Rating: 19/23 Blind tasting. All I know is that it's bourbon. N: Rich and full with wood, corny sweetness that carries a hint of caramel, and a hint of tangerine. Something a bit tart with kind of a licorice bitterness and a light belly that makes me think Beam, but then it fills in and I have second thoughts.. Ah, there's some toastiness getting into the peanut category. Possibly a little sweet tobacco. Leaving this in my glass for a while, some slightly dusty, dried-out wood comes out. P: Bold and rich. The peanuts come out in force with some corn sweetness that carries a dash of orange zest. Big barrel flavor with black pepper, clove, and ginger. Licorice comes in with a dash of slightly salty minerality. There's some sort of other herbal bitterness and also a touch of oil and smoky char. F: Bold. Licorice is the main thing here. Some tannic wood, black pepper. Numbing clove for sure. Not much sweetness at this point. - Conclusion - Booker's Shiny Barrel (19) is more bitter and less full. The Shiny Barrel is really full for a Beam product, but it's not as full as plenty of other bourbons. I definitely like the overall character of this one better. Belle Meade Cask Strength (19), on the other hand, is neck and neck with this. I might have overrated the Shiny Barrel at a 19. Wild Turkey Rare Breed 116.8 (18) is pretty close to this, but I'd say that this is a bit better. At the other end, Jack Daniels Single Barrel Barrel Proof (21) definitely beats this. I think I'm looking at a 19 or 20 here. Coming back to this for one last tasting, I find that I still adore the complexity here, but it is a bit lacking in fullness (I actually now think that the Booker's beats it) and it also has a tad of meatiness. I think that's coming from the sour mash, so it's not the same as that really awful meatiness from feinty young whiskey, but it's there and I don't love it. Now, Belle Meade beats this and Wild Turkey Rare Breed is pretty close. A 20 is out of the picture now. So is it an 18 or a 19? Well, a 19 was a possibility both times, so I'm going with it, but I do feel like I might be starting to discover some of the flaws here that could cause me to go with an even lower rating than an 18. Thanks, @Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington , for sharing this! I keep wondering whether Booker's is as good as I once thought it was. Well, trying it blind has restored my faith.