Booker's Bourbon Batch 2023-01 "Charlie's Batch"

Color: Medium Copper/Amber Nose: Sweet with vanilla, and what initially seemed like maple. However, I soon realized it was actually walnuts. Delicious! (It made sense, like maple-walnut). I love walnuts, so I get very excited when they appear. Also, there's no ethanol smell at all. Impressive for 126 proof! Before my first taste, I really hoped the palate would match the superb nose... and it certainly did! Sweet cinnamon apples were evident just before the first sip... Palate: Sweet cinnamon apples right from the start. Plenty of spice with a nice warmth in the chest. More cinnamon in the middle. As the ice cube melts, the walnuts from the nose reappear. Yes! Some subtle oak and spice (cloves? allspice?) appear on the finish. Finish: Medium length, with much of the sweet and nutty palate notes remaining as it fades. I paid more than I anticipated for this bottle, expecting it to be closer to the $90.00 suggested retail price, especially since I bought it at my grocery store, where I usually avoid overpaying for hard-to-find bottles. However, I must say it is so good—so complex and flavorful—that the high price was softened. This is excellent bourbon. Superlative, I'd say. If possible, I will get another bottle, but only if I can find it for under $100.

Nose: Vanilla and brown sugar cookies baked with walnuts, cooked over a campfire. Palate: The familiar salty nuttiness from the distillery is present, accompanied by a deep, sweet honey that complements the initial flavors. The 126.6 proof is evident on my palate. It has a smooth, thick texture, suggesting an age older than the 7 years stated for this batch. Finish: Burnt oak transitions into a tart cherry soda flavor. Overall: An excellent bottle for under $100. My limited experience with this brand doesn't prevent me from saying this is a top contender compared to other bottles I own priced between $100 and $125. If you find it at its suggested retail price, or up to $125, get it. It offers qualities far beyond its price point.

Heavy wood barrel and alcohol on the nose, accompanied by a deep caramel sweetness. The flavor delivers a powerful spicy kick, followed by so much wood that there are even bitter tannin notes present. The typical bourbon caramel and vanilla notes are there, but they are very subdued. I find the flavor interesting, but it lacks the richness to carry the intensity of this proof; it's slightly unbalanced. Still enjoyable.

The alcohol and nuts are present on the nose. Served neat, the first thing that stands out is a cinnamon spice, but it's not overpowering. With a little ice, the nuttiness comes through, finishing with a spice and a slightly tart dryness. Overall, it's a great glass to savor. The tart finish is what prevents it from scoring higher for me.

Tried neat thanks to a friend during their visit, and subsequently purchased a bottle. On the nose, I get notes of cinnamon, sour candy, clove, toast, char, green apple, banana, and red hots. On the palate, it's hot and warm at the back of the throat, and spicy, with notes of cinnamon, clove, caramel, and a slight hint of vanilla.

Aroma is spicy and woodsy with green apple Jolly Rancher or lemongrass on the side. Taste follows through with toffee, caramel, pecan, and lemon-lime-green apple. Spicy and sour-earthy finish, very long, but a little medicinal. Knob Creek 120 proof and Elijah Craig Barrel Proof would be good comparisons.