Booker's Bourbon Batch 2019-04 "Beaten Biscuits"

BOOKER’S SHOWDOWN Booker’s “Beaten Biscuits” 2019-04 Booker’s “Mighty Fine Batch” 2023-03 Continuing to work through spirits in my collection that I’ve yet to review, or perhaps yet to review in a batch (I have reviewed “Beaten Biscuits” (7/22/22), but not “Mighty Fine Batch,” so I decided to group them together for another Showdown). Booker’s was my first foray into barrel-proof bourbon. I’ve had a few older bottles prior to the “Beaten Biscuits” here, including “Maw Maw’s Batch,” “Bluegill Creek,” and others. But frankly, Booker’s has taken something of a back seat over the years; not necessarily by intention, but rather as a function of my exploration of other barrel-proof bottlings. I remain a fan (fair warning). Booker’s “Beaten Biscuits” 2019-04 Color is a clear and deep burnt orange, corresponding to Pantone 159. Black licorice, currants, vanilla, banana bread, oak, rosin, and some alcohol on the nose. Slightly viscous mouthfeel; oatmeal with light maple syrup and cinnamon on the palate. Gentle burn on the back end, but the proof is well integrated. The finish begins with oaky vanilla, with a nice touch of bitterness manifest as both sugared espresso and the black licorice that reappeared from the nose, resolving again to gentle vanilla. I overrated this on my last review (4.75; July 22, 2022). “Beaten Biscuits” is very good, but not 4.75-good. The differentiator for me is the way the bitterness on the finish—which is not subtle—is positive and complementary rather than the more-common bitterness that is simply driven by exposure to oak tannins. Each release of Booker’s is typically priced somewhat above what I see as its main competitor (Elijah Craig Barrel Proof) and can usually be found for around $90. Would I buy it again? Yes. But not every release each year. 4.25 on the Distiller scale. 63.05% proof. Aged 6 years, 6 months, 19 days. Uncut and unfiltered. Booker’s “Mighty Fine Batch” 2023-03 Same clear burnt-orange Pantone-159 color as the “Beaten Biscuits.” The complex nose evokes savory and tangy barbecue sauce, cigar box, toasted marshmallows, chocolate-covered cherries, smoked meat, buttered cornbread, and apple pie, along with a cooling menthol element. There’s a light glycerin on the palate, and the buttery diacetyl note on the nose continues, along with sweet corn. Charred oak, cinnamon, and vanilla are predominant on the finish. Wow. “Mighty Fine Batch” lives up to its billing. The roughly $90 retail price for present-day Booker’s releases is not cheap, but due to the high proofs and consistently robust flavor profiles represents relative value in today’s bourbon market. Would I buy it again? Yes. Mighty fine, indeed. 4.5 on the Distiller scale. 63.3% proof. Age 7 years, 1 month, 10 days. Uncut and unfiltered. Booker’s, a brand owned by the Beam Suntory Behemoth, is generally released four times per year (in 2020, during Covid, there were three releases). Collectors like to collect, but it’s difficult to justify buying all four releases each year—assuming that you can find them. It’s hard enough to get the three annual releases of ECBP, and now there’s the three releases of Larceny Barrel Proof to contend with as well. When is Buffalo Trace going to join Beam and Heaven Hill in the three-times-per-year party? Details about each bottling, including percentages obtained from specific floors of specific warehouses, can be found on the brand’s website (https://www.bookersbourbon.com/batches#). N.B.: All spirts tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.

Super smooth for the proof. I dig it.

A few years back (2016 to be exact), I was a big Booker’s drinker. Not "big" in the sense of too much, but rather as a fawning fanboy obsessed with the nuances of each release. I purchased each and every one: “Maw Maw’s Batch” (2015-02), “Annis’ Answer” (2016-02), “Toogie’s Invitation” (2016-03), “Bluegill Creek” (2016-04), and others. Then I got on an Elijah Craig Barrel Proof kick (and I still love ECBP)—but unfortunately I did not realize that the two bourbons needed to be mutually exclusive. ECBP satisfied by high-proof desires. I’ve had Booker’s “Beaten Biscuits” (2019-04) for over two years and it’s only 25% gone. I haven’t had it in at least 18 months. It clocks in at 126.1 proof, and is aged for 6 years, 6 months, and 19 days. What would the 18-day or 20-day version be like? We’ll never know. Presents as deep, clear, dark mahogany—darker than I’d expect for a bourbon that is less than seven years old. Fragrant, rich, distinctive nose shows cardamom, brown sugar, rye, some camphor, and some ethanol—expected for 126.1 proof. While viscosity is typically reserved as a descriptor for mouthfeel or palate, the smell itself has a viscous, pervasive quality. This glycerin-like quality continues on entry, where spice is present not just as heat but also flavor, like thai chilies. There is a subtle, espresso-y bitterness on the finish that comes across as complex rather than deleterious. My love affair with Booker’s is officially renewed, even if the average price seems to have increased 75%+ since I was buying it regularly a few years back. Upon pouring, a warm volcanic perfume was immediately apparent, and the first sip confirmed the full-on sensory assault. Booker’s “Beaten Biscuits” is not for the faint of heart, but it is for the bourbon connoisseur who wants a full-throttle yet cerebral bourbon that can be savored for an hour or more. A must-have on the shelf. 4.5+ on the Distiller scale. N.B. All spirits tasted neat in separate Glencairn glasses.