Booker's Bourbon Batch 2020-03 "Pigskin Batch"

Nutty flavor on the front of the palate with a finish of red apples, oak, baking spices and rye. It made sense for this to be the “pigskin” catch and make the distiller reminisce on fond football memories. There is definitely a hug that will stay with you on a fall day and a silky smooth mouthfeel I would hope to find in the fall or winter. #3 out of 3 of the 2020 releases, but still one I will happily revisit.

Carmel, vanilla, cinnamon, and faint hints of nuts on the nose. Tastes like a fresh baked pie, sweet nutty, and a little earthy. Finish seems to just disappear.

Honey, brown sugar note on front end, high spice middle, viscous finish. Very good tasting Bourbon!

The initial pour after opening 10 days ago was generally disappointing.....hot, thin, and underwhelming. I opened a 1792 Full Proof single barrel that same day that simply blew away the Booker’s Pigskin batch, at half the price. Upon revisiting today, I’m finding that the Bookers has opened up quite a bit to reveal the classic Bookers taste profile of a sweet nuttiness. Still not quite as rich as I would like at this price and proof, but at least I’m no longer kicking myself for making the purchase. It’s $100 a bottle in Michigan, but fortunately I only paid $70 on sale in Indiana. Definitely a no-go for a Benjamin, and at $70 I will take ECBP all day long over the Bookers, and WT Rare Breed when on a bourbon budget. Probably my last bottle of Bookers since it’s just not at the quality level it should be for what is marketed as a high end bourbon. Possibly I should lower my expectations for a 6-7 year old whiskey, but on second thought, maybe Jim Beam should bring the price of Bookers more in line with the product that’s in the bottle.

Uncorking neat- Nose- oak and sweet caramel with real vanilla bean, roast corn once it sits in the glass. Taste - Really sweet with brown sugar and the proof kick is there but in a pleasant warming way. Oily mouthfeel is luxurious. Full and rich. Finish - More caramel, tanned leathers, dark hard woods, peanut shells.

Drinking this neat, neck pour. Not watching football but drinking this on a cold, rainy Portland night. Right off the bat, this bourbon presents itself as caramel, candy apple with delicious kettle corn sugars. It fades then into pear with dark vanilla notes at the very back of the nose. Interestingly, orange citrus hangs like a vail for the rest of notes to break through and then scents of oaks around the middle. The pallet gives off heavy oak and baking spices with salty peanut shells (there it is). It then takes a little pause, then the heat hangs around the top. The finish is same back of mouth heat, more citrus peanut butter with a cigar and wood accompaniment. Mouth feel is oily but not viscous. I was ridding a bit of a high after tasting the Boston Batch the other night so I had high hopes. This does not quite live up to some of its predecessors but overall it has a lot going on that I like. It does miss out on the finish but makes up on the surprisingly interesting nose. I know in a lot my reviews I end with value of bottle remark but I think the value for me here was getting the progression of batches through the year; Granny/Boston have plenty to make up for the downsides of this pour. So open your wallets and buy the whole lot if you can. A flight from this year will make for a fantastic Saturday night.

Nice installment. Wife and I both got orange on the nose. Palette is more caramel with a slight citrus undertone. Finish is smooth and long. A little chocolate, a little vanilla, a lingering peppermint.