Tag: Brian Dawson

Booker’s 2022-03 Kentucky Tea Batch

Posted on by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Booker’s 2022-03 Kentucky Tea Batch Review:

reviewed 27-September-2023

BOOKERS 2022-03 KENTUCKY TEA BATCH BOURBON REVIEW:

The presence of alcohol and ethanol are apparent in the first wafts and sips of Booker’s 2022-03 Kentucky Tea Batch (Kentucky Tea). Red berries, dark cherry, plum, and raisins along with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg also greet the nose and palate as do caramel, vanilla, brown sugar, and wood notes. Best of all, I taste the Booker’s funk of peanuts and peanut toffee mixed in oak, toasted wood, and char. This is a delicious pour and I will gladly have another.

BOOKERS 2022-03 KENTUCKY TEA BATCH VITAL STATS:
Booker's 2022-03 Kentucky Tea Batch

Category: Small Batch Bourbon
Region: Clermont, Kentucky, USA
Distiller: Jim Beam, Master Distiller Fred Noe
Small Batch: 2022-03 Kentucky Tea Batch
Mash bill: 77% Corn, 13% Rye, 10% Malted Barley
Casks: New Charred Oak
Barrel Char: #4
Barrel Entry Proof: 125
Age: 7 years, 4 month, 14 days
ABV: 63.25% (126.5 Proof)
NABCA CSC #: 16906
Fair Price: $115.42 (BoozApp, August 2023)
Paid: $89.95 (Idaho, Sep 2022)
Availability: Allocated, limited, released 3rd quarter 2022

MASTER DISTILLER NOTES

The batch is made up of six production dates that were aged in six different warehouses. The breakdown of barrel storage for Booker’s “Kentucky Tea Batch” is as follows:

2% came from the 3rd floor of 7-story warehouse 5
1% came from the 4th floor of 7-story warehouse X
1% came from the 4th floor of 9-story warehouse D
12% came from the 4th floor of 7-story warehouse 1
24% came from the 5th floor of 7-story warehouse Q
14% came from the 6th floor of 7-story warehouse Q
46% came from the 6th floor of 7-story warehouse Z

This batch was pulled on a hot and humid day in July. The color of this liquid is golden amber, and you embrace the dark, sweet vanilla aroma right away. With just one taste, your mouth is filled with rich and sweet flavors of vanilla. The lingering finish isn’t overpowering, so soon after you’ll want another sip. I made myself a Kentucky Tea with Kentucky Tea Batch, and it brought back memories of my dad sitting at his own kitchen table enjoying his Kentucky Tea with supper.

LABEL INSPIRATION
Booker's 2022-03 Kentucky Tea Batch

The third release of the Booker’s® Bourbon 2022 Collection is Booker’s Batch 2022-03 “Kentucky Tea Batch.” While some may flavor their water with tea leaves, my dad, Booker Noe, loved to flavor his water with bourbon – something he called Kentucky Tea.

As you can imagine, Dad loved the flavor of bourbon, especially his Booker’s Bourbon. Since Booker’s is over 100 proof, the flavor still pulls through when added to water. So, he’d take one part bourbon and four parts water and enjoy his drink. One night, when a reporter was at Dad’s house for supper, he asked why Dad drank Kentucky Tea. Dad quickly replied, “Why would I flavor my water with tea leaves when I can flavor my water with bourbon?” It was that simple – Kentucky Tea was Dad’s drink. He would drink it with a country ham or fish dinner and would say you need to sip the right proportion of Kentucky Tea to really appreciate the food.

As you sip this batch, add a taste of it to your water so you can try Dad’s Kentucky Tea with “Kentucky Tea Batch.” I know that’s how he would’ve liked it. Cheers!

— Fred Noe, Beam Family 7th Generation Master Distiller

Learn more at Booker’s Bourbon.

