Review originally posted on Barreled in January 2019. Beam/Suntory releases four batches of Bookers throughout the year. This is a review of Bookers batch 2018-4, “Kitchen Table”. This bottle is 64% ABV and was in the barrel for six years, eight months, and seven days. I tasted this whiskey at full strength, and watered down to approx. 100 proof and 85 proof. The 100 proof version was my favorite. Bookers is a dark amber/mahogany in the glass. Right out of the bottle I was amazed that the nose didn’t burn up my sinuses! Full strength the nose has dusty, musty oak and cocoa. Light vanilla sweetness, but much less than most bourbons. After some time in the glass, cloves and cinnamon. Watered down to 100 proof there is more caramel/vanilla; more like a standard bourbon. At 85 proof I got cherries; first bourbon I’ve had where I really got cherries. The full strength palate has buttery caramel and toffee. Cinnamon. Vanilla. Thick viscous mouthfeel. Lots of heat, but what did you expect? At 100 proof there was not much change, just a more manageable/pleasant heat level. At 85 proof the cherries from the nose came through on the palate. The full strength finish was long, with dusty oak, leather. Strange aftertaste, can’t quite put my finger on it. Green oak? Something green and musty. The finish at 100 and 85 proof was about the same: a little shorter, still some of the “green oak” but not as strong. This is a very good, bordering excellent bourbon. At 128 proof in the bottle you actually have the opportunity to dilute the whiskey to your taste, and even stretch a 750 ml bottle further than normal if you would like. This is definitely more complex than the basic caramel/vanilla bourbon. There’s not much variation on price for this bottle: $70 is what I paid and it’s rare to see it even a few dollars less. At that price it hits the “special occasion” category for me, but still something I would enjoy sharing with friends and family. Solid 4/5.