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Booker's 2021-04 "Noe Stranger's Batch" is my first introduction to Booker's line of bourbons. I know that I am late to the party, but Booker's pricepoint and grandiloquent (I just learned this new word for "fancy") packaging and scarcity in the Atlanta area had always made me reluctant to purchase one. However, this batch recently hit Georgia in a major way, so I felt compelled to buy it.
This first review is a little thin from a detail perspective, but I will add specifics during my second tasting to give this Booker's batch a fair review.
Rating: 79
| Nose |
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| Palate |
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| Finish |
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| Uniqueness |
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| Value |
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Ratings breakdown based on a 100 point scale.
- 90-100 Exceptional
- 80-89 Very Good
- 70-79 Average
- 60-69 Below Average
- 50-60 Drain Pour
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Detailed Tasting Notes
Nose Review - Rating: 86
This Booker's batch has a beautiful dark, rich, and heavy aroma. Right from the beginning, I get dark cherry spice notes. It has a mild ethanol aroma that lingers below the dark cherry caramel. The nose gets even more decadent, sweet, and caramelized the longer you let it sit in the glass before sipping. After allowing my glass to sit for a few minutes, its spicey aroma came through strong.
Palate Review - Rating: 81
The palate is initially a little salty and ethanol-heavy. I cleansed my palate and let the glass sit for a little bit...to see if my palate was off. People say Booker's always runs hot, but I thought the heat is appropriate for its 124.4 proof. Anyway, I let the glass sit while watching Star Trek Voyager, and the saltiness seemed to dissipate. With that hindering feature gone, the balanced spiciness, oak, and sweetness come through. Booker's 2021-04 "Noe Stranger's Batch" seems like one of those bourbons that will open up in a friendly way. I am looking forward to my next tasting in a few weeks.
Finish Review - Rating: 80
Nice moderately long, spice-oriented, and hot finish.
Uniqueness Review - Rating: 75
Packaging aside, there wasn't much in the way of distinguishing features for this batch. I am a little disappointed because I heard that the previous Bardstown Batch was excellent.
Value Review - Rating: 73
$90 is a lot to pay for something that doesn't impress from the beginning. Of course, high-proof bourbons seem to open up after a tasting or two, so I will revisit this rating in a few weeks.
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Smell IS taste. I am just a guy who has been hit with the bourbon bug and who has come to the conclusion that life is too short to drink average tasting bourbons. Go Gators!
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