🥃 Get ready, bourbon lovers! In this exciting episode, we’re cracking open a fresh bottle and diving headfirst into the highly anticipated Booker’s 2025-01 “Barry’s Batch” straight from the legendary Jim Beam distillery! 🔥
This powerhouse bourbon hits you with a bold 125.7 proof and has been aging to perfection in the barrel for a sweet 7 years, 4 months, and 2 days. ⏳ You know it’s going to be something special!
Join us as we meticulously explore every single facet of this incredible dram. We’ll take you on a sensory journey, covering: ✨
Color & Appearance: What does this liquid gold look like in the glass? 🎨
Aroma: What enticing scents rise from the pour? 👃
Taste: What flavors dance on the palate? 😋
Finish: What lingering sensations does it leave behind? 🤔
Does the Booker’s 2025-01 “Barry’s Batch” live up to the legendary reputation of its predecessors? 🤔 Will this be the bourbon dream come true for all you Booker’s enthusiasts out there? 😍 We’ll give you our honest take!
Smash that play button now to discover our in-depth tasting notes and our genuine recommendations! 👇 If you’re loving the wheated whiskey goodness, don’t forget to give us a thumbs up 👍, hit that subscribe button 🔔 for more bourbon reviews, and share this video with your fellow whiskey aficionados ➡️! Cheers! 🥂
#bourbon #bookers #JimBeam
🚨YOUR BOURBON JOURNEY DOES NOT SELL ALCOHOL🚨
✴️ Booker’s 2025-01 Barry’s Batch
Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Company: Beam Suntory
Distillery: Jim Beam Distillery
Mash Bill: 77% Corn, 13% Rye, 10% Malted Barley
Age: 7 years, 2 months, and 4 days
Proof: 125.7
MSRP: $100
Released: March 2025
Purchased: 04/10/25 for $110 at Jim Beam American Outpost
NOTE: The spirit in this review was purchased by us. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is simply our opinion based on what we tasted on this day. Please drink responsibly.
Event Date: Saturday, September 14, 2024 6:00 – 10:00 PM By Rebecca Herman McBrayer
Wayne and I were absolutely thrilled for this event! Over the past two years, we have passionately enjoyed bourbon dinners that have left an indelible impression, and attending the Supper Club events at James B. Beam Distillery has been nothing short of a culinary adventure. Each occasion brought us exquisite food meticulously prepared and captivating stories that enveloped us in the rich heritage of bourbon.
Event Description: A special evening with 7th & 8th generation master distiller’s Fred & Freddie Noe at Fred’s home in Bardstown, KY with some of their renowned friends. Dinner will be provided by the Kitchen Table restaurant with an opportunity to enjoy pours and cocktails from each participating distillery. You will be delighted with stories during an exclusive round table tasting featuring a product from each brand, and the opportunity to interact with top professionals in the bourbon industry.
The speakers for the evening included: Brent Elliott – Four Roses, Royce Neeley – Neeley Family Distillery, Steve Nally – Bardstown Bourbon Company, Rob Samuels & Bill Samuels Jr – Maker’s Mark, and Fred & Freddie Noe – James B. Beam. Baker Beam was also at the dinner but did not speak on the panel.
The Noe’s Home in Bardstown – A Spectacular Setting
As instructed, we parked at a nearby church and walked to the driveway entrance where we were checked in and joined others in anticipation for it to be 6PM. Although it was an incredibly hot day, we were joyful for no rain and excited that the sun would be setting beautifully as the night unfolded. We met some fantastic people in line and enjoyed a delightful dinner with them – Michael & Dawn Mitchell of Chasing Neat.
Freddie Noe welcomed us, provided a brief overview of the evening, and invited us to enjoy our cocktails.
Neeley Family Distillery Cocktail and Appetizers
As described by Chef Landry – the cocktail was a New Orleans classic Sazerac made with Absinthe from the Neeley Family Distillery. Chef sought to match the absinthe flavors with the herbs in the oysters and the fennel in the spinach tart.
They started passing the appetizers early on and they were terrific! The Hidden Barn Cherry Picker Sazerac was outstanding!
