Elmer T Lee (ETL SiB) is a nice but simple bourbon. This whiskey will not wow the seasoned drinker, but it is an easy sipper. There are not many aromas to confuse the nose, nor are there many flavors, yet it is enjoyable just the same. It offers a creamy mouth feel, and each sip is fresh, without much wood or barrel haze to weigh it down. And as on the nose and in the mouth, ETL SiB offers a subtle, dry, and medium-long, throat warming finish.
ELMER T LEE SINGLE BARREL VITAL STATS:
Region: Frankfort, KY, USA Distillery: Buffalo Trace Classification: Single Barrel Bourbon Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #2*: (10-15% rye) Barrel Char: #4 Barrel Entry Proof: 125 Age: nas (varies by bottling, said to be 8-14 years old) ABV: 45% (90 Proof) Purchased September 2018 Price Paid: $38 USD Availability: Allocated, difficult to find No bottle number identifiers
*Buffalo Trace and other distilleries under the Sazerac banner do not disclose mash bills for any of their offerings. An internet search indicates mash bill #2 is approximately 75-80% Corn, 10-15%; Rye, and about 10% Malted Barley. Other Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #2 products include Ancient Age, Blanton’s Single Barrel, Hancock’s President’s Reserve, and Rock Hill Farms.
Elmer T Lee has a dry, dusty grain nose with a hint of fruit tree blossom potpourri mixed in light sherry. I also detect a trace of red berry and ripe plum jam thinly spread over a piece of dry rye bread. The sweets are sparse as well, with a base of rich vanilla blended into a maple sugar infused simple syrup. What little woodiness I find is of light sweet oak. This is a fresh smelling bourbon, simple and gentle with a pleasant petricor earthiness.
ELMER T LEE SINGLE BARREL PALATE:
ETL SiB tastes like it smells – simple, gentle and fresh. The traces of fruit tree blossoms and hints of red berries and ripe plums are nearly overpowered by allspice, pepper and rye but together, are nicely balanced in light vanilla and simple syrup. As on the nose, the fresh oak woodiness is faint but there is a nice base of toasted wood and a bit of barrel char to round out each sip. While ETL SiB is far from the complex whiskies for which usually reach, I like its simplicity.
Balance, Body, Feel and Look: ETL SiB is well blended and creamy (almost oily) in the mouth. Each sip is easy to chew and even easier to hold. And in the Glencairn, its long legs fall quickly into the Russet colored pool leaving behind an evenly spaced inverted crown.
ELMER T LEE SINGLE BARREL FINISH:
Elmer T Lee finishes as it began: simple with a dry, medium throat warming. I feel the spices of powdered ginger, pepper and rye and sensations of toasted wood and hazy barrel char. When the last dram is downed, the aroma of a woodworking shop can be drawn from the empty Glencairn.
MY ELMER T LEE SiB RATING: 88/100
Will I buy this whiskey again? YES While I won’t hunt for Elmer T Lee I will buy another when the opportunity presents. Click to read Brian’s scoring process.
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ELMER T LEE SINGLE BARREL TRAITS AND FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:
Awarded Whiskey of the Year by Whisky Advocate magazine, Larceny Barrel Proof B520 (Larceny BP B520) lives up to all the praise and awards it has received. Could this really be a wheater? While B520’s 122 Proof asserts itself as if it had rye in the mash bill, it doesn’t overwhelm. And aromas of sweet flora hint at what is to come and in the mouth it is both silky and gritty as spices and sweets play with a nice freshness I did not expect. More please.
LARCENY BARREL PROOF B520 BOURBON VITAL STATS:
Category: Wheated Bourbon (tri-annual release) Region: Kentucky, USA Distillery: Heaven Hill Mashbill: 68% Corn, 20% Wheat, 12% Barley Barrel Char: #3 Age: nas (Heaven Hill states batches will contain six to eight year old bourbon) Barrel Proof: 125 Bottle label: Batch No. B520 ABV: 61.1% (122.2 Proof) Price: $49.95 USD (in Idaho 2020)
For the evaluation, alternate amounts, equaling about four ounces, were poured into two Glencairns after one and a half ounces were removed from a newly opened bottle and added to our Infinity Bottle. Thus prepared, bourbon was then assessed with my daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer Hannah.
At first nosing, Larceny BP B520 gives a dry quick burn, but nothing to cause alarm. I sense light fruit blossoms, fresh shucked sweet corn and dusty wheat. And hidden in the flora are ripe red berries, and an aroma of fresh apples in caramel sauce. To my nose, spices of cinnamon and nutmeg are faint, but the spices mix nicely with yeasty brown sugared and crushed graham crackers. Then come the sweets: vanilla custard, maple sugar candy, buttery caramel, maple syrup and nutty toffee treat the nose while pecans and light toasted oak work together with a wonderful petricor freshness.
