Brian’s Booker’s 2021-02 Tagalong Batch Review:
reviewed 28-September-2021
BOOKER’S 2021-02 TAGALONG BATCH BOURBON REVIEW:
Booker’s 2021-02 Tagalong Batch seems to be built on a solid but dark foundation of dry, smoky sweet toasted oak and leather. In the first wafts I sensed little if any burn, corn and a dried fruit leather mash of ripe raspberries and dark raisins. There is plenty of underlying heat in this custardy vanilla, almost burnt caramelized brown sugar and unroasted peanuty dark toffee confection. While it is viscous, oily and rich, Tagalong wants to burn as the finish goes on and on. I don’t want this pour to empty.
BOOKER’S 2021-02 TAGALONG BATCH VITAL STATS:
Category: Small Batch Bourbon
Region: Clermont, Kentucky, USA
Distiller: Jim Beam, Master Distiller Fred Noe
Small Batch: 2021-02 Donohoe’s Batch
Mash bill: 77% Corn, 13% Rye, 10% Malted Barley
Casks: New Charred Oak
Barrel Char: #4
Barrel Entry Proof: 125
Age: 6 yrs., 5 months and 0 days
ABV: 63.65% (127.3 Proof)
NABCA CSC#: 16906
Price: $89.95 (Idaho, 2021)
Availability: Seasonal, limited
MASTER DISTILLER NOTES:
Batch 2021-02 is made up of barrels from three production dates that were aged in six different rackhouse locations. The breakdown of barrel storage for Booker’s Tagalong Batch is as follows:
▪︎40% came from the 7th floor of 9-story warehouse H
▪︎33% came from the 6th floor of 9-story warehouse H
▪︎13% came from the 5th floor of 9-story warehouse D
▪︎7% came from the 5th floor of 7-story warehouse Z
▪︎4% came from the 3rd floor of 7-story warehouse 5
▪︎3% came from the 4th floor of 7-story warehouse X
LABEL INSPIRATION
The second release of the Booker’s® Bourbon 2021 Collection is Booker’s Batch 2021-02 ‘Tagalong Batch.’ This batch celebrates the way my dad, Booker Noe, learned the ropes at the distillery – by ‘tagging along’ with his grandfather and my great grandfather, Jim Beam.
Growing up, the distillery was like Dad’s playground; he loved spending time with his grandfather and everyone else who worked there, asking questions and expanding his knowledge. That’s ultimately how he developed his curiosity and passion for whiskey, and it was how he became such a talented Master Distiller.
The tradition of ‘tagging along’ has continued generation to generation. I learned much of what I know about whiskey by following in Dad’s footsteps, digesting all of the information I could while working side-by-side at the distillery. It’s also a tradition I continued with my son Freddie, and one I hope he’ll share with his children in the future.
Tagging along had some other rewards too, such as heading to the nearby lake to cast a line together after a hard day’s work. We all have fond memories of that quality time, and I hope you enjoy this batch as part of your quality time with family and friends too.
— Fred Noe, Beam Family 7th Generation Master Distiller
Visit Booker’s Bourbon and
*National Alcohol Beverage Control Association Control State Code to learn more.
ENJOYMENT METHOD:
Alternate pours, equaling about four ounces, were added into two Glencairns. My daughter and I enjoyed the bourbon neat for this review.
Check out her review for this bourbon here!
BOOKER’S 2021-02 TAGALONG BATCH NOSE:
Booker’s 2021-02 Tagalong Batch has little if any burn, even with aggressive nosing. I am reminded of fortified wine, much like a fruit blossomed sherry. But in the nose there are bourbon notes of dusty field corn along with fruit as well. I sense an element of candied citrus but more so ripe raspberries mixed with dark raisins mashed into fruit leather. Continued nosing brings spices of light cinnamon, white pepper and rye and sweet treats of vanilla custard, caramelized brown sugar, and buttery caramel. Tagalong has a solid nose backed with faint unroasted peanuts, light dry oak, smoky sweet toasted wood, leather and an aire of petricor just as it begins to rain on a hot summer afternoon.
BOOKER’S 2021-02 TAGALONG BATCH PALATE:
From the first sip Booker’s second batch of 2021 is surprising. Peppery and underlying heat makes the sip challenging to hold as the heat continues to build. Once my mouth acclimates, Tagalong is full of herbal dusty corn. And as on the nose, I feel a sensation of candied citrus and taste subtle and dark blueberry fruit leather. The perfect blend of cinnamon and pepper makes this bourbon a savory treat and makes me wonder how it would pair with hearty slabs of smoked brisket. I do taste rich vanilla in buttery, almost burnt caramel much like one might get in home-made dark chocolate covered peanut toffee. As on the nose, the backbone is dark, solid and robust. Seasoned dry oak with smoky sweet barrel char mixes with fine tooled leather and makes Batch 2021-02 an earthy treat.
Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
Tagalong is hot but solid and well blended. As noted above, Booker’s 2021-02 is at first challenging to hold, as it is quite peppery on the tongue. After a minute or so, saliva protects and helps the whiskey become viscous, oily and rich. Yet I sense a building Kentucky Hug which could come at any moment. But gratefully, the hug never quite makes it to a full grasp. After each sip, long lasting fat legs transport the dregs back to the flame colored pool, leaving behind a long lasting droplet crown inside the Glencairn.
BOOKER’S 2021-02 TAGALONG BATCH FINISH:
Booker’s 2021-02 Tagalong Batch has an exceptionally long finish which lasts minutes between sips. I feel sensation of swallowed cherry juice in my throat and other dark dried fruits in the peppery warmth as well. Fading sweetness of light vanilla in caramel drifts on seasoned dry oak and smoky sweet barrel char along with cigar aromas and earthy leather. I don’t want this pour to end. However, when the last drops are gone, the empty glass smells like an olde-time carpenter shop.
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. So, four evenings after the initial tasting, distilled water was added to controlled pours of Tagalong Batch to learn its effect.
Two drops were added to 1.5 ounces, lowering the proof to 127.53 (down from 127.9). The drops do not change the nose of fortified wine, dusty field or dark mashed fruits. If anything, the cinnamon, white pepper and rye and brown sugar caramel seem to deeper. On the palate the heat still grows and the dark fruit leather with cinnamon and pepper is easy to taste. Like on the nose, the two drops of water add depth to the pour … the vanilla is richer, the caramel darker and more buttery, and the pour more oaky. The finish is unchanged.
After downing the two drop sample, four drops were added to another 1.5 ounces lowering the proof to 127.16. Four drops wash out the wine but surprisingly amp up the ethanol and not in a good way. While I still get fruits they are neither dark or bold and even the spice and sweetness is subdued. In the mouth the pepper is still there but it does not build as in the neat pour. Gone is the sweetness and I seem to be drinking and unbalanced average whiskey. For me, watering down Tagalong Batch diminishes the quality of the pour
MY RATING: Neat: 92/100,
▪︎With 2 Drops of Water: 93/100,
▪︎With 4 Drops of Water: 86/100
While everyone is different, for me there is no reason for water in future pours of Tagalong Batch.
Will I buy this whiskey again? YES
I buy Booker’s whenever I see bottles on the shelf. While some are definitely better than others, Booker’s 2021-02 Tagalong Batch is one of the good ones.
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.
WHISKEY TRAITS, FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:
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