Distiller Icon’s Panel Discussion and Tasting
This experience was nothing short of extraordinary! Having the chance to listen to each of these icons delve into their histories, share their passions, and express their spirits was truly awe-inspiring. The atmosphere was wonderfully relaxed and engaging. We were incredibly lucky to have Andy Treinen, the President of the Frazier History Museum, as our moderator, guiding us through this excellent discussion. There were moments of delightful banter among the speakers and some truly entertaining stories shared that added to the magic of the evening!
Each icon had an opportunity to speak and then introduce their pour. **Brent Elliott – Four Roses 2024 Limited Edition Small Batch. **Royce Neeley – Neeley Family Distillery, Hidden Barn. **Steve Nally – Bardstown Bourbon Company, Discovery Series #12. **Rob Samuels & Bill Samuels Jr – Maker’s Mark 2024 Cellar Aged. **Fred & Freddie Noe – James B. Beam, Booker’s ‘The Reserves’ 2024.
At the conclusion of the talks, Chef Brian Landry introduced the menu. He has been working with Fred and Freddie for the last three years and they have done many collaborative dinners. He strives to align well with them and the liquids they place in the barrels. Chef reminded us the the Beam’s saying, “Drink it any damn way you please!” However, he noted that tonight we would be drinking as the distillers’ pleased because they selected the cocktails and then Chef Landry reverse-engineered the menu.
Four Roses Bourbon Cocktail and First Course
Chef Landry – Four Roses Single Barrel Vieux Carre another New Orleans cocktail has a little bit of Benedictine in it, a lot of herbal notes, and it’s finished with some bitters that are heavy on star anise. The pork belly was marinated with soy sauce and then finished with the caramel sauce that has a bit of fish sauce in it. This was served with corn pudding.
The pork belly was cooked to perfection! Plus, the creaminess of the corn pudding was amazing. Fantastic course.
Bardstown Bourbon Company Cocktail and Second Course
Chef Landry – Anytime we come here we have to do Fried Chicken, so we’re going to do a fried chicken thigh with truffle honey, truffle grits, and a wild mushroom au jus that will go with the High Wheat Side Car from Bardstown. The Side Car has a lemon juice and Orange Curacao that will help cut through the richness of the fried chicken.
I’m personally a push-over for fried chicken and love grits – this combo did not disappoint! Wow – the chicken was very flavorful and crispy and the grits were delightfully creamy.
James B. Beam Cocktail and Third Course
Chef Landry – For the final savory course, Fred is the master of the grill, so we are doing a 14 oz veal chop. It is an Italian style dish, a Veal Saltimbocca. It is cooked on the grill with garlicky breadcrumbs, sage, and country ham chips from Freddie’s country ham.
This veal chop was indescribably good. Cooked to perfection and seasoned amazingly. Unfortunately, we were so full by the time it arrived that we could only enjoy part of it. To-go bags would have made for a terrific midnight snack!
Maker’s Mark Cocktail and Dessert
Chef Landry – The final course is sweet. The cocktail is a Maker’s Mark 46 Apple Butter Old Fashioned. Then, the burnt cinnamon pot due crème was made with burnt cinnamon sticks that we steeped in cream and then added a bit of orange zest and vanilla. It is finished off with cane syrup granola, salted caramel, and green apples.
As mentioned previously, we were full by the veal chop. Even so, we had to at least taste the cocktail and this scrumptious dessert. There might have been more than one bite involved!
Freddie Demonstrating the Kentucky Whiskey Ham Luge
Freddie is well-known for his cured hams and for hollowing out a portion to pour bourbon over it. This night probably would not have been complete if Chef Landry hadn’t put the challenge out to do this, which Freddie did with ease. But turnabout’s fair play – Freddie then challenged Chef and he accepted with great skill as well! Fun times!
A Great Night to Connect with Awesome People
In addition to Fred Noe signing a bottle of Booker’s ‘The Reserves’ 2024 for us, he and Baker Beam also signed our 1990s mini set of Booker’s, Baker’s, Basil Hayden’s, and Knob Creek.
We also had an opportunity to chat with and get pictures with Royce & Rebekah Neeley, Steve Nally, and Lisa Wicker!
It was a night that we will always cherish! Thank you, one and all, for spending the evening with us!
We picked up a bottle of the Booker’s 2024-01 Springfield Batch in April and enjoyed it so much that we needed to snag another one. Last month we were able to get a bottle of the Booker’s 2024-02 The Beam House Batch during a quick stop at the James B. Beam American Outpost. We have been wanting to try the latest one and decided that we might as well do a formal tasting of each.
