Brian’s Booker’s 2019-01 Teresa’s Batch Bourbon Review:
written on 17-July-2019
BOOKER’S 2019-01 TERESA’S BATCH BOURBON REVIEW:
Review readers and profile followers know I am a BIG fan of Booker’s bourbon. Because of this, I feel it is fitting to complete my 50th review with the first Booker’s release of 2019: “Teresa’s Batch”. After overcoming a sourcing challenge, I can enthusiastically say, buy it when you find it and be rewarded with another fine bourbon … Read on for the full review.
BOOKER’S 2019-01 TERESA’S BATCH BOURBON VITAL STATS:
– Category: Small batch bourbon
– Region: Clermont, KY, USA
– Distiller: Jim Beam, Master Distiller Fred Noe
– Mashbill: 77% Corn, 13% Rye, 10% Malted Barley
– Cask: New Charred Oak
– Barrel Char: #4
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125
– Age: 6 years 3 months 1 Day
– Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered
– ABV: 62.95% (125.9 proof)
– Purchase Price: $79.95 USD in Idaho (2019)
The first batch of 2019 is named in honor of Teresa Wittemer, a 30+ year veteran at Jim Beam, and selected by Booker Noe to work on his namesake brand. During her career she has worked in the quality control department and became well acquainted with Booker’s flavor profile.
This batch is made up of barrels from three production dates aged in nine different locations within four warehouses. The breakdown of the barrel storage is as follows:
28%: 5th floor of 9-story warehouse J
25%: 5th floor of 9-story warehouse E
25%: 6th floor of 9-story warehouse E
10%: 6th floor of 9-story warehouse D
3%: 4th floor of 9-story warehouse E
3%: 6th floor of 9-story warehouse J
3%: 8th floor of 9-story warehouse J
2%: 2nd floor of 7-story warehouse 5
1%: 4th floor of 7-story warehouse 5
Learn more at bookersbourbon.com
ENJOYMENT METHOD:
I drank this spirit neat, from a Glencairn glass with daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Hannah.
Check out her review for this bourbon here!
NOSE:
The nose on “Teresa’s Batch” is signature Booker’s. The faint ethanol burn has a touch of dusty dark berries and fresh citrus rind. Hints of orange spice cake hide cinnamon, ginger, rye, and surprising vanilla taffy notes. The juice is also a bit musty, holding smells of empty peanut butter jars and sinus-clearing new oak barrel aromas, which can be coaxed from the Glencairn.
PALATE:
With a good Kentucky Chew, Teresa’s Batch awakens the tongue with fiery heat and gives the esophagus and stomach an abrupt Kentucky Hug as its ethanol trickles home. The taste is unmistakably Booker’s: dusty blueberry fruit leather, warm allspice, white pepper, and rye. Its regal earthiness blends its nearly masked sweetness of cocoa, burnt caramel, peanut toffee, and dark molasses. As the dram is consumed, hazy toasted oak gives way to a strongly seasoned barrel char.
Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
This is a rich, full-bodied, burnt amber coloured and viscous juice which treats the throat to a warm tickle. Fat droplets cling in the glass, then suddenly become thin legs to slide back into the pool.
FINISH
Teresa’s Batch finishes exceptionally long and closes with a gentle Kentucky hug. While definitely not sweet, warm caramel and spice mix with a dark berry essence. A slight tickle remains as the liquid slips away, leaving a mouthful of toasted oak and a little earthy char. When the dram is emptied, heavy, new oak bounds from the Glencairn.
MY RATING: 90/100
Will I seek out this whiskey in the future? YES
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.
Click 90/100 to access other whiskeys with this score.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Booker’s.
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