LARCENY BARREL PROOF B520 PALATE:
Larceny BP B520 tastes amazing. Each element patiently waits its turn ready to be detected. Again with the fruit tree blossoms, then sweet corn and dusty wheat sensed on the nose but now a single maraschino cherry and a little bitter citrus zest and spices of cinnamon, ginger and black pepper. Rich vanilla enhances the maple syrup and pecan chips in buttery caramel. While not wood forward by any means, fresh cut oak balances a sweet smokiness.
Balance, Body, Feel and Look: Larceny BP B520 is solid and well balanced. When first held, it is silken and then rough and gritty, giving the mouth a tickling bite. In the Glencairn, medium thick legs cling then fall quickly to the welcoming auburn colored pool leaving behind many small spires on the inverted crown.
LARCENY BARREL PROOF B520 FINISH:
The aromas, flavors and sensations linger on Larceny Barrel Proof B520 sweet finish. My throat is almost hot after each swallow but the feeling is fitting as blossoms fade into wheaty berry nectar infused with cinnamon and black pepper. And then, sensations of crushed pecans in a maple syrup glaze blend with fresh cut then toasted wood. What a wonderful way to end each sip. When the last dram has been sipped away, sweet toasted wood and a hint of pecan-graham crust wafts from the empty Glencairn.
THE ADDITION OF WATER
Water can often tame big, bold whiskeys and the addition of 2-4 drops will not radically drop the proof of the pour. Rather, water may help open the spirit allowing the aromas and flavors to bloom. Three evenings later, controlled amounts of water were added to Larceny BP B520.
Two drops of distilled water were added to 1.5 ounces, dropping the pour to about 121.84 Proof. With two drops, B520 loses alcohol on the nose but fruit blossoms, fresh sweet corn and dusty wheat remain. Faint apples, cinnamon and nutmeg mix with brown sugar, crushed graham crackers, vanilla, maple syrup, and light toasted oak. Like the neat pour, B520 treats the mouth with fruit blossoms, sweet corn, dusty wheat and that same bitter citrus zest, cinnamon, ginger and black pepper. The vanilla, maple syrup and buttery caramel also come through as does the fresh cut oak.
Four drops of distilled water were added to another 1.5 ounces of Larceny B520, dropping pour proof to 121.49. Woody caramel dominants the aroma. Gone are the blossoms, sweet corn and dusty wheat and the apple aroma has nearly faded as have the spices of cinnamon and nutmeg. There is a bit of vanilla and maple as well light toasted oak but they are subtle. In the mouth, these flavors are apparent but are also muted. The only trait which remains is the long hot finish, but without much aroma or flavor.
Two drops of water have little effect on an ounce and a half pour of Larceny B520 and four drops of water is way too many. In my opinion, this bourbon is best without the addition of water. But, to each his own. Download and use the free Watered Whiskey Calculator for your own whiskey evaluations.
MY LARCENY BARREL PROOF B520 RATING: 93/100 (neat)
Will I buy this whiskey again? YES Absolutely and without hesitation I would grab ANY of the Larceny Barrel Proof releases. Click to read Brian’s scoring process.
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LARCENY BARREL PROOF B520 TRAITS AND FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:
Booker’s 2020-03 Pigskin Batch Review: Rich and dark, I am glad that I have added Pigskin Batch to the rotation. Its blend is great, and if you like high proof bourbons, consider strongly adding this one to your bunkers! 93/100
VITALS:
– Made In: Kentucky, USA – Distiller: Jim Beam Distillery – Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey; Small Batch – Age: 6 yrs., 7 mo., 7 days – Mash Bill: Corn=77%; Rye=13%; Malted Barley=10% – Casks: Char #4 – Barrel Entry Proof: 125 – ABV: 63.65% (127.3 proof) – Price: $84.95 USD in Idaho
– From Master Distiller’s Notes: Pigskin Batch is made up of barrels that were aged in 5 different locations/warehouses (WH)… Breakdown is as follows: 32%: 4th floor of 7-story WH X 27%: 5th floor of 7-story WH M 15%: 6th floor of 9-story WH H 14%: 6th floor of 7-story WH L 12%: 5th floor of 7-story WH Z
I imagine looking out at a busy city at night, with cars rushing home after a long day of work, and the lights of buildings ahead in the distance. Look down from a balcony perhaps with Pigskin Batch in hand as the sky darkens and just absorb the sounds and smell of the city and let the calm settle in for the evening.
