Little Book Chapter 7: In Retrospect

Chapters 2-5 were excellent. Number 6 was a significant letdown. I'm hopeful this one can redeem the line. I won't detail the full blend, but this contains very aged bourbon alongside some younger whiskey, plus a young rye and a young malt aged in barrels with applewood smoke. Sounds promising. Nose: Abundant spice. Clove, nutmeg, black pepper, allspice, and oak. Pipe smoke and black tea. Peanut brittle. Gala apple and black cherry. Toasted almond. Pumpkin spice. Sawdust. Pistachio. Palate: Toffee, gala apple, and black cherry. Brown sugar, caramel, and fudge. Macadamia and toasted almond. Dried apricot, raisin, and fig. Pistachio. Plum and grape. Spearmint. Sawdust and leather. Finish: Brown sugar, caramel, and vanilla. Raisin and dried apricot. Fig and date. Plum. Black pepper, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and oak. This brings the Little Book series back to its former glory. It's a delightful whiskey with impressive potency and remarkable harmony. It combines extremely mature spirits—by American standards—with a considerable amount of younger components. It feels like each selected element was meticulously and deliberately incorporated. At $150, this is priced the same as Chapter 6, and this one is vastly superior. Furthermore, considering the impressive age statements within this blend, it was well worth the cost. Even if you don't typically purchase limited editions, I strongly recommend acquiring this if you can find it. And if you're a collector who needs every release, this is an essential purchase. An outstanding offering from this distillery.

N: A rich Bourbon aroma with no alcohol burn. I'm aware of a rye and a finished Malt Whiskey component, but they aren't apparent to me. Just a significant amount of oak and caramel. It's a great aroma! If I were unaware of its composition, I'd guess a 12-15 year old Kentucky Straight Bourbon. P: A smooth, oily palate with a hint of warmth. The oak is expertly integrated. Caramel, vanilla, but not very nutty. However, I don't detect a strong peanut flavor from this distillery (nor do I get the vitamin note from that other brand). This tastes very similar to its aroma, which I consider a positive. It's a whiskey worth savoring. I'm searching for the non-Bourbon elements in the mix and not finding them. The blend proportions aren't disclosed like some others, so it could be predominantly Bourbon for all I know. F: A lingering finish persists as the oiliness continues to be noticeable. Overall, a pleasing whiskey. Perhaps not exceptional, but I'm glad to have it in my collection.

I suppose I'll be the first enthusiast to award this a perfect 5. I can detect the best characteristics of several bourbons in this whiskey. It's challenging to combine seven distinct spirits and truly highlight each one, but I believe a certain blender succeeded here with this release. I typically maintain that a good $60 bottle of bourbon can rival some of these special releases, but I can assert that the way this showcases the quantity and intensity of flavors is nothing short of impressive. I paid the suggested retail price of $150 and would gladly pay it again if the opportunity arose. The viscosity is excellent, and the whiskey has no harshness or alcohol burn despite being 118 proof. Combined with a pleasant warmth on the finish, it's a fantastic whiskey for sipping and discerning all the individual flavors. An outstanding blending job here. A 5-star pour for me.

Aroma - abundant greenery here. Rye is dominant in this initial pour. Wintergreen gum and pine notes, black licorice. Leather is extremely prominent here as well. Very bold. As it evolves, apples truly make their presence known. Taste - This is a very complex offering. Rye and aged oak are very apparent here. The distillery's signature peanut butter profile is found in the background on this. Apples and light berries also come through here in the mid-palate. Just a slight hint of that peanut butter creaminess emerges on the finish. Overall - This is extremely rye-forward in my opinion. Rye dominates the aroma and the taste on this initial pour. The flavors are pleasant & well balanced. Worth the Price? — Yes (I will update the rating and this review during future pours)

A pleasant dark fruit note followed by caramel, moderate oak, slight char, a hint of wax, then the dark fruit returns. Some nice warming baking spice notes lead into a finish with char, oak, and a touch of cherry. The finish is medium length and quite smooth.

Smell: Five-spice powder precedes the typical Jim Beam notes. Taste: Bold rye upfront, intricate, with tastes developing towards the end. Aftertaste: Lasts a moderate time, with peculiar spices I can't identify. This is straight from the bottle; I'll reassess after it has some time to breathe.