Nose: Classic bourbon - if you've had any of the Booker's or Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserves, you know what direction this goes. Heavier on the char, oak, and dark brown sugar, there's some vanilla going on as well. Plenty of berries and fruit - think blackberries, borderline over-ripe strawberries, banana, etc. Dusty, well-work leather - I'm reminded of an old baseball glove my dad had. The ethanol really helps this jump out and presents very intense and "hot", even on the nose. Dark chocolate, roasted nuts, and campfire smoke. Some buried rye notes - though subtle, they are present. Palate: Just a big wall of oak, char, tannin, nearly-burned caramel, and potent vanilla extract. The high proof and oil content are evident, which alongside the tannin really helps this cling and evolve. This is absolutely dusty corn sweet, but heads in the direction of being a little drier. Again, dark chocolate, salted roasted nuts, and well worn leather are all here. Tangy, lactic dairy - buttermilk gets close. Black pepper, smoked paprika, and chipotle powder can be found, as well as a little rosemary and dill. The heat almost reminds me of crushed garlic and horseradish. Still some fruit, though quite subdued. Medium mouthfeel. Mid and upper palate heavy, though some of the barrel notes help fill in the bottom end. Finish: Big hit of ethanol, wintergreen, and tannin taste/texture. The aforementioned oil content means this hangs out for a minute. Olives show up - green ones with pimento, but also canned black ones. Lemon oil, rosemary, thyme - I do a baked salmon that I'm reminded of here. Charred oak and vanilla take center stage while things start to calm down. Sweetness is present, but not a driving force. Cocoa powder. Things coast out on char, smoke, ethanol, and dusty corn sweetness. Long finish. Other notes: I went to a new liquor store and asked for a bottle of Booker's. I didn't realize that I would be getting the second-ever edition of the stuff. A special bottle to me, as it shows what they were toying with early on. This provides an excellent point of comparison for later editions, as well. This is certainly not for everybody - you'd need to be a fan of high proof Beam bourbons to buy this particular bottle, as relatively it's far less refined and "accessible" compared to later releases. That being said, I really like this stuff. Though it doesn't unseat my favorite Booker's of all time (2018-02), it's certainly a worthwhile bottle to pick up. I wouldn't go out of your way for it unless you're dead-set on having every bottle ever, but if you come across one and you're on the fence, do it. It's a fun ride. Due to the limited nature of Booker's releases, it's hard to say I'd have one on-hand at all times, but like most others I'd be glad to have one of these in my cabinet at all times.