Booker's Bourbon Batch 2016-04 "Bluegill Creek"

Pours a clear golden orange with nice legs. It intensely smells of oak with hints of caramel and vanilla, along with some earthy, tobacco-like notes. With water, some cinnamon spice emerges. The taste is rich and sweet, with plenty of caramel, toffee, oak, and vanilla, plus some spice, possibly cinnamon? And alcohol, a lot of alcohol. The mouthfeel is full-bodied, rich, and indeed, very boozy. I mean, yes, my palate is still developing, but this is quite intense. However, it's tasty, and not the harshest warmth I've encountered. The finish is also a bit dry. Overall, a little hot, but it's a really good bourbon. Beer Nerd Musings: I haven't encountered any beers specifically labeled as Booker's Bourbon barrel-aged, and I don't see many around. Allagash apparently produced a Booker's aged version of their Curieux, but I must admit, the tripel style isn't my favorite way to highlight bourbon barrel treatment. Still, I'd imagine this would be a pretty good barrel for aging beer... but then again, what wouldn't?

Booker's (Bluegill Creek Batch) aged 6 years and 5 months, at 64% ABV. Booker's is one of the four premium Jim Beam small-batch bourbons and is bottled at barrel proof. It serves as an excellent demonstration of how good Jim Beam bourbon can be. The aroma is quite pleasant, with notes of burnt sugar, caramel, brown sugar, oak, and mint. The taste is amazing; even when sipped neat, you experience an explosion of flavor. Caramelized sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, oak, and toffee. For a barrel-proof offering, it's highly enjoyable neat or with a bit of water. The finish is long, featuring the same brown sugar notes with hints of cinnamon, spice, burnt toffee sugar, and vanilla. Booker's is great, and it's definitely my favorite among the premium Jim Beam line. I've tried several batches, and while some are better than others, I haven't encountered a bad batch yet. Overall Grade: A

To be candid, the alcohol content of this spirit is considerable. The bottle indicates 128 proof, and companions with whom I've shared it concur that it's quite evident. Despite having developed a tolerance over time, this spirit presents as somewhat hot and sharp. However, I ultimately find that aspect quite appealing, and it can be moderated with a small amount of water if desired. Served neat, I detect a smooth, grainy sweetness that rises to complement the sharp warmth, reminiscent of cornbread drizzled with thick caramel sauce. It is flavorful but not heavy or rich. The aroma can clear your sinuses with a faint chocolate undertone and a touch of white pepper. Adding water significantly alters the profile. The aroma shifts towards cinnamon cereal, and the caramel flavors intensify and fill the mouth.

Appearance: the color is a rich caramel, with fast-moving legs. Nose: caramel sweetness upfront with a lingering oak undertone. Taste: initial sweetness, followed by a cinnamon burn, an oak aftertaste, and the mouth remains quite warm, a pleasant smooth warmth going down the throat. Despite the high proof, it was easy to drink neat, if you're used to the alcohol burn. It's pleasing, and the aftertaste lingers for some time. Added some water, which really calmed down the proof in the aroma and eliminated much of the alcohol bite, without altering the sweetness and cinnamon burn. A pleasant, relaxing dram...

Nose: Peanut butter, vanilla, brown sugar, hazelnut, caramel, toasted oak Palate: Toasted oak, peanut oil, vanilla, brown sugar, cinnamon Finish: A medium, satisfyingly chewy finish with notes of cinnamon spice and caramel. An excellent bourbon. The aroma is very appealing, and the palate is pleasant and well-balanced, evolving as I drank it. I particularly enjoy the peanut characteristics detected on both the nose and palate. It exhibits remarkable balance for its 128 proof, drinking much lighter than its stated alcohol content.

If you prefer your bourbons intensely hot, spicy, and high proof, this one is for you. Did I mention it's spicy? Strangely, adding a few drops of water only seemed to increase the spiciness. While it's not exactly my preference, there's much to appreciate here. The only other bourbon I've had that avoids tasting like a small blowtorch at this ABV is William Larue Weller.