Booker's Bourbon Batch 2017-04 Sip Awhile

Neat. Opened for maybe 2 years (wow, time flies). So Booker’s. After Teresa’s Batch, my faith in Booker’s was broken a bit. Country Ham was amazing but not enough for me to collect batches like I used to. But I decided to return to Sip Awhile to understand if I am propping up the old batches or if they were better than the last year. Nose is very subtle actually. Creamy vanilla frosting. Only a hint of the Beam nuttiness. Some really nice cherry. Charred caramel. Quintessential bourbon but nothing knocking me out. Viscous and syrupy. Maple and vanilla sweetness up front. But it brings the flavor. Cherry, peanuts, chocolate, caramel. It really brought it all in waves. Maple and honey is really strong and pronounced throughout the experience. Really dense with good flavors. The cherry on the legs and aftertaste is fabulous and lingers. It’s amazing. I struggle with Booker’s now due to the inconsistency and price gouging but it’s nice to know I wasn’t crazy to fall in love in the first place. In my top 5 favorite Booker batches of all time.

Damn good

Nose is vanilla, simple syrup, sour cherries, and rye. The palate is vanilla and sour cherries with a totally mouth-watering mid-palate, finishing with spice, pepper, and the ABV. Although having similar ABVs [64.05% and 64.2%], the Booker's delivers much less heat than the Stagg Jr Batch 13. A bit of dryness, OK - but again, quieter when compared to the Stagg Jr. or even the Russell Reserve Single Barrel. Adding a half-teaspoon of water accentuates the sweet bourbon notes, and imparts the finish with hints of licorice, mint, and cherry cola. Adding a second splash of water, and the density of flavors coalesce into something great. It's too bad it's spring, however, for this is the spiciest bourbon I've had by far, and it might've been so much better during the winter months. Batch Profile: 4% 6th Floor of Warehouse F - 4% 7th Floor of Warehouse F - 8% 4th Floor of Warehouse E - 39% 5th Floor of Warehouse E - 45% 7th Floor of Warehouse H My Rating Glossary: Two Stars: "I'd rather be drinking lite beer." Two 1/2 Stars: "Posh rubbish." Three Stars: "I love whisk(e)y. This is average love." Three 1/2 Stars: "May buy again." Four Stars: "I've got to get you into my life." Four 1/2 Stars: "Better than drugs." Five Stars: "Life is good. Whisky makes it better."