Category: Bourbon Whiskey

Booker’s 2018-02 Backyard BBQ Review

Posted on by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Booker’s 2018-02 Backyard BBQ Review:

written 28-July-2018

BOOKER’S 2018-02 BACKYARD BBQ REVIEW:

I love, Love, LOVE this Booker’s iteration, 2018-02 “Backyard BBQ”. I bought this bourbon to enjoy along side a slow-smoked brisket – and it did not disappoint. While the ABV of 62.5% is apparent, and black pepper is in the forefront, it is not overwhelming when enjoyed neat. This bourbon is an absolute new favorite for me.

BOOKER’S 2018-02 BACKYARD BBQ VITAL STATS:
Booker's 2018-02 Backyard BBQ Review

– Category: Small batch bourbon
– Region: Clermont, KY, USA
– Distiller: Jim Beam
– Mashbill: 77% Corn, 13% Rye, 10% Malted Barley
– Cask: New Charred Oak
– Barrel Char: #4
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125
– ABV: 64.4% (128.8 Proof)
– Age: 6 Years, 2 Months, 10 Days
– Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered
– Purchase Price: $69.95 USD in Idaho (2018)

Jim Beam makes four Booker’s releases each year, and each release is given a name and special labeling. Fred Noe (Master Distiller) says he named this particular batch in remembrance of his father’s festive summer barbecues, fondly called “Bourbon-ques,” which always included pork chops flambeed with Booker’s bourbon.

Keeping true to Booker Noe’s small batch practices, barrel sourcing for this bottling break down as follows:
32%: 6th floor of 9-story warehouse I
29%: 5th floor of 9-story warehouse E
17%: 7th floor of 9-story warehouse I
10%: 7th floor of 9-story warehouse E
8%: 5th floor of 9-story warehouse J
4%: 4th floor of 9-story warehouse E

See more at https://beamsuntory.com/

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I drank this spirit neat, then with several drops of water from a Mason jelly jar glass.

BOOKER’S 2018-02 NOSE

So subtle … no alcohol burn, no acetone, but lots of brown sugar sweetness, cinnamon, and oak.

BOOKER’S 2018-02 PALATE

Poured four ounces …
NEAT: The heat comes through but is not overwhelming. Sweet dark fruit. Plums come to mind but something else too. Baked pie … pumpkin? Nutmeg spices are there.
ONE DROP DISTILLED H20 (added at about 2 ounces):
The heat bursts through, but it is not unpleasant, the flavors become more blended.
TWO DROPS DISTILLED H20 (added after two small sips):
Maple sugar candy. So much so maple wafts out of the glass … Still, I prefer Backyard BBQ neat.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
This is as perfect a bourbon as I’ve ever had. Absolutely amazing with an auburn-polished mahogany coloration.

BOOKER’S 2018-02 FINISH

While the finish is relatively short, the pleasant and warming bourbon heat lingers on and on and on and …

BOOKER’S 2018-02 RATING: 92/100

Will I seek out this whiskey in the future? Yes
Booker’s Backyard BBQ is no longer produced and it is unlikely many bottles remain on store shelves. Still, if found (or any of the older itterations), purchase.
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.

Click 92/100 to access other whiskeys with this score.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Booker’s.

Back to …

Brian’s Whiskey Reviews
Whiskey Reviews

Booker’s 2018-01 Kathleen’s Batch Review

Posted on by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Booker’s 2018-01 Kathleen’s Batch Review:

written on 19-August-2018

BOOKER’S 2018-01 KATHLEEN’S BATCH REVIEW:

Booker’s 2018-01 “Kathleen’s Batch” is a fine bourbon with a pleasing bourbon aroma, taste and finish. Its sweetness belies its 127.4 proof. Its taste would fit well with robust smoked foods, but it is still a nice sipping bourbon. Booker’s 2018-01 batch is good, and I look forward to what is coming next.

