Bourbon Heritage Month is off to a good start, as Booker’s Bourbon has just introduced its first new whiskey innovation since 2019. Booker’s Bourbon ‘The Reserves’ is the first of what’s to become an annual, limited-release series by master distiller Freddie Noe. It’s meant to commemorate Freddie’s grandfather, sixth-generation master distiller Booker Noe, and his contributions to the bourbon world. And the full-flavored American whiskey is inspired by how Freddie believes his grandfather would be making whiskey today.
Booker’s Bourbon ‘The Reserves’ is an 8-to-14-year-old blend. Like all Booker’s releases, it’s uncut and unfiltered, and the liquid comes from the center of the rackhouse, where the temperature and humidity create the most intense flavors. But unlike other Booker’s bourbons, it’s released in smaller quantities than typical batches and uses fewer and older barrels to achieve a unique flavor profile. The 2024 edition spans eight production dates and eight different warehouses, so Noe and his team employed a lot of their available resources to make this expression happen.
“Liquid like this can take a while to find, but when I do, it feels like the Big Man himself picked them out,” says Freddie Noe. “It’s just the kind of Bourbon I believe my grandaddy would be making if he were still alive with us now.”
Booker’s Bourbon ‘The Reserves’ 2024 is available in limited quantities nationwide. It’s 125.9 proof and carries a suggested price of $129. Until you get your hands on a bottle, here are some tasting notes from the brand.
Booker’s Bourbon 2024 The Reserves Tasting Notes
Nose: Notes of dried fruit and nuanced brown sugar sweetness.
Taste: Complex rich vanilla with hints of charred oak.
Finish: Full-bodied with long and lingering notes of baking spice.
