Brian’s Little Book Chapter 3: The Road Home Review:
reviewed 10-May-2022
LITTLE BOOK CHAPTER 3: THE ROAD HOME BOURBON REVIEW:
Little Book Chapter 3: The Road Home (Little Book 3) is a near perfect pour for those of us who love high proof heat. Its nose, palate and finish balance with the essence of soft apples, robust baking spices, and leathery depth which fade in and out as the pour is enjoyed. But be forewarned, this bourbon blend drinks hot. As a pre-pandemic release, Little Book 3 will be hard to find, but if I were to see it on the shelf at or under $225, I would bring it home for a special evening treat.
LITTLE BOOK CHAPTER 3: THE ROAD HOME BOURBON VITAL STATS:
Category: Straight Bourbon
Region: Clermont, KY, USA
Distillery: Jim Beam
Company: Beam Suntory
Master Distiller: Freddy Noe, 8th Generation Beam Family Distiller
Blend Overview:
9-year-old Knob Creek Bourbon
9-year-old Basil Hayden’s Bourbon
11-year-old Booker’s Bourbon
12-year-old Baker’s Bourbon
Mashbill: Blend of 77% Corn, 13% Rye, and 10% Malted Barley (Knob Creek, Baker’s, and Booker’s) and 63% Corn, 27% Rye, and 10% Malted Barley (Basil Hayden’s)
Recipe: 51
Casks: New charred oak
Barrel Chars: #4
Barrel entry proofs: 125
Age: 9 years old
ABV: 61.3% (122.6 Proof)
Release Date: September 2019
Purchase Price: $124.95 USD (2019 – Idaho)
LABEL INSPIRATION:
“The Road Home” batch pays tribute to my grandfather as the name Little Book is actually the childhood nickname that he gave me. And so I thought after having a couple of chapters under my belt that it would be a great time to pay honor to him and blend some of the liquids that he gave the bourbon industry.
The four liquids that I chose to go into this batch of Little Book® are from the original small batch collection that my grandfather, Booker, created. The Road Home is a blend of nine year old Basil Hayden®, nine year old Knob Creek®, 11 year old Booker’s® and 12 year old Baker’s®, and as always with Little Book®, these liquids are at barrel strength and will be bottled at barrel strength as well. The name “The Road Home” references the road that I travel to and from on a regular basis, the same road my grandfather, Booker, traveled back when he used to work here at the distillery.
— Freddie Noe, 8th Generation Beam Family Distiller
Click Little Book to learn more.
ENJOYMENT METHOD:
Taken from the newly opened bottle, the first one and a half ounces mixed with the bourbon in our Infinity Bottle Project. Then, by alternating the pours, four once review amounts went into two Glencairns. My daughter and I enjoyed the bourbon neat as we prepared this review.
Check out her review for this bourbon here!
LITTLE BOOK CHAPTER 3: THE ROAD HOME NOSE:
Little Book 3 has one of the hottest noses I’ve had in some time. My nose tingles with the strong ethanol presence. It takes time to acclimate, but even then care is needed. As I work my way around our Flavor Wheel, I pick up faint apple blossoms, sweet corn and sense undefined stone fruit as well as acidic citrus. But there are plenty of baking spices … I get cinnamon, ginger, green pepper, rye and yeasty notes as one might smell in warm apple pastry lightly dusted with cocoa powder. There is vanilla here too, which blends with the aromas of caramelized sugar and orange blossom honey drizzled over finely chopped pecans. Best of all are the woody elements – plenty of dry seasoned oak, hazy barrel char and for added depth some old leather.
LITTLE BOOK CHAPTER 3: THE ROAD HOME PALATE:
Little Book 3 is warm bordering on hot with quite an alcohol bite. The fruit tree blossoms sensed on the nose come through as do the sweet corn, faint soft apples, and now some apricot and I can feel citric acid. And like on the nose I can taste the cinnamon, ginger, rye, and black pepper. And in keeping with the baking theme, the flavors of apple pastry infused with rich vanilla and caramelized sugar fade in each sip as do the woody notes of seasoned dry oak, hazy barrel char and the added depth of leather.
Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
Little Book 3 is well balanced from the nose to the finish. Somehow the added heat works here and is welcome. Could it be the influence of the high rye barrel proof Basil Hayden? The first sip is prickly on tongue and challenging to hold. When I set the Glencairn down, a curtain of liquid coats the inside of the glass before breaking into long clinging legs to transport the dregs back to the dark, old oak colored pool. Left behind is a well defined inverted crown.
LITTLE BOOK CHAPTER 3: THE ROAD HOME FINISH:
Little Book Chapter 3: The Road Home has an exceptionally long, bordering on almost hot finish. It bites at the back of the tongue as it slides into the throat. Each sip tries to give a Kentucky Hug, however I am fortunate to have enjoyed many high proof bourbons. As I rest between sips, I sense roasted corn, soft apples, apricots and acid. The baking spices of cinnamon, ginger, and black pepper come through as well as do bittersweet chocolate, vanilla, caramel and dark molasses. The balance continues, as seasoned dry oak, hazy barrel char and the leather flows through the finish. And as I finish the last drops, fresh cut oak wafts from the empty Glencairn.
MY RATING: 92/100
Will I buy this whiskey again? YES
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.
To access other whiskeys awarded this score, click 92/100.
Click Little Book to read my thoughts on other whiskies in the series from Freddy Noe.
WHISKEY TRAITS AND FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:
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