Hannah’s Booker’s 2020-01 Granny’s Batch Review
Original review written on September 15, 2020
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
Booker’s 2020-01 Granny’s Batch Review: Everything about this is different, from the nose, to the palate, to the finish, yet the distinct Booker’s bite is here. Not my typical bourbon, but I LOVE it just the same. 96/100
VITALS:
– Made In: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Jim Beam Distillery
– Master Distiller: Fred Noe
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey; Small Batch
– Age: 6 yrs. 4 mo. 21 days
– Mash Bill: Corn=77%; Rye=13%; Malted Barley=10%
– Casks: Char #4
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125
– ABV: 63.20% (126.4 proof)
– Price: $84.95 USD in Idaho
– From Master Distiller’s Notes: Granny’s Batch is made up of barrels from two different production dates that were aged in six different locations within four warehouses/rickhouses (WH)… Breakdown is as follows:
– 24%: 6th floor of 9-story WH G
– 24%: 5th floor of 7-story WH L
– 22%: 4th floor of 9-story WH H
– 16%: 4th floor of 7-story WH L
– 10%: 6th floor of 7-story WH L
– 4%: 5th floor of 7-story WH P
Find more information at bookersbourbon.com
ENJOYMENT METHOD:
I enjoyed the juice neat from a Glencairn with father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.
Check out his review for this bourbon here!
SETTING:
The drink may scream wood and freshness, but I think Granny’s Batch is pour you take outside in the middle of the desert, just as the sun is going down. Cacti cover a sandy floor and the air is cooling as the sun disappears behind a mountainous terrain and the stars come out.
Photo by Nicolas Moscarda on Unsplash
NOSE:
Nuts, nuts, nuts, and more nuts. That is definitely what hits first, warm and rich. I’d say there’s some chestnuts, but really, it’s peanuts ground down to a grainy peanut butter. This smells A LOT like a peanut butter/toffee granola bar I like to snack on regularly. On deeper draws, I can pull a little grain that seems relatively soft. A little chocolate and caramel goes along with the toffee, but it’s quite gentle and not at all overpowering.
I get wood – a mixture of oak and pine – on the back of the palate. It is an incredibly earthy wood too – almost like broken off branches that have a cool, dewy dirt clinging to them. Touch of black pepper makes this even more savory.
Despite this being such high proof, very little alcohol burn or even presence is detectable.
PALATE:
– Mouth feel: Sharp and single, then evaporates like nothing I’ve ever had before. Love it!
– Balance: Earth everywhere, but in a wide variety of flavors.
– Visual: Carrot in color, there is a thin crown, but long, thick legs are present.
– Taste: This is really earthy, with a refreshing pine or biting herb like rosemary. Not quite so cool as mint. The nuts are still here, but they are much milder in body, yet somehow sharp on their approach.
The back of the palate offers a fleeting cherry that hits the salivary glands just so. I find old leather here also – the kind of an overstuffed chair you snuggle into for a nap.
There’s a soft grain paired with a slightly sharper rye. The grain could even be a green vegetable in disguise. However, it’s mild and offers an extra something that actually rounds out the savory flavors of herbs and wood really well.
Not getting a lot of alcohol here either, but just enough to nip. A Kentucky chew is straight up fire and barrel char, eventually chased away by a smoldering cherry that soon explodes into its own burning flame.
FINISH:
– Lasting Power: Very long. I can feel the warmth in my cheeks all the way to my chest. Sometimes, I’ll get a resurgence of heat out of nowhere. It didn’t happen in this pour, but I can tell Granny’s Batch has the potential to give a very painful Kentucky hug.
– Between Sips: A little cherry, and lots of peanuts linger between sips. I also get a slightly sweet, grassy element that I can chew even after the sip is gone.
– No More: The flavors stay strong and warm throughout the glass, with wood and nuts staying dominant. Very pleased with this and this bourbon. Already can’t wait for my next pour. (Indeed, I had some more the following day after this review. It was still fantastic.)
The empty Glencairn has chocolate-covered almonds and nuts along with warm oak.
WORTH THE PRICE?
For me, Booker’s is always an experience. From the packaging and stories that come with the bottle, the batches are always an adventure. Sometimes, I don’t end up thinking they are necessary to add to the collection, as they are priced fairly high. However, this bottle, I think is definitely worth it, and it is packed full of any type of adventure you could be looking for.
RATING: 96/100
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