The first sensation on the nose I get is that of nuttiness. Not anything particularly strong in flavor, rather just a warm, soft nuttiness that is a little similar to pine nuts or something else that is mellow and provides more texture than flavor. There is a pastry element going along with it and a dry, dark fruit. I find the slightest hint of nutmeg, but I think most of the seasoning comes from an old leather (maybe a few old books) rather than anything else. I can’t detect much else for sweetness and any kind of brightness is limited to what I can only say is akin to grass shoots, but it is so fleeting, it could easily being a sensation as opposed to an actual aroma.
The alcohol is very minimal surprisingly, despite being close to 130 proof. Overall, the nose is dry and warm, and certainly very inviting.
PALATE:
– Mouth Feel: There is some grit to this, but it doesn’t bite into my taste buds particularly hard. It’s almost like rubbing velvet the wrong way. – Balance: The blend on this is phenomenal, and while it doesn’t have the hallmark of dark fruits, the overall darkness and depth of flavor keeps me very pleased and satisfied. – Visual: Mahogany in color, there are many fast-dropping legs, but the crown remains for a more extended period of time.
– Taste: Initial sips correspond with the dryness noted on the nose, but there is now an added bitterness. It doesn’t seem strongly nutty in its bitterness, although I will admit there is now a almond soft and buttery flavor here on the sip. What I find odd here is that, despite tasting almond, there isn’t any cherry to accompany it, like I would expect to come with almond. Instead the almond just slightly lifts the darker and more bitter tones of the bourbon.
I think the leather from the nose is here also with a dash of black pepper and another dark stone fruit. Barrel char and earth make for a harsh smokiness, but it is still somehow quite pleasant. The harshness from the alcohol, however, isn’t quite apparent on the sip until after I have swallowed, and it does threaten to treat me with a Kentucky hug, so exercise caution with this one.
When I partake in a Kentucky chew, the burn of the black pepper kicks up and is met also with the new appearance of rye. Otherwise, the sting isn’t nearly as strong as I suspected it would be, and there’s an odd, dark sweetness lingering with it too. I wouldn’t say it’s necessarily a fruit; it could be molasses, but it is very dark in nature.
FINISH:
– Lasting Power: Medium-long. The aftertaste lingers the most, but on some sips, the heat remains at the back of the palate, as though waiting to give me a Kentucky hug. – Between Sips: Dryness and the hint of the dark fruit linger between sips, along with the tiny tingle of leather.
– No More: I find that this stays quite consistent throughout the glass, with no new flavors emerging or taking over the leathery nuttiness, or the touch of black pepper spice.
The empty Glencairn actually smells a lot how the pour actually tasted, with leather and oak and subtle spice coming in at the finish. Overall, this was a very enjoyable pour and I look forward to reaching for this bottle again.
THE ADDITION OF WATER
– This section written on March 27, 2021 –
Booker’s 2020-03 Pigskin Batch Review: Water can often tame bold whiskeys and the addition of 2-4 drops will not radically change the proof of the pour. Rather water may help open the spirit allowing the aromas and flavors to bloom. As such, 2 and 4 drops of distilled water were added to their own respective 1.5 oz. pours of Booker’s Pigskin Batch to detect any potential differences:
This tastes far more savory now with the addition of two drops. I get a greater sense of leather and perhaps even a brininess. Any of the fruit sweetness that I noted when I drank this neat is almost all completely gone, save for a VERY stray cherry that pops up out of nowhere every now and then. There is still caramel present on the nose, which makes up for that loss of sweetness a little. The spice, while still there does also seem to be a bit milder in flavor, so the water definitely calmed it down a touch. However, I do still get a strong alcohol presence, so two drops didn’t knock it back too hard. I think I prefer it neat, though this is still enjoyable. (RATING: 90/100)
I definitely get a greater sense of wateriness with the four drops than I did before. Every flavor seems a bit more homogenous now, with the spice taking over on dominance for overall profile. The leather seems a bit more confused as to where it fits in the equation and the fruit has definitely disappeared. I suppose the nuttiness from the neat tasting has become a bit more emphasized, but again, it seems a little lost as to where it is meant to jigsaw into the flavor. I would definitely recommend going with two or less drops of water on this. (RATING: 80/100)
WORTH THE PRICE?
As someone who reaches for Booker’s on a regular basis, I’m always inclined to give the line a chance. If you are like me in that way, this one will likely already be in your bunker, but I will say that this Booker’s offers an originality that is certainly separate from others in its line. If you like dark and rich flavors and like an immersive (a responsible one) experience with your bourbon, I think this Booker’s is worth the price of $85. And if you like high proof whiskeys, all the more reason to give a try. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