ENJOYMENT METHOD FOR THE REVIEW:

On Day 27 of the 2023 30 Bourbons in 30 Days Challenge, the first one and a half ounces of a newly opened bottle mixed with the bourbon in our Infinity Bottle Project. Then, by alternating the pours, four once review amounts went into a Glencairn and a Weck. After posting on social media, my daughter and I enjoyed the bourbon neat as I prepared this review. About 30 minutes had gone by before my first sip.

BOOKERS 2022-03 KENTUCKY TEA BATCH NOSE:

The first inhale of Booker’s 2022-03 Kentucky Tea Batch, greets warmly, accompanied by subtle alcohol and a manageable kick of ethanol. Within the blend, a medley blossoms, roasted corn, and the sweet aroma of a roadside fruit stand springs from the glass. I get ed berries, apples dipped in caramel, sweet cherries, a subtle hint of plum, and a mix of gourmet red and yellow raisins, mingling with notes of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. With continued breathng, I am pleasantly surprised by the presence of brown sugared breakfast pastry, frosted with rich buttercream infused with vanilla. Nosing on, more sweet undertones emerge; the essence of red licorice, buttery brown sugar caramel, and a delicate touch of light maple syrup. Finally, a suggestion of peanuts, against the backdrop of freshly cut sweet oak and the hazy aroma of toasted wood, complement earthy nuances reminiscent of books and leather.

BOOKERS 2022-03 KENTUCKY TEA BATCH PALATE:

Kentucky Tea Batch greets with warm alcohol, and the flavor of fresh roasted corn. In the next sips I get a fruit jam of red berries, dark cherry, apricots, plums, and raisins blended with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, pepper, and rye. Now the breakfast pastry aroma I sensed on nose comes alive, as rich vanilla enhances buttery brown sugar caramel and peanut toffee. Going deeper into the glass, sweet, strong oak, counters barrel tannins, toasted wood, and heavy notes of char and newly tanned leather.

Booker's 2022-03 Kentucky Tea Batch

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
Kentucky Tea offers a nice balance of sweetness and wood along with a strong showing from its fruit and spice components. In the mouth it tastes rich, and while silken and creamy, it is a bit challenging to hold, owing to its grittiness on the tongue. Above the bowl, a thin fragile crown breaks into fast falling droplets to form long legs. These drain each after-sip quickly back to the mahogany-colored pool.

BOOKERS 2022-03 KENTUCKY TEA BATCH FINISH

Booker’s 2022-03 Kentucky Tea Batch finishes long with lingering warmth. When each sip is swallowed, the memory of roasted corn, dark cherry, plum, and raisin blend with cinnamon, ginger, pepper and rich vanilla. With contemplation, new sensations, in the form of buttery brown sugar caramel and light molasses with crushed dark roasted peanut slide in, much like one might get from a Bit ‘o Honey candy. As the suggestions fade, heavy strong oak anchors barrel tannins, toasted wood, and char.

MY RATING: 93/100

Will I buy this whiskey again? YES
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.

Click 93/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
To access other reviews from this brand, click Booker’s Bourbon.

WHISKEY TRAITS, FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:
Booker's 2022-03 Kentucky Tea Batch
Booker's 2022-03 Kentucky Tea Batch

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Booker’s 2022-02 Lumberyard Batch

Posted on by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Booker’s 2022-02 Lumberyard Batch Review:

reviewed 26-September-2023

BOOKER’S 2022-02 LUMBERYARD BATCH BOURBON REVIEW:

Booker’s 2022-02 Lumberyard Batch (Lumberyard Batch) offers aromas of ethanol, herbs, roasted corn, and fruits. Combined with its white pepper and brown sugar notes along with the subtle wood influences, it is easy to experience this bold, sweet, and spicy pour. Each sip is full of dry warmth, and flavors of roasted corn, berries, spices, and richness. For me, the pour is a bit wood-centric, but sweets, fruit and spice do come through in its creamy mouthfeel. As each sip is downed, the closing sensation is long, dry, and warming, with lingering hints of herbs, caramel, and oak. This pour leaves a lasting impression and I’ll gladly enjoy a wee bit more.