BOOKER’S 2018-01 KATHLEEN’S BATCH VITAL STATS:
Booker's 2018-01 Kathleen's Batch Review

– Category: Small batch bourbon
– Region: Clermont, KY, USA
– Distiller: Jim Beam
– Mashbill: 77% Corn, 13% Rye, 10% Malted Barley
– Cask: New Charred Oak
– Barrel Char: #4
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125
– ABV: 63.7% (127.4 Proof)
– Age: 6 Years, 3 Months, 14 Days
– Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered
– Purchase Price: $69.95 USD in Idaho (2018)

LABEL INSPIRATION:
Booker's 2018-01 Kathleen's Batch Review

Jim Beam makes four Booker’s releases each year, and each release is given a name and special labeling. This batch first batch of 2018 is named after Kathleen DiBenedetto who has been with the company for almost 30 years. She was key in launching Booker’s, Knob Creek, Basil Hayden’s and Baker’s alongside Booker Noe and even became the first brand manager of the Beam Small Batch Bourbon Collection.

Keeping true to Booker Noe’s small batch practices, barrel sourcing for this bottling break down as follows:
30%: 5th floor of 9-story warehouse H
25%: 7th floor of 9-story warehouse H
19%: 4th floor of 9-story warehouse H
13%: 6th floor of 9-story warehouse H
6%: 4th floor of 9-story warehouse F
4%: 5th floor of 7-story warehouse ONE
3%: 7th floor of 9-story warehouse F

Learn more at https://beamsuntory.com/

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I drank this spirit neat, from a Glencairn glass.

NOSE:

Alcohol on the nose but only after a hard full draw. The alcohol diminishes the longer the dram is left open. Sweet simple syrup with caramel undertones. Fruit and baking spice. Dusty grain and woody.

PALATE:

Booker’s 2018-01 is a warming bourbon but even at 63.7% ABV, the alcohol is not overpowering. Earthy and sweet with spice, dark fruit with slight hints of stone fruit accompany honey and cinnamon. There is a touch of vanilla and oak as well.

Balance, Body, Look, and Feel:
Good balance of flavors, full and round body but no oily mouth feel, possibly due to the high ABV.

FINISH:

The caramel and oak finish lingers accompanied by dark fruit, spice, and roasted corn.

MY RATING: 89/100

Will I seek out this whiskey in the future? Yes
Click to read Brian’s scoring process..

Click 89/100 to access other whiskeys with this score.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Booker’s.

Back to …

Brian’s Whiskey Reviews
Whiskey Reviews

Basil Hayden’s Review

Posted on by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Basil Hayden’s Review

written on 22-November-2019

BASIL HAYDEN’S REVIEW:

Beam-Suntory offers an impressive lineup of fine bourbons – Knob Creek, Baker’s and Booker’s. While I can sense this is a Jim Beam product, the others are much better. So much so, if this was my first bourbon I might never have given whiskey a second thought. But don’t misunderstand, it’s not bad, it’s just not on par with its big brothers.

BASIL HAYDEN’S VITAL STATS:
Basil Hayden's Review

– Category: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
– Region: Clermont, KY, USA
– Distillery: Basil Hayden’s (Jim Beam)
– Mash Bill: 63% Corn, 27% Rye, 10% Malted Barley
– Barrel Char: #4
– Barrel entry proof: unpublished
– Age: nas
– ABV: 40% (80 Proof)
– Price: $39.95 USD in Idaho

https://beamsuntory.com/

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!

NOSE:

On the nose Basil Hayden’s presents dry and herbally with a strange mix of dusty grain and mint. As I am accustomed to much higher proof whiskeys, I drew hard and got an unexpected hit of harsh and intense lemon cleanser. I put down the Glencairn to clear my head. When brought back to my nose, I sensed faint lemon rind and spices of powdered ginger and rye and a little undefined candy. But in the end this bourbon is mostly earthy and mellow.

PALATE:

In the mouth, Basil Hayden’s offers no bite or warm (probably due to the low ABV). The herbalness sensed on the nose comes through as bitter citrus, pepper, and rye with a little bittersweet chocolate sneaking in. With a long mouth-washing swish, the liquid becomes an earthy and musty concoction with a smokey barrel char foundation.

Basil Hayden's Review

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
As noted above this is a disappointing and unbalanced dram. It is smooth owing to the low proof. In the Glencairn small broken droplets give way to short legs which fall quickly back into a tawny pool.

FINISH:

Basil Hayden’s finishes exceptionally short. While trying to coax out flavours and after many a big mouth-washing swish, caramel peeks in then is gone just as fast.

MY RATING: 75/100

Will I seek out this whiskey in the future? No
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.

Click Basil Hayden to access other whiskies from this brand.

Back to …

Brian’s Whiskey Reviews
Whiskey Reviews