Tastes

Salted butter and peanut brittle on the nose. Hot hot hot on the palate, sweet corn and roasted peanuts, with a long, warm hug going down. The finish lasts and lasts, with a hint of the darkest cacao. Will need to try this with a splash or ice cube of limestone water, but this is sippable straight. Not too complex and can be slightly harsh, but the flavors are strong and good. And I can't fail to mention the fantastic price point. 4/8/17 Tried it with a limestone water ice cube, muted it a little bit but didn't change the flavor profile. Just sip it neat and take it full force, rough edges and all. 4/9/17

2014-07. All the reasons why I love Booker's. Flavor bomb, nutty, sweet, vanilla, spice. Fills your mouth, your head, your chest. I can drink this without cutting it. 4/7/17 Intense, leather, spice, black cherry. 7/19/17 C07-B-7. Thin nose, smells like clean laundry. Very sweet up front. Strong and sharp wood notes, almost a sour flavor. Not as complex as some other batches, but still delicious. a few drops of water and this seemingly gets oilier, with some additional leather. 6/29/18

Smells and tastes young. Sharp, some baking spices, very short finish. Some honey. 4/7/17

Aged 8 years. Smell is faint. Floral taste, sweet. Unique. Some cinnamon. Somewhat of a short finish. I can see why people seem to either love or hate this. I fall somewhere in the middle. If not for the price I would probably like it more. 4/7/17 Nose is stronger this time, still floral, but with more traditional bourbon notes as well - wood, brown sugar, baking spices. In short, smells good. I taste some cola, cinnamon, walnuts, cherries. Much more complex than I remember. Warm going down. Finish is still a bit short. This was much better this time around. 5/26/17 Tried the 10-year version. Nose was nice, floral notes, wood, and a hint of... plastic. But it works. Smooth and silky on the tongue. The flavor is unique, and there's an earthiness that rounds it out, like truffles or mushrooms. The spice lingers. 1/13/18

Act 4. Fruit forward on the nose, maybe some honey as well. Floral, sweet, seems like it melts in your mouth. Really smooth for a rye. Warm. Pleasant yet flavorful, something different and maybe even worth the hype, if you can get for a reasonable price. 4/7/17 Act 5 Scene 2. Smells like soap. Floral notes. Flavorful. Still unique. 12/22/17 Act 4, Scene 6: Another bottle. Great nose, with lots of honey, some white pepper. Floral with some bitterness on the palate. Sweetness but not too much. Smooth. I seem to like the older versions better. 4 stars. 9/6/20

Smells like maple syrup and fruit. Intense on the palate, with layers and layers of flavors. It's sweet and spicy with some floral notes, warm with a decently long finish of wood, cinnamon, and chocolate. This will make me a fan of rye. Well done. 4/6/17

Sweet cream, vanilla, and musty hay on the nose. Heavy mouthfeel, with sharp notes. It's woodsy and has a pepper kick. Most prominent, however, is the unmistakable taste of Chinese five-spice. Can't get past that... This is definitely different, not your standard bourbon. 4/5/17

2016 bottling. A hint of smoke on the nose, along with apples and caramel, and after a few minutes, vanilla. Somewhat of a sour note as well, and it stings like a higher proof. On the palate, acidic wood on the front end, bitter chocolate on the backend. The middle seems missing. Not sure why, I was expecting smoother, sweeter notes, but this is fairly sharp. Nice warmth going down. Hoping this opens up with time. 4/5/17 I get more of a nutty taste than last time, better than last time. The bitter oak notes are strong. Hopefully more airtime will continue to improve it. 5/5/17 Not too much has changed. Still sharp and acidic and woody, still feels like drinking a thin, bitter menthol concoction. I was promised an unmistakable flavor of roasted nuts. Where?! It does have a lingering finish. Not worth the hype nor the price, in my opinion. But I'd love to try the 2017 version. 7/19/17 2018 bottling. Good nose, lots of roasted caramel and orchard fruits. Vanilla, oak. On the palate, rich, creamier than expected, sweet, acidic sting at the end. Still getting some bitter notes, but more muted and pleasant, not as overwhelming as my 2016 bottle. Cacao and pecan nibs linger, as well as slight char. Maybe 3 stars this time around. 6/6/18

Strong odors, you don't have to search for the nose. Thanksgiving spice, vanilla, brown sugar, smells like a bourbon should. Reminds me a bit of cherry vanilla Coke! The nose is perhaps the best part. Palate isn't as creamy as the nose leads you to believe, a woody sharpness hits immediately on the tongue (I mean, it's named "Double Oaked" so why am I surprised?), a bit of citrus and caramel follow. Seems like more heat than other 90 proofers. Some spice, bitter chocolate, and leather notes in a lingering aftertaste. 4/3/17 It's definitely gotten better, with more vanilla and dark chocolate. 4/9/17

Very complex.