Day 22 of DB's Bourbon Trail 2023 Advent Calendar - Booker’s 2022-04 “Pinkie’s Batch”

Cheers and welcome to our 4th Annual Advent Calendar! Throughout the next month, we will be going on a high-end bourbon journey together and reviewing 25 bourbons from award winning distilleries across America. Starting on December 1st and ending on December 25th - we will get to experience everything from small batches to single barrels that are jam packed with flavor. Please join us in toasting to another incredible year and getting to virtually share some of our favorite bottles from this past year with you!

**This review has been completed by using a Glencairn glass and neat if you want to compare the same tasting notes as DB’s Bourbon Trail. BUT - the best thing about it being YOUR bourbon is that you get to enjoy it that way YOU want to and prefer! As long as it brings us together and you are enjoying it - pour it over ice, add water, or add it to a cocktail! It’s all about what makes you happy and what you enjoy - don’t let others influence you differently!**

Enough of me rambling, let’s dive into what brought us here!

Day 22 of DB’s Bourbon Trail 2023 Advent Calendar

Booker’s 2022-04 “Pinkie’s Batch”

Proof:

• 122.4 Proof (61.2%)

Distillery:

• Jim Beam Distillery (Clermont, KY)

Age:

• 6 years, 10 months, 10 days

Message on the bottle:

 "The whiskey in this package is the highest grade Bourbon created by me here at Jim Beam. It is bottled uncut and unfiltered. My grandfather, Jim Beam liked his whiskey from 6 to 8 years old."

"Booker's Bourbon is quality screened to remove only pieces of charred barrel wood."

BATCH STORY:

"The fourth release of the Booker’s® Bourbon 2022 Collection is Booker’s Batch 2022-04 “Pinkie’s Batch.” Frederick Booker Noe, better known as Pinkie to his family and friends, was my grandad. To this day I’m actually not sure where Pinkie got his nickname from, but one thing I do know is that he was someone who always followed his passions, just like I do with whiskey making.

A lot of people thought that Pinkie was in the bourbon business – a good assumption to make about someone in our family – but he worked as the vice president of the local bank. That’s not to say he didn’t enjoy drinking bourbon – he actually was a big fan – but the bourbon business just wasn’t his thing like it was for Dad and is for me and my son Freddie. When Pinkie wasn’t running the bank, he also loved to golf. I remember as a little boy that golf was a big part of his life, and he tried to play as often as possible. So much so that he had an indent in his hip from the golf balls he’d keep in his pocket. Pinkie was also an outdoorsman, with a passion for hunting that he passed down to Booker. He often brought Dad along with him to hunt quail, and I know those were always bonding experiences for them.

While Dad and Pinkie had some different interests, they would bond over what brought them together, like hunting or watching a football game. As you try Pinkie’s batch, I invite you to raise a glass to the original Frederick Booker Noe and hope you enjoy it as much as he would've. Cheers!

--- Fred Noe, Beam Family 7th Generation Master Distiller"

MASTER DISTILLER NOTES:

"This batch is made up of four production dates that were aged in four different warehouses. The breakdown of barrel storage for Booker’s “Pinkie’s Batch” is as follows:

• 47% came from the 3rd floor of 7-story warehouse Z

• 36% came from the 4th floor of 7-story warehouse 1

• 11% came from the 4th floor of 7-story warehouse X

• 6% came from the 5th floor of 7-story warehouse Q

The color of this batch is a rich, golden amber that really shines when you hold it up to the light and admire the glass you’ve poured. The aroma is balanced with brown spice and vanilla notes, which gives you a preview of the taste. When you first sip it, your mouth is filled with Booker’s signature vanilla flavor, and it leaves you with a lingering well-rounded finish. I know my dad and grandad would have enjoyed this batch over a football game, and I’m very proud to name this batch in honor of my granddad, Frederick Booker Noe."

Price Point:

**At DB’s Bourbon Trail we utilize an app called BoozApp (not sponsored - we wish!) to ensure we are getting at least a fair price on our bourbon before purchasing. Nothing is worse than getting taken advantage of by a flipper playing the supply/demand game**

• Average MSRP:

  • $145.00

• Fair Price:

  • $145.50

• Shelf Price:

  • $89.99

• DB’s Bourbon Trail Instant Buy Price:

  • <$100.00

Review:

The one thing that I love about Booker's and their different batch stories are that they open up and allow us to be apart of their family traditions. More importantly, their bottles are made to be shared and to raise a glass to their family and the ones you chose to share it with. Best part, if you're reading this - that's you!

Let's dive into the magic of this glass!

Nose:

• Caramel, Sweet Peanut Brittle, Vanilla Bean

Palate:

• Creamy Sweet Peanut Butter, Vanilla Bean, Cinnamon Stick

Finish:

•  Long, Peanuts, Caramel, Cinnamon Spice

Final Thoughts:

What an incredible pour! Anything from Jim Beam always has a little hint of peanut to me and this bottle stays true. Honestly, the caramel and vanilla sweetness to this pour pairs really well and kind of resembles a peanut brittle to me. Obviously brittle with a kick at 120+ proof!

Either way, I am very appreciative of Pinkie's story and a great bottle to honor him with. This is a solid pour and 10/10 recommend trying a Booker's pour every chance you can get!

Cheers y’all!

Interesting in what else we might have cooking? Learn more here!

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