Booker's Bourbon Batch 2021-03 "Bardstown Batch"

Around a year back, I entered a restaurant that was closing for good that evening. From the outside, there was no hint of this, but the bartender made it quite clear that the bar was practically in a going-out-of-business sale. This was my initial selection. There wasn't much left, so they gave me a second pour at no charge as they finished the bottle. What a fantastic decision. And the rest is history. I knew I had to get a bottle if I had any luck finding one in 2023. And here we are. Nose: Classic Beam peanut brittle. Brown sugar, cocoa, and caramel. Raisins and dried apricots. Plum skin and cola. Toffee, vanilla, and butterscotch. Very lemony and has almost a seltzer pop. Like a Sprite. A slight hint of steak. Mint. Black pepper and pipe smoke. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Palate: More peanut brittle. Steak as well. Roasted almond. Caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, and toffee. Chocolate syrup. Cocoa, pipe smoke, and peppercorns. Orange citrus. Rye spice. Ginger. Red hot tamale. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and oak spice. Finish: Peanut brittle. Brown sugar, caramel, toffee, vanilla. Pumpkin spice. Ginger. Cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak. This was as good as I recall. Possibly the finest nose I have ever encountered on a bourbon. It's definitely in contention. It's a distinctive profile for a Booker’s overall—it brings to mind some of the batches from 8-9 years ago that introduced me to the brand. For $100, I was quite pleased to find this so late in the game. It’s not the oldest or the highest proof Booker’s batch, but is without question one of the most extraordinary. I’m always amazed by this stuff. 5/5.

Following my first Booker's, the 2020-02 "Boston's Batch," and considering the recent price hike for Booker's, I was reluctant to buy another batch but finally relented after consistently hearing positive remarks about Bardstown Batch along with the other 2021 releases. Nose: Sweet and oaky. A balance between caramel sugars and bold, dry oak. Beneath the aroma, which is present even without knowing this is a Booker's, is that peanut note. In the 2020-02 it was astringent, but here it harmonizes well with the sweetness, almost blending into peanut butter or peanut brittle. Palate: Thick and rich mouthfeel. A significant amount of maple syrupy sweetness that coats the palate initially, leaving a trail of oak and spice. This drinks surprisingly lower than its proof point, which is the opposite of the Boston Batch, but appears to be the common opinion from reviews I've read. Finish: Long finish. The sweetness settles nicely in the middle of a tingling, drying oak blanket, and the two elements interact on the palate as it fades. Overall, the Bardstown Batch seems like a less complex whiskey but delivers a substantial amount of flavor and drinks older than its stated age of around 6 and a half years, and lower than its proof at 62.75% ABV. Really glad I acquired this bottle to experience a great Booker's batch. However, it's hard to justify spending $100 on it. Rating (t8ke scale) - 8

The weather has been quite warm recently, leading me to favor lighter spirits and beer. However, a friend visited and brought a bottle of Booker's. Booker's on a hot day can be a risky combination, so perhaps just a small taste. I couldn't refuse a sample of Booker's!! Wow! The bottle has been partially consumed and open for a few weeks. The aroma is potent. Caramel apple pie immediately hits, and I'm just bringing the glass close. There's cinnamon, nutmeg, and butter as well. Very little alcohol on the nose. It's astonishing how well a proof of 125+ and just over six years can tame the alcohol. The palate is also flavorful, though it presents as a more basic, straightforward bourbon. That's acceptable since the aroma compensates for it. It has a great mouthfeel, at least until the tip of my tongue and lips become numb. The roof of my mouth too! There's a pleasant, long finish with cinnamon apple red hot candy flavors that persist. I genuinely enjoy this one and consider it fairly priced at 90. It's also not as difficult to obtain as some others.

My initial taste of the Booker's lineup. Very nice presentation with the wooden box and inscriptions. I used to see these available occasionally at my local stores, but passed on them for some reason. I'm fortunate to have been given this as a gift from my wife for Xmas. I was quite impressed overall. The aroma was fairly complex and inviting. It reminded me of an apple turnover dusted with cinnamon. My palate first experienced what can be perceived as red hots from the elevated baking spice character and the uncut proof. When that subsided, notes of charred oak, grilled corn, and subtle leather emerged. The finish was slightly oily and long lasting which was a plus. Sweetness factor was at a minimum too. I very much enjoyed this dram overall and look forward to grabbing a future batch.

This darn thing is pungent, which would be the best way to describe the taste. I enjoy barrel proof or uncut spirits, so I'm not new to high proof; in my opinion, if you need to add ice to your Bourbon, you might as well put a nipple on the bottle, you big baby. Anyway, this is my second time trying Booker's. The bottle itself is very attractive, but the price is quite high - $99 for a 6.5-year-old Bourbon that is unfortunately just not very engaging. This particular bottle has been open for two weeks, and it's simply dull and pungent. At this point, I'm finished with Booker's; it's just mediocre, a straight C, and there are many, many better options available for that price.

Initially, the aroma is less intense than anticipated. It offers notes of pecans, cinnamon, cherry, charred oak, mild pine, white pepper, toast, orange, baking spices, celery, and caramel, with a hint of umami. The taste is hotter, featuring leather, oak, Red Hots candy, cocoa, brine, pepper, caramel, and a touch of orange. I'm pleased with this purchase. There's a certain funkiness, though it's clearly a barrel-strength bourbon. Adding a little water doesn't reveal more, it just smooths things out. It's quite intriguing.