Booker’s 2019-02 Shiny Barrel Review

Hannah’s Booker’s 2019-02 Shiny Barrel Review

Original review written on January 14, 2020

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

I remember my first dram of this was covered in peanuts, but I cannot find them in this reviewing pour. Nevertheless, a tasty Booker’s offering that doesn’t disappoint. 93/100

VITALS:
Booker's 2019-02 Shiny Barrel Review

– Made In: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Jim Beam Distillery, Master Distiller, Fred Noe
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey; Small Batch
– Age: 6 years, 5 months, 1 day
– Mash Bill: Corn=77%; Rye=13%; Malted Barley=10%
– Casks: New charred oak; undisclosed char
– Barrel Entry Proof: undisclosed; Non-Chill Filtered
– ABV: 62.0% (124 proof)
– Price: $84.95 in Idaho

Booker's 2019-02 Shiny Barrel Review

– From Master Distiller’s Notes: This batch is made from two production dates, stored in three different rickhouses/warehouses (WH) and sourced as follows
43%: 4th floor 9-story WH J
39%: 4th floor 9-story WH E
18%: 6th floor 9-story WH D

Visit bookersbourbon.com for more information

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed the juice neat from a Glencairn glass with father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.

Check out his review for this bourbon here!

SETTING:

This spirit settles into the tight coziness of a hat shop in humid, summer Kentucky. Southern belles reach with one hand for wide-brimmed sun hats to shelter them from a bright sun. They hold a glass of Shiny Barrel in the other hand, living in the simple moment with their own bright smiles prepared to dazzle and shine.

Photo by Onur Bahçıvancılar on Unsplash

NOSE:

Rich bourbon warmth that screams Booker’s spice is all over the nose, with allspice and dark stone fruits being the overriding flavors, but also there’s a sweetness here. It’s almost like circus peanuts, but I find fresh Belgian waffles too. At 124 proof, one must exercise caution while nosing, but it’s still not as big as you might first assume. At the back of the inhale is where I find evergreen pine and a seasoned worn-out leather. A very complex nose, to be sure.

PALATE:
Booker's 2019-02 Shiny Barrel Review

– Mouth Feel: Very oily, slightly coppery/briny to make the mouth water.
– Balance: Full-bodied and full of complexity. Very fun!
– Visual: Auburn in color; barely distinguishable thin legs that coat the glass.

– Taste: The alcohol continues to remain subdued but the depth and warmth can be found in spades. The allspice remains, but it’s paired now with applesauce and maybe a hint of lemon zest. There’s a savory herb I find here as well that carries some freshness with it – maybe thyme?

The leather is still here, but instead of mingling with pine, I’d say oak of a buttery nature occupies the wood category.

A Kentucky chew coaxes out a bit of chocolate, mixing with a briny peach-like essence. It tastes surprisingly good, but it is accompanied by strong alcohol, as to be expected with chewing on 124 proof.

I will say that each sip makes my mouth water, awaiting the next encounter.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Exceptionally long. The warmth settles absolutely everywhere. At this proof, it may even come back out and bite HARD. It can hurt, yes, but it isn’t stopping me from going back for me.
– Between Sips: Briny-ness and allspice keep me busy between sips, which admittedly, is not a very long time at all.

– No More: A couple of maraschino cherries sneak in the further into the glass I get but overwhelming flavors are still allspice, bourbon warmth and the aforementioned briny peach quality.

The empty Glencairn is nothing but a pleasant and toasty oak, leaving all extremities to tingle with leftover warmth.

WORTH THE PRICE?

Booker’s is a special top-tier bourbon from a distillery, so there is a sense of buying a brand. That being said, I would happily buy this bourbon again for this exact price.

RATING: 93/100

Click to see Hannah’s rating process

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Booker’s 2019-02 Shiny Barrel Review

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 Review
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/

Booker’s 2019-02 Shiny Barrel Review

“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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