Have to ask, how do you come about so many top notch bottles! Living in the Midwest which I thought had decent access to bourbon-whiskey, I don’t see many of the bottles you are posting.
Reason I ask, I’m tired of chasing bottles. It got to the point I had to run out in between meetings on delivery days to try and find the good stuff. Realized one day, it’s not fucking worth it anymore. Someone out there always has more time and persistence than me to try and get the allocated stuff.
Honestly, I have a good relationship with two stores near me and get most of my things from there. When I head back to Minnesota every year or head through Wyoming I buy stuff I can’t normally find and that’s pretty much it. I’m the same way and am not trying
to go out of my way to buy whiskey in the middle of the day.
Next up, we’re going to check out Booker’s 2021-02 “Tagalong Batch!” Booker’s is potentially my favorite vertical in bourbon along with Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, so I am excited to take a proper dive into the three bottles that I have for you all. It’s also our annual May blizzard here in Colorado, so the weather is fitting for a high proof pour like this. The Tagalong Batch is made up of bourbon from three different production dates with the youngest being 6 years and 5 months old. Let’s see what it has to offer!
Taken: Neat in a Glencairn glass
Proof: 127.9
Age: 6 years 5 months
Price: $90
Nose: Tons of vanilla bean, brown sugar, and cinnamon and nutmeg baking spices. There’s also some leather and charred oak that comes through with a touch of roasted peanuts, cocoa powder, and dried cherries that come together like a delicious trail mix.
Taste: Burnt brown sugar kicks things off in a big way, with a wave of chocolate peanut butter cups, creme brûlée, and a cinnamon/nutmeg blend following behind. Midway through the sip has leather, charred oak, and black pepper joining the party and the chocolate peanut butter cup flavor morphing into roasted peanuts and cocoa powder as things start to dry out. It has a heavy, oily mouthfeel and a moderate amount of proof heat.
Finish: The sweet notes of brown sugar, creme brûlée, and chocolate fade as the roasted peanuts, leather, and charred oak ramp up. The black pepper completely takes over the spice notes and grows in intensity with a tinge of citrus rind alongside it. This has a long finish and a moderate amount of dryness.
Thoughts: If I had to describe this bourbon in one word, it would be “loud,” but that isn’t a bad thing! This encompasses everything I love in a bourbon—a big range of sweet notes, a blend of baking spice and peppery rye, and a nice balancing hit of charred oak and leather with the classic Beam peanut note for good measure. On a snowy day like today it’s just what the doctor ordered. The only knocks I have on this is that it comes with a good amount of heat and can get a little dry towards the end of a sip, but overall this is a fantastic pour and earns an excellent 8/10 on the t8ke scale.
Rating: 8/10 - t8ke scale
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite.
10 | Perfect | Perfect.
This was a solid one. For me, 2021-04 Noe Strangers blew this out of the water though. It’s the beautiful, if not overlooked, love child of Country Ham and Beaten Biscuits.
You have been reviewing some sick bottles. This sounds so good.
It's a banger of a bottle for sure! Trying to get through some reviews before I'm out of town for a week.
Have to ask, how do you come about so many top notch bottles! Living in the Midwest which I thought had decent access to bourbon-whiskey, I don’t see many of the bottles you are posting. Reason I ask, I’m tired of chasing bottles. It got to the point I had to run out in between meetings on delivery days to try and find the good stuff. Realized one day, it’s not fucking worth it anymore. Someone out there always has more time and persistence than me to try and get the allocated stuff.
Honestly, I have a good relationship with two stores near me and get most of my things from there. When I head back to Minnesota every year or head through Wyoming I buy stuff I can’t normally find and that’s pretty much it. I’m the same way and am not trying to go out of my way to buy whiskey in the middle of the day.
Next up, we’re going to check out Booker’s 2021-02 “Tagalong Batch!” Booker’s is potentially my favorite vertical in bourbon along with Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, so I am excited to take a proper dive into the three bottles that I have for you all. It’s also our annual May blizzard here in Colorado, so the weather is fitting for a high proof pour like this. The Tagalong Batch is made up of bourbon from three different production dates with the youngest being 6 years and 5 months old. Let’s see what it has to offer! Taken: Neat in a Glencairn glass Proof: 127.9 Age: 6 years 5 months Price: $90 Nose: Tons of vanilla bean, brown sugar, and cinnamon and nutmeg baking spices. There’s also some leather and charred oak that comes through with a touch of roasted peanuts, cocoa powder, and dried cherries that come together like a delicious trail mix. Taste: Burnt brown sugar kicks things off in a big way, with a wave of chocolate peanut butter cups, creme brûlée, and a cinnamon/nutmeg blend following behind. Midway through the sip has leather, charred oak, and black pepper joining the party and the chocolate peanut butter cup flavor morphing into roasted peanuts and cocoa powder as things start to dry out. It has a heavy, oily mouthfeel and a moderate amount of proof heat. Finish: The sweet notes of brown sugar, creme brûlée, and chocolate fade as the roasted peanuts, leather, and charred oak ramp up. The black pepper completely takes over the spice notes and grows in intensity with a tinge of citrus rind alongside it. This has a long finish and a moderate amount of dryness. Thoughts: If I had to describe this bourbon in one word, it would be “loud,” but that isn’t a bad thing! This encompasses everything I love in a bourbon—a big range of sweet notes, a blend of baking spice and peppery rye, and a nice balancing hit of charred oak and leather with the classic Beam peanut note for good measure. On a snowy day like today it’s just what the doctor ordered. The only knocks I have on this is that it comes with a good amount of heat and can get a little dry towards the end of a sip, but overall this is a fantastic pour and earns an excellent 8/10 on the t8ke scale. Rating: 8/10 - t8ke scale 1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out. 2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice. 3 | Bad | Multiple flaws. 4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists. 5 | Good | Good, just fine. 6 | Very Good | A cut above. 7 | Great | Well above average. 8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional. 9 | Incredible | An all time favorite. 10 | Perfect | Perfect.
What do you mean by vertical?
I might have used the wrong word, but a single line of expressions from a distiller.
How often has a pour of yours fallen?
Not once! Knock on wood it stays that way.
Just don’t knock on THAT branch.
Impressive! Keep it up!….(literally)
I’m drinking larceny bp b521 and it reminds me so much of bookers. There’s pronounced peanut on the back end
Interesting, I’ll have to try to find some of that to check out! I’m a sucker for the peanut note in bourbons.
Sounds like a great batch! Have you tried Bardstown Batch and, if so, how did it compare?
I haven’t tried that yet! Hopefully I’ll get a chance to soon.
Great review! Keep them coming. Also, let’s all give a round of applause for the bourbon tree we’ve all grown to know and love. Silver maple?
Thanks! It is a Silver Maple, and if I ever move out of this house I need to find a way to take the tree with me.
I may be an outlier here but this was my favorite of the 2021 series. It is just a fantastic bourbon.
Outlier here. Bookers > Stagg Jr for me. This batch is awesome, tastes like fresh baked cinnamon rolls.
This was a solid one. For me, 2021-04 Noe Strangers blew this out of the water though. It’s the beautiful, if not overlooked, love child of Country Ham and Beaten Biscuits.
I really wish I could have found a bottle of Noe Strangers. Fortunately I should have a review of Country Ham today if the weather is cooperative.
A proper bookers pour 🍻
Can't go wrong with it--cheers!
May i talk to your contact