The cards of the Batch Story and Master Distiller Notes are always fascinating for us; thus, sharing them below.
Please be sure to read our approach to Tasting Whiskey if you haven’t already.
Booker’s 2024-01, Springfield Batch
Mashbill – 77% Corn, 13% Rye, 10% Malted Barley Age – 7 years, 7 Months, 8 days Other – Barrel-strength bourbon, bottled uncut and unfiltered Proof – 124.5 Price Paid – $111.29 (with tax)
Appearance – Deep amber and with a lot of legs.
Aroma – Bold and spicy, brown sugar and vanilla, oak with a light smokiness.
Tasted Neat – The bold baking spices are noted immediately. It has the sweetness of brown sugar with hints of vanilla and a bit of nuttiness. A very nice and long finish of cinnamon spice, oak, and a hint of leather.
Tasted with dried cranberry – Interestingly, Wayne felt that the cranberry intensified the spiciness while I thought it made it smoother. There is definitely a dominate taste of cinnamon with the cranberry and the sweeter notes of brown sugar and vanilla disappeared.
Tasted with a pecan – The brown sugar returned with the addition of dark chocolate. The finish is medium with dark chocolate, cinnamon, oak, and leather.
Tasted with dark chocolate – This seems to have muted many of the flavors. Instead, there is a symphony of spices alternating and coming to life such as white, black, and red pepper as well a cinnamon. Very long finish of all things pepper.
Booker’s 2024-02, The Beam House Batch
Mashbill – 77% Corn, 13% Rye, 10% Malted Barley Age – 7 years, 2 Months, 22 days Other – Barrel-strength bourbon, bottled uncut and unfiltered Proof – 126.4 Price Paid – $121.90 (with tax)
Appearance – Deep amber and with a lot of legs.
Aroma – Caramel, vanilla, peanuts, and apple.
Tasted Neat – The first thought is sweet. It tastes much like its nose with vanilla, caramel, peanuts, and apple. It is reminiscent of being at the fair and each a caramel apple rolled in crushed peanuts. The finish is long with cinnamon, apple, a hint of citrus, and lingering oak.
Tasted with dried cranberry – The caramel is gone but the apple is more present and the cinnamon is gentle on the finish.
Tasted with a pecan – This really enhance the oak flavors and brought some baking spices toward the front of the palate. The caramel apple is there but it seems to be sprinkled with cinnamon. The finish is very woody.
Tasted with dark chocolate – The sweetness is now muted and black pepper and a stronger cinnamon have taken the place of the caramel apple. The finish continues to be oaky but with enhanced spices.
Discussion and Final Notes
Springfield Batch and Beam House Batch couldn’t be more different on the nose and palate when you consider they are the same mashbill, by the same distiller, similar age, similar proof, etc. Again, this is one of the many things that we love about bourbon!
We love the brown sugar, cinnamon and leather notes in the Springfield Batch. However, we also find the caramel apple and crushed peanuts of the Beam House Batch to be quite tasty.
Springfield provides a rather “traditional” Booker’s experience of a bold flavor profile yet with the sweet notes that we have come to expect in a great bourbon. While Beam House Batch is certainly from the same family, it has a sweeter profile than typically expected and with the addition of apple.
For us, we are big fans of Booker’s and appreciate what Fred Noe does to curate the best barrels for each batch to tell a special story. These are no different. As is common for us, we try to buy and have a back-up bottle of each batch. That is our recommendation for Springfield and Beam House. Find them while they are available as they will be great additions for your collection.
Bourbon Whiskey: Made in the U.S, distilled at <= 160 proof, barreled at <= 125 proof, aged in new, charred oak containers, bottled at >= 80 proof. Straight bourbon means it is aged at least 2 years (and must have an age statement if less than 4). In addition, to be Kentucky Straight Bourbon, it has the additional requirement that it must be produced and aged at least 1 year in the state of Kentucky.
For additional information on bourbon requirements, please read this post – Bourbon Whiskey.
NOTE: The bourbons in this review were purchased by us. We were not compensated by the spirit producers for this review. This is simply our opinion based on what we tasted on this day. Please drink responsibly.
