booker's 2024-02
"beam house batch"

Nose Classic Beam aroma -- dusty peanut shells and black pepper. Butterscotch and vanilla undertones. Faint oak and some ethanol but not nearly enough to throw off the iconic Beam nose.

Palate Bold and earthy. Lots of the savory aspects of peanut and very little of the sweet. Deep palate spicy cinnamon and nutmeg. Surprisingly vegetal.

Finish Excellent stamina. The proof is up front and cools off as it goes down. Strong finish. Herbal cinnamon trickles through and the peanut shell lingers. Rare to consider the finish the outstanding aspect of a whiskey.

Notes It's rare for me to get my hands on something I haven't seen reviewed yet -- I predict this one will be divisive. I enjoy it thoroughly for the gunpowder boldness of it. However, it drinks far more savory than a typical Booker's -- no peanut butter here. There are whispers of a "classic bourbon" profile but not striking enough to take center stage. Very interesting, I'm inclined to call it my second favorite release (after 2023-03) but I'll need to do a flight first.