Booker's Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Thirtieth Anniversary Limited Edition NV

Reviews

BB

"Nose: Vanilla ; Caramel ; Oak ; Cooked Cherries ; Dried Tobacco ; Ripe Banana; Wonderfully Uniform Presentation / Taste: Oak; Roasted Nuts; Chocolate Muffin; Rye Bread; Maple Syrup; Vanilla / Finish: Long, strong and dry . . . . Overall: From its explosive nose to its punch-in-the-mouth flavor and texture, this is what Booker’s fans love. Booker Noe himself created his namesake brand to be powerful, and it does not disappoint. I first tasted “Booker’s 30” with Fred Noe, III, and a press group inside a 40 F rickhouse in November. Cold but still bold, yet the chilly temps numbed its nuances . . . . Four hours later we tasted it again in a 70 F conference room at the distillery: much more aroma and brighter flavors. We even passed around some cured Kentucky ham slices to top it off . . . . Adding ice brought the beast to heel as the texture changed from hot and dry to silky and lush. It also released new flavors of cinnamon, taffy and marshmallow. Friggin’ delicious . . . . this is what I love about Booker’s 30: It showed Fred Noe III’s still got some rebel in him. Team Beam wanted to use only 16 year-old whiskey, but Noe considered the nose 'off, funky, kinda weird, frankly.' To test his take, he brought in Fred Noe IV, a.k.a. Freddie, and asked what he thought. Same reaction: the nose was off. To get the whiskey he wanted, Fred III requested some 9-year-old barrels be blended into the 16s. It took a couple of tries before he was satisfied. He and his son, the final judges on all things Booker’s, believed it 'would make Grandaddy happy,' Fred said."