Editor’s Note: This whiskey was provided to us as a review sample by Beam-Suntory. This in no way, per our editorial policies, influenced the final outcome of this review.
Baking with your grandmother is almost a rite of passage. Booker Noe learned from his grandmother how to make beaten biscuits, which are thin and cracker-like compared to buttermilk biscuits. Getting them just right can be as painstaking as picking out the right barrels to blend a bourbon. Because of this, the Booker’s 2019-04 batch has been given the moniker, “Beaten Biscuits.”
Beaten biscuits are typically paired with country ham, another love of Noe, and the third batch release of 2019. This style of biscuit requires all the air to be removed, hence the beating. Just as with his bourbon, Noe spent time fine-tuning his biscuit recipe. He wanted a perfect beaten biscuit that would showcase the flavors of country ham or bourbon.
For the holidays, Noe would send his homemade biscuits with country hams to friends and family. As a fitting tribute, Booker’s 2019-04 “Beaten Biscuits” arrived in time for the holiday season. The last batch release of 2019 is a blend of three barrels from a single production date and two warehouses. Hand picked by Fred Noe and Booker’s Bourbon Roundtable, the barrels breakdown as follows:
- 47% came from the 6th floor of 9-story warehouse H
- 11% came from the 4th floor of 7-story warehouse P
- 42% came from the 5th floor of 7-story warehouse P
You can try making your own beaten biscuits while enjoying this latest bourbon from Booker’s, so let’s see how this batch works out…
Tasting Notes: Booker’s Bourbon Batch 2019-04
Vital Stats: 63.05% ABV; 126.1 proof. Kentucky straight bourbon aged 6 years, 6 months, 19 days. 750mL $80.
Appearance: Deep amber/chestnut.
Nose: The nose is lush with black cherry and raisin. For the proof, it doesn’t completely singe your nostrils. It’s pretty malty starting in the middle and moving through to the finish. The sweet smell comes from a rich caramel or demerara syrup. The charred barrel lingers in the background.
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Palate: The whiskey melts away on the tongue. It is a touch oil, which you can see in the legs running down the glass. It is slightly spicy from the mash bill, not the ABV. However, the ABV warms you up instantly. Compared to some other Booker’s, this one doesn’t burn or makes your eyes water. It tastes just like gramma’s biscuits; flour, baking powder, sugar, and butter. Mmmmmmm. It is malty on the backend.
When cut with water, it opens up the oil and creates a buttery mouthfeel. The whiskey also gets maltier with water.
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