To wrap up National Bourbon Week, Wayne and I enjoyed a quick trip to Louisville, KY. We had two planned activities for the weekend: a dinner at Evan Williams on Friday and a tour at Starlight Distillery on Saturday. Beyond that, we decided to go with flow and enjoy whatever caught our eyes. If you haven’t been to Louisville and explored Whiskey Row, you should likely place that on your travel calendar!
Angel’s Envy Cask Strength Bottled-Bond Release
When we arrived in Louisville, we drove directly to Angel’s Envy. They were releasing their Cask Strength Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon, their first non-finished offering. We were excited to stop in and acquire a bottle. We learned that they were 375ml bottles and got two as well as a distillery only single barrel. This is an historic moment for Angel’s Envy and we were thrilled to stop in for their celebration!
We have been huge fans of Bardstown Bourbon Company since our first weekend on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and love that they now have a tasting room in Louisville. Thus, that was our next stop.
A busy day in Louisville!View from the bar.
We had hoped that we would be able to acquire a bottle of their Amrut Collaboration and were thrilled that it was available. When planning our tasting flights, we also wanted to try the two distillery only offerings. The first was a Small Batch Stave Finish and the other was a Single Barrel Four Grain. When we saw that their Bardstown Collection for 2024 was available, that was an easy choice!
As we sat down for our tasting, I was more than surprised to see my friend and AOII sorority sister, Cindy Visot, who I have not seen in 9 years! She and her husband were in town for a wedding and just happened to stop in to sample some bourbon. What a fun coincidence!
Flight: Small Batch Stave Finish, Single Barrel Four Grain, Bardstown Collection 2024, Amrut CollaborationFinding a friend you haven’t seen in 9+ years!
We bought all that we sampled as each expression was amazing. To say we were surprised and THRILLED to have the opportunity to purchase the 2024 Bardstown Collection is an understatement!
Buzzard’s Roost Whiskey Row Experience
We then walked a couple blocks to the Buzzard’s Roost Whiskey Row Experience. We really enjoy their products and made a point to stop in as we knew they are having a special event to celebrate the grand opening of their hidden speakeasy. The event included a sample spirit upon arrival, light bites, and a special cocktail menu at their cash bar.
Buzzard’s Roost on Main St in LouisvilleWe got a peek at their still!
Everyone was dressed in Roaring 20’s attire and the place was buzzing! The small bites were welcomed as we had been quite busy already. We were happy to get a seat at the bar and order from the special menu for the event. We each enjoyed our drink selections … Manhattan for me and a Paper Plane for Wayne!
Special Cocktail MenuA Manhattan for Rebecca & a Paper Plane for Wayne
Evan Williams – A Toast to Bourbon Dinner
Following our visit at Buzzard’s Roost, it was time to head to Evan Williams for our “A Toast to Bourbon Dinner” that was scheduled to begin at 7PM. Please read all about that event HERE.
Breakfast at Doc Crow’s
We were up early on Saturday morning and looked forward to breakfast at one of our favorite places – Doc Crow’s! The location and atmosphere is fantastic. We always have amazing service and the food is outstanding.
Wayne enjoyed the “build your own” omelet with hashbrowns, a side of biscuit & gravy and a spicy Bloody Mary made with bourbon. I loved the spinach and feta omelet with hashbrowns … and we shared a side of cheddar grits!
Whiskey Row Car Show
As we walked to Doc Crow’s, we noticed that cars were filing in for a show. By the time we finished breakfast, we were able to stroll along Whiskey Row and enjoy some amazing cars! You just never know what you will find in downtown Louisville.
Michter’s Fort Nelson Distillery
After checking out of our hotel, we decided to see what Michter’s was offering for the day. We arrived just as the doors were opening and learned that they had a Barrel Strength Rye (109.6 proof) available. It came as a set with their Straight Rye Whiskey. There was also an opportunity to bottle-your-own Barrel Strength Bourbon but the next available time was later than we desired to stay.
James B. Beam Distilling Co.
After leaving Michter’s, we decided to head to Jim Beam, which is less than a 30-minute drive from Louisville. We always love being on their campus and we were hopeful that they would have some bottles on the shelf that we wanted to buy.
We were in luck as they had exactly what we were hoping for: Booker’s 2024-02, “The Beam House Batch” and