BOOKER’S 2022-02 LUMBERYARD BATCH VITAL STATS:
Booker's 2022-02 Lumberyard Batch

Category: Small Batch Bourbon
Region: Clermont, Kentucky, USA
Distiller: Jim Beam, Master Distiller Fred Noe
Small Batch: 2022-02 The Lumberyard Batch
Mash bill: 77% Corn, 13% Rye, 10% Malted Barley
Casks: New Charred Oak
Barrel Char: #4
Barrel Entry Proof: 125
Age: 7 Years 1 Month 7 Days
ABV: 62.4% (124.8 Proof)
NABCA CSC #: 16906
Fair Price: $153.71 (BoozApp, August 2023)
Paid: $89.95 (Idaho, Sep 2022)
Availability: Allocated, limited, released tri-anually/quarterly

MASTER DISTILLER NOTES

The batch is made up of five production dates that were aged in seven different warehouses. The breakdown of barrel storage for Booker’s “The Lumberyard Batch” is as follows:

2% came from the 4th floor of 7-story warehouse X
3% came from the 3rd floor of 7-story warehouse 5
3% came from the 4th floor of 9-story warehouse D
17% came from the 4th floor of 7-story warehouse Z
19% came from the 5th floor of 7-story warehouse Q
28% came from the 4th floor of 7-story warehouse 1
28% came from the 6th floor of 7-story warehouse Z

This batch was pulled during the rainy weeks ahead of the Kentucky Derby. The beautiful amber color of this batch reminds me of the horses that will compete on the racetrack. The aroma is deep with hints of vanilla and oak that lead you back to enjoy it several times to explore its depth. It has a balanced taste with a bit of sweetness and a pleasant finish that will leave you longing for another sip. My dad would be really proud to have a batch dedicated to his hard-working years at The Lumberyard and the experience this liquid delivers with every glass.

LABEL INSPIRATION

The second release of the Booker’s® Bourbon 2022 Collection is Booker’s Batch 2022-02 “The Lumberyard Batch”. This batch is named in honor of my dad, Booker Noe’s pre-distillery years. While his journey to becoming a distiller wasn’t exactly a straight path, it led him to his true passion.

After a short stint at the University of Kentucky, Booker hitch-hiked across America in hopes of joining the Air Force. After being accepted to the Air Force, the local police called his mom to verify his information to be cleared. When Booker’s Mom found out where he was, she convinced him to come home and work at the local lumberyard with uncle Jeremiah Beam, also known as Uncle Jere. Booker was over 6 feet tall and very strong at an early age. He never backed away from physical labor of any kind, which made him a natural fit for the job. Booker gave 110% during his time at the lumberyard, which eventually landed him his first role working at the distillery and from then on, the rest was history.

Since that first day, Booker held just about every job at the distillery and worked his way up to Master Distiller. Booker’s esteemed distilling career wasn’t given to him, he earned it. His experience at the lumberyard shaped the solid work ethic and curiosity he is known for. I am excited to share The Lumberyard Batch with you and hope you will be able to gather with family and friends to enjoy it.

— Fred Noe, Beam Family 7th Generation Master Distiller

Learn more at Booker’s Bourbon.

ENJOYMENT METHOD FOR THE REVIEW:

On Day 26 of the 2023 30 Bourbons in 30 Days Challenge, the first one and a half ounces of a newly opened bottle mixed with the bourbon in our Infinity Bottle Project. Then, by alternating the pours, four once review amounts went into a Glencairn and a Weck. After posting on social media, my daughter and I enjoyed the bourbon neat as I prepared this review. About 30 minutes had gone by before my first sip.

