Bookers Small Batch 2019 01E

Delicate, Juicy, Oak, Vanilla
2023-07-23

One of the flagships of the Jim Beam distillery is Booker's Bourbon. Supposedly created by Booker Noe, Jim Beam only bottles 4 batches a year. "Uncut and unfiltered" means that we have the full power of a natural bourbon in our glass. Today it's Batch 2019-01E. This is the part of the first 2019 batch that was produced for the European market. The label promises 6 years and 3 months of maturation and almost 63% ABV.

Bookers Small Batch 2019 01E (@whiskyedition)

Smell

The aroma load on the nose is a massive wall of caramel, vanilla, brown sugar - all in all an intensely sweet soup. As the nose evolves, softer notes of mint, a little apple and buttered popcorn emerge. The intense, spicy cloud of oak and a light resinous note hover over everything.

Taste

At first, the viscosity is overwhelming. Booker's presents its oiliness like a syrup. We find the sweetness of caramel, brown sugar and oak again. Dryness spreads over the palate. This is followed by slightly bitter orange, baked apple with vanilla sauce and a finely tuned spiciness of nuts and nutmeg.

Finish

This Kentucky Straight Bourbon is long lasting. Intense oak combines with a barely perceptible bitterness. At the same time, it is smooth and almost floral, with a hint of dark chocolate.

Thoughts

If the answer to the question "How intense would you like your bourbon to be?" is "Yes!", then Booker's is the right choice. Jim Beam makes a pretty convincing case for what their bourbon can achieve. The big problem is availability. If you have to buy a bottle on the secondary market, it's hard to justify the purchase.

Rating: 88/100 - Excellent (Marcel: 85 | Sascha: 90)

Value for Money: 4/5 - Good

Preview Image Source: Must Have Malts