I'm a huge fan of Booker's Small Batch and the Small Batch Series; and while Little Book is a blend and a totally different animal, I've been eagerly looking forward to tasting it. The concept of constructing a blend that (mostly) mirrors the composition of a traditional mashbill is a clever approach. Does it work? I have no idea, but I'm about to find out. The reviews for Little Book "The Easy" are all over the map. Some love it, some don't, and that's to be expected. I commend Freddie Noe for taking the road less traveled and offering the whiskey world something different, something that challenges the status quo. Purchased for $75 at my local B&M. Now on the to review.
Nose: Musty Oak, Brown Sugar, Sweet Corn, Vanilla, Light Smoke, Cherry Jam, Buttered Toast, Hazelnut.
Palate: Roasted Nuts, Caramel, Corn Grain, Smoky Oak, Rye Spice and Vanilla.
Finish: Smoky Oak, Cherry Cola, Buttery Caramel, Rye Spice, Clove, Vanilla and Roasted Nuts.
The initial nosing of the whiskey offers aromas of musty oak and brown sugar with a subtle presence of sweet corn and vanilla. Considering the high alcohol content (64.1% ABV) I'm struck by how easy this whiskey is on the nose. I would have expected a strong element of ethanol, but it's actually quite mild for cask strength. As I give the juice a gentle swirl, the legs are long, of medium thickness, and they cascade slowly down the interior of the glass. After 15 minutes I'm picking up some light smoke, cherry jam and a hint of buttered toast. At 20 minutes in the glass the vanilla grows stronger and at 25 minutes I'm also smelling some hazelnuts. So far I'm really diggin' it. On the palate at full strength the whiskey has a rich, oily mouthfeel with flavors of roasted nuts, smoky oak, corn grain, caramel and vanilla. It's not as sweet as the nose suggests and is well balanced. A strong bloom of rye spice and familiar Booker's heat follows that is very rounded with no sharp edges. A larger sip yields much more heat and a noticeable amount of burn all around the tongue. However, for those who enjoy cask strength whiskey this is a good burn, full of flavor. It definitely puts a smile on my face. The finish delivers a healthy dose of smoky oak along with buttery caramel, roasted nuts, rye spice, cherry cola, clove, vanilla. A little water brings out some caramel on the nose along with more sweet corn. On the palate I get more grain and corn sweetness, more cherry and dark fruit, and less rye spice. The water extends the length of the finish, but the flavors are less defined. Being the first pour from a newly opened bottle I expect some things to change. However, upon first impression I think I prefer "The Easy" without water. Overall, it's a great release. Freddie has done an excellent job with this blend and I enthusiastically give him two thumbs up. In terms of a star rating "The Easy" gets a solid 4 out of 5, and I expect after the bottle has been open for a few weeks the whiskey will get even better.