BOOKER’S 2022-02 LUMBERYARD BATCH NOSE:

Upon first opening the bottle, the aroma of Lumberyard Batch releases a subtle brown sugar scent. As I bring the pour to my nose, the warmth of ethanol becomes evident. With deep inhales, I detect herbal notes, roasted corn, dusty grain, as well as faint hints of tart apple, dark cherry, and plum. With continuing nosing, cinnamon and white pepper emerge. The experience is bold, sweet, and spicy. Additional sweetness is comes from refined malt, vanilla, simple syrup, soft caramel, honeycomb, and hints of pecans in toffee. Although the wood influence is not overpowering, I do perceive nuanced dry, seasoned oak, hazy toasted wood, and a subtle suggestion of leather in the aroma.

BOOKER’S 2022-02 LUMBERYARD BATCH PALATE:

The first sip of Lumberyard Batch is dry and warm with manageable alcohol burn. Continuing on, I discern the flavors of roasted corn and dusty grain, accompanied by the presence of berries, dark cherry, and dried dark raisins. As the taste unfolds, I taste a medley of spices, including cinnamon and pepper, mingled with rich vanilla, almost burnt brown sugar caramel, and dark molasses baked into a rustic graham crust. This delightful combination harmonizes seamlessly with the notes of roasted nuts, robust seasoned oak, smoky char, and a subtle touch of leather.

Booker's 2022-02 Lumberyard Batch

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
Lumberyard Batch exhibits a pronounced balance, leaning towards wood flavors. The pour offers slightly lessened sweetness while its floral, fruity, and spicy elements are fairly evenly matched. With the initial sip, I feel creaminess, followed by a subtle roughness on the back of the tongue and in the throat, ultimately transitioning to a viscous and oily texture as my mouth adjusts. In the glass, I see a quickly dissipating thin crown in which fast-falling legs drain the remaining liquid from each sip gracefully back to the mahogany-colored pool.

BOOKER’S 2022-02 LUMBERYARD BATCH FINISH

The finish of Booker’s 2022-02 Lumberyard Batch lingers for a considerable time, and is characterized by its dry and warming qualities. Although it may not exhibit as many distinctive traits as those found on the nose and palate, I do sense herbs, roasted corn, dusty grain, dark fruits, and subtle hints of cinnamon and pepper. The sweetness of burnt caramel and dark molasses persists, while the seasoned, heavy oak and hazy char gradually recede, leaving behind a faint impression of old leather. As the last drops vanish, the empty Glencairn glass carries the lingering aromas of dark sweets and aged oak sawdust.

MY RATING: 90/100

Will I buy this whiskey again? YES
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.

Click 90/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
To access other reviews from this brand, click Booker’s Bourbon.

WHISKEY TRAITS, FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:
Booker's 2022-02 Lumberyard Batch
Booker's 2022-02 Lumberyard Batch

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Lux Row Four Grain Double Barrel Bourbon

Posted on by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Lux Row Four Grain Double Barrel Bourbon Review:

reviewed 24-September-2023

LUX ROW FOUR GRAIN DOUBLE BARREL BOURBON REVIEW:

Lux Row Four Grain Double Barrel (Lux Row Four Grain) exhibits dry and earthy notes from the inital waft on through to the finish. Its herbal characteristics tend to dominate the pour’s dark fruit and spice although its dark sweetness matches well with the old oak and char. This unique pour may not be for everyone, and it will never find its way into an every day rotation, I am happy to recommend it to others.

