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Whiskey Review: Little Book The Easy

We review Little Book The Easy, the first whiskey created by Freddie Noe and the introductory bottling in Beam's new Little Book collection.

OVERALL RATING

7
  • Margarett Waterbury is a whiskey enthusiast and industry expert.
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Tasting Notes

About:

120.48 proof (wow that’s precise!). A combination of bourbon, corn whiskey, rye whiskey, and malt whiskey
Appearance:
Bright copper
Nose:
A very sweet-and-savory nose. I get salted peanuts, fresh corn, sherry, almonds, wood shavings, white wine, caramel corn, and the scent that rises from a fresh loaf of multigrain bread. There’s also banana, coconut, caramel, and brazil nut, kind of like a fancy tropical torte served at a Hawaiian resort.
Palate:
A syrupy mouth feel introduces sweet waves of citrus, tropical fruits, white peaches, fresh grain, creamy caramel, and strong vanilla. Tingly spice enters at the mid-palate, with cinnamon Red Hots and clove-studded orange. The finish is likewise sweet and a little sticky, with a hearty wallop of alcohol. Water amplifies the sweetness even more, if such a thing were possible. The combination of intense vanilla and thick mouth feel makes sipping it feel a little like drinking melted vanilla ice cream, studded with a few kernels of candy corn. Freddie invites you to “enjoy it however you like—neat, with ice, or with a splash of water,” and over ice actually gets my vote, which helps take the proof down while retaining that nice creamy mouth feel.
Finish:
Comments:
I’m not totally sure what to make of this whiskey. The sweetness and heavy vanilla/caramel notes make Little Book identifiably Beam, but there’s a new layer of tropical fruit that pushes it in a different direction. It also tastes quite young, despite the inclusion of that 13-year-old corn whiskey, with pronounced fresh grain and wood flavors. rnrnIt’s hard to imagine diehard Booker’s fans leaping on the Little Book bandwagon, but it might help Beam reach into a different segment of the market that balks at Booker’s spiciness. While I didn’t love The Easy, it’s definitely unique, which makes me excited to see what Freddie comes up with next.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Margarett Waterbury

Margarett Waterbury is the author of "Scotch: A Complete Introduction to Scotland's Whiskies" and a full-time freelance writer and editor specializing in the beverage industry. Her work has graced the pages of numerous publications, including Whisky Advocate, Food and Wine, Spirited Magazine, Artisan Spirit, Edible Seattle, Sip Northwest, Civil Eats, Travel Oregon, and many others. She also boasts editorial experience as the former managing editor of Edible Portland and as a co-founder and former managing editor of The Whiskey Wash. In recognition of her talent, Margarett received the Alan Lodge Young Drinks Writer of the Year award in 2017 and was awarded fellowships for the Symposium for Professional Wine Writers in 2017 and 2019.

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