Brian’s Booker’s 2019-02 Shiny Barrel Review:
written on 16-August-2019
BOOKER’S 2019-02 SHINY BARREL REVIEW:
To paraphrase Dickens: Booker’s 2019-02 “Shiny Barrel Batch” is ‘A Tale of Two Bourbons’, but instead of ‘the worst of times’, both are quite good. Although hard to obtain, this bourbon is worth the effort to find. At 124 proof, the second batch of 2019, “Shiny Barrel” is warm, dangerously soft, and has a buttery mouthfeel as it opens. (“G1” – Glencairn at first pour after opening. “G2” – Subsequent pours.)
G1: From the moment the stopper is pulled until the last drop is emptied, the dram is a peanut bomb.
G2: The peanuttiness vanishes. What remains is all Booker’s.
BOOKER’S 2019-02 SHINY BARREL VITAL STATS:
– Region: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Jim Beam, Master Distiller Booker Noe
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
– Small Batch: 2019-02 “Shiny Barrel”
– Mash bill: 77% Corn, 13% Rye, 10% Malted Barley
– Casks: New Charred Oak
– AGE: 6 years, 5 months, 1 day
– Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered
– ABV: 62.0% (124.0 Proof)
– Price: $79.95 USD in Idaho
Learn more at https://beamsuntory.com/
“Shiny Barrel” references a bygone distillery tradition: Oldtime rackhouse workers thieving tastes straight from aging barrels. When going in, bellies would rub barrels removing dust and shinying them up. These barrels would often be near rackhouse centers where temperatures and humidity were just right. Shiny Barrel is made from two production dates, stored in three different rackhouses and sourced as follows:
43%: 4th floor of 9-story warehouse J
39%: 4th floor of 9-story warehouse E
18%: 6th floor of 9-story warehouse D
ENJOYMENT METHOD:
I enjoyed several ounces neat from a Glencairn glass with family, then again later when preparing this review.
NOSE:
G1: There is a little alcohol burn on the nose along with loads of peanuts. More nosing brings a touch of vanilla bean, leathery earthiness and toasted oak.
G2: The nose is classic Booker’s: warm with a blast of heat. More nosing coaxes soft sweet corn silk along with fruit tree blossoms and the ever-so slight citrusiness of lemon and cinnamon infused peach pie. Then vanilla-brown sugar caramel corn blends light chocolate toffee with toasted pinenuts and oak.
PALATE:
G1: At 124 proof, I expected a little hug as the first swallow went down … it never came. But peanuts, peanuts and more peanuts; dried, roasted, unsalted, they’re all there. As the peanuts fade, cinnamon and rye spice blend into vanilla custard, butterscotch, brittle and toffee. Shiny Barrel is fresh and woody with a little char which helps add to its earthy character.
G2: The second tasting was warm with a fiery bite. Carameled, cinnamon peaches blend into soft pear nectar then white pepper and rye spice coat the mouth. Cocoa and vanilla custard are also there along with leather, roasted pinenuts, new toasted oak.
Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
Shiny Barrel is solidly balanced, first in its peanuttiness then overall in subsequent pours. At first there is a light oily mouth feel, which becomes more buttery as it opens. The dram is velvety soft, warm and easy to drink. In the Glencairn, the auburn-polished mahogany coloured fast-dripping long legs leave an upside-down clinging crown of bourbon droplets.
FINISH:
Shiny Barrel Batch’s long warm finish lingers on the back of the tongue and throat.
G1: Hints of cinnamon spiced peanut brittle mingle with an oaken backdrop before it gently fades away.
G2: The pear nectar sensed on the palate gives way to brown sugar caramel and old leather as its sweet oak fades away.
MY RATING: 88/100
Will I seek out this whiskey in the future? Yes
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.
I would have rated Shiny Barrel higher but it changed on me (I was so looking forward to the peanuts nosed and tasted from the first Glencairn).
Click 88/100 to access other whiskeys with this score.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Booker’s.
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