LUX ROW FOUR GRAIN DOUBLE BARREL VITAL STATS:
Lux Row Four Grain Double Barrel

Category: Double Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Region: Bardstown, KY
Distillery: Lux Row
DSP: KY-200044
Wheated Barrel Number: 8119640
Filled: 14-August-2018
Mash Bill 1: 51% corn, 45% wheat, 4% malted barley
Ryed Barrel Number: 8086595
Filled: 11-July-2018
Mash bill 2: 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malted barley
Barrel Char: unpublished
Barrel entry proof: unpublished
Age: A single barrel of 4-year-old wheated bourbon and a single barrel of 4-year-old ryed bourbon
ABV: 57.5% (115 Proof)
NABCA CSC #: 19461
Price: $79.95 (Idaho, Summer 2023)

LUX ROW FOUR GRAIN DOUBLE BARREL

Lux Row Four Grain Double Barrel utilizes a ‘Double Single Barrel Mashbill’ which is a blend of two separate 4 year single barrels in one bottle. Master Distiller John Rempe (also known for his Blood Oath series) has hit a home run with this offering. This bottle of 4-grain bourbon combines a single barrel of ryed bourbon with a single barrel of wheated bourbon, a perfect and flavorful mix of the finest mashbills.

Learn more at Lux Row Distillers.

ENJOYMENT METHOD FOR THE REVIEW:

On Day 24 of the 2023 30 Bourbons in 30 Days Challenge, alternate pours, of about four once review amounts went into a Glencairn and a Weck. After posting on social media, my daughter and I enjoyed the bourbon neat as I prepared this review. About 30 minutes had gone by before my first sip.

LUX ROW FOUR GRAIN DOUBLE BARREL NOSE:

The first wafts of Lux Row Four Grain are dry and earthy with herbal, dusty grain, and hay. With deep draws, the ethanol comes out and the pour becomes vegetal, which somehow helps bring out dried dark fruits, like raisin and fig. Allspice, powdered ginger, and rye help balance the aromas, and as I take the glass away I smell lightly toasted wheat bread. With additional nosing I sense light vanilla, however the aroma is almost masked by nearly burnt sugar, and dark molasses with freshly hulled walnuts. Further nosing confirms dryness as the smoky char of dry old oak fades into musty potting soil.

LUX ROW FOUR GRAIN DOUBLE BARREL PALATE:

As I sip Lux Row Four Grain, the dry elements sensed on the nose come through. I get barrel tannins along with sherry and the same herbal, dusty grain, and hay. Mouthfuls are warm, almost hot as the ethanol spured by the alcohol’s proof spare with the pour’s vegetal nature. While not strong, I do taste a trace of tart apple along with dark fruits, and fig. Then flavors of cinnamon, ginger; and rye mix with rich vanilla, which help make the pour darkly sweet. Brown sugar, woody caramel, and dark molasses add depth to walnuts, dry old oak, char, somewhat acrid, but not off-putting smoke. And as sensed in the aroma, each sip has parting notes of earthy potting soil.

Lux Row Four Grain Double Barrel

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
For the most part I find Lux Row Four Grain reasonably balanced. Its flora, spice, sweets and woodiness blend well, and only the fruit notes are lacking. In the mouth, I find the liquid to be creamy, becoming more viscous the longer it is held, although small sips with a Kentucky Chew can be rough on the underside of the tongue. In the glass a thick inverted crown hangs with clinging droplets as it sits, and when sipped, the thick veil breaks slowly before draining in fat legs back to the tawny colored pool.

LUX ROW FOUR GRAIN DOUBLE BARREL FINISH

Lux Row Four Grain Double Barrel offers a medium, dry, throat warming finish. I sense barrel tannins, and the herbal, dusty, hay, and vegetal aftertaste found on the nose and taste buds. The few dark fruit notes do little to calm the slightly acidic bitterness I feel. Then a blend of cinnamon, ginger, and rye mixed in brown sugar, woody caramel, and dark molasses marry with dry, old oak and char..and when the last sips are gone, the empty Glencairn smells earthy, much like the empty pot from a plant recently replanted.

MY RATING: 89100

Will I buy this whiskey again? YES
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.

Click 89/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
To access other reviews from this brand, click Lux Row Distillers.

WHISKEY TRAITS, FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:
Lux Row Four Grain Double Barrel
Lux Row Four Grain Double Barrel

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