Booker’s Bourbon Just Unveiled Its First New Expression in 5 Years
This was a big week for Jim Beam-related news. A few days ago, we reported on the latest iteration of Little Book called The Infinite Edition 1, an annual release that will add a new whiskey component to the blend each year. And now comes news regarding Booker’s, the beloved barrel-proof member of the Jim Beam Small Collection that also got an upgrade with a new older, pricier limited release called the Reserves.
Booker’s was created in the 1990s by the late, great Beam master distiller Booker Noe, who came up with the brand at a time when very few people were interested in drinking barrel-proof whiskey. The Jim Beam Small Batch Collection now includes three other expressions—Baker’s, Knob Creek, and Basil Hayden—but many consider Booker’s to be a standout due to its strong flavor and high proof. The bourbon, selected by Booker’s son and master distiller Fred Noe, is usually released four times per year and is aged for about six to seven years. It’s uncut and unfiltered (except for barrel char) before bottling, and the proof usually falls somewhere in the mid-120s, depending on the batch. That’s strong, but not unmanageable, and the flavor is a good encapsulation of the grainy, nutty, caramel notes that define much of Beam’s whiskey. The price has gone up over the years, much to the displeasure of Booker’s fans, but you can usually find a bottle for around $100 these days.
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Booker’s “The Reserves” is the first extension since 2019, according to the brand, when the 30th Anniversary Bourbon was released. Eighth-generation master distiller for the new Fred B. Noe Distillery on the Beam campus, and grandson of Booker Noe, Freddie Noe was the force behind this new release. “I created ‘The Reserves’ series to commemorate my grandaddy Booker,” he said in a statement. “Liquid like this can take a while to find, but when I do, it feels like the Big Man himself picked them out. It’s just the kind of bourbon I believe my grandaddy would be making if he were still alive with us now.”
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The inaugural release is a blend of bourbon aged between eight and 14 years, and like all Booker’s it’s uncut, unfiltered, and comes from barrels in the center of the Beam warehouses. As mentioned before, that means that the whiskey is older than the usual Booker’s releases, and it comes from a smaller pool of casks. If you’re the kind of drinker that likes to get deep into the whiskey weeds, here are the ages and locations of the barrels used for the Reserves: eight years, two months, 12 days on the fourth floor of warehouse G; eight years, five months, 19 days on the fifth floor of warehouse I; eight years, five months, 20 days on the fifth floor of warehouse Z; nine years, two months, three days on the fifth floor of warehouse Q; nine years, two months, four days on the sixth floor of warehouse J; nine years, five months, 18 days on the seventh floor of warehouse H; 10 years, three months, two days on the fourth floor of warehouse X; and 14 years, four months, 16 days on the sixth floor of warehouse I.
We have not gotten a sample Booker’s the Reserves yet, but official tasting notes include dried fruit and brown sugar on the nose followed by vanilla and oak on the palate, with a lingering baking spice finish—sounds like classic Booker’s, but hopefully with some extra oomph. It was bottled at 125.9 proof, which is right in the sweet spot for this bourbon as well. The SRP is $130, which seems reasonable so hopefully that will transfer over to secondary retailers. It’s just rolling out now, so keep an eye out at your local liquor store or your favorite website. In the meantime, you can find previous batches of Booker’s available to purchase from websites like ReserveBar now.
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