Tastes

Fruity, sweet, thin.

There’s a powerful fruity note on the nose which reminds me of powdered kool-aid fruit punch mix. It dissipates with time in the glass allowing some honey and vanilla to poke through. Semi-sweet, a little viscous and peppery with vanilla and strawberry notes on the palate. Medium finish is slightly bitter and peppery.

Semi-sweet and creamy with notes of caramel, vanilla, milk chocolate, short bread and berries on the nose and palate. Medium finish is peppery.

Batch OL0516, 60.4 ABV. Subdued sherry, oak and orange zest on the nose, fruit, oak and nuts on the palate, heat builds over time, long spicy finish. A bit of water toned down the heat while adding more nuttiness. This felt not as aggressive as Batch OL1117, but there was not a significant difference between the Batches.

Batch OL1117, 60.3 ABV. Spices, sherry, peanut brittle and orange zest on the nose, very spicy fruit and nuts on the palate, long spicy finish. A splash of water toned down the spice on the palate while adding a creaminess.

All the classic Macallan notes of dried fruits, nuttiness, orange marmalade and carmel, but thinner, more subdued with more vanilla and spice.

This whiskey is robust, spicy, creamy and viscous, with vanilla, apricot jam, short bread cookies, mixed nuts notes, and a long spicy finish. I really enjoyed this whiskey.

Typical Booker’s, rich, viscous, spicy, hot, with notes of nuts, vanilla, oak, brown sugar, barrel char, plus some really nice dark fruit.

I was excited to find this in a local area shop for near msrp earlier this year. It had been a long time since I had seen a Booker’s at a reasonable price, and even longer since I had actually tasted one. Within the last month and a half I was able to pick up the Pigskin Batch locally, the Boston Batch in Yreka on the way to a funeral in Washington State, and was given the Backyard BBQ Batch by a nephew while there. Thinking back to years ago when I first tasted Booker’s, I was salivating at the chance to taste all these batches. Memories seldom match reality, and that’s the case here. Based on my recent experience with these batches, while a solid bourbon, Booker’s just seems to have a narrow flavor spectrum that’s missing the fruit and savory flavors I enjoy in a bourbon. Tasting: Oak, nuttiness and creme brulee on the nose, it’s a little hot on the palate with grain, oak and vanilla notes, the finish is long, hot and bitter. I liked it better with a large ice cube, which actually brought out some dark fruit notes.

Neck pour. Soft and sugary with ethanol on the nose. Rich, sweet and hot on the palate with barrel spices and char. Finish is long with some bitterness. A good splash of water brought out some fruit notes.