker’s is a less expensive alternative to Booker’s, for me, I’ll opt for the big brother when it is available. But make no mistake, Baker’s is good, it just doesn’t cover the bases for me the way other similarly priced bourbons do.
BAKER’S B-90-001 WHISKEY INFORMATION:
– Category: Small Batch – Batch B-90-001
– Region: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Jim Beam, Master Distiller Booker Noe
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
– Mash bill: 77% Corn, 13% Rye, 10% Malted Barley
– Casks: New Charred Oak
– Barrel Char: #4
– Barrel Entry Proof: unpublished
– Like other Jim Beam Small Batch bourbons, Baker’s is sourced from rickhouse center racks, never from the top or bottom.
– Age: 7 Years (Age Stated)
– Non-Chill Filtered
– ABV: 53.5% (107 proof)
– Price: $59.95 USD in Idaho
ENJOYMENT METHOD:
I drank this spirit neat, from a Glencairn glass.
NOSE:
Baker’s Bourbon Batch B-90-001 offers a well balanced nose. There is a lot going on here as I sensed the dry wine-like qualities of a brandy or sherry. Light floral fruit notes mix with roasted corn, then give way to red berries and yellow gourmet raisins. Sweet baked goods like Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal and sponge cake easily punch through after extended nosing. More careful nosing can coax out white chocolate, vanilla custard, toasted marshmallows and butterscotch candy, and there is some nice buttery caramel, Macadamia nuts, toasted wood, and fresh sawdust as well.
PALATE:
I delayed reviewing Baker’s for several days as the first dram went down the throat extremely hot. After exposing air to the liquid in the bottle, the juice remained dry, with only a quick burn and bite; the initial fieriness of the first glass was greatly subdued. Still, the wine tannins sensed on the nose came through as did the ripe berries and gourmet raisins. Baker’s rye spice and pepper build a solid foundation for its sweet vanilla, caramelized sugar and dark toffee, then give way to subtle earthiness, new leather, and toasted pecans. Its woodiness comes in as sweet and wet fresh-cut oak.
Balance, Body, Look and Feel:
Baker’s nose and flavours are well blended, with a nice balance of fruit, spice, sweet and oak. Its large clinging droplets give way long fat clinging legs which drop into the mahogany and henna tinted bowl if the Glencairn. This bourbon is silky-smooth in the mouth and is full, pleasant and mellow.
FINISH:
Baker’s finish is short, peppery and clean and its seasoned earthy oak drifts to sweet sherry wine.
MY RATING: 86/100
Will I seek out this whiskey in the future? Yes
But it won’t be a must have in the bunker.
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.
To access other whiskies with this score, click 86/100.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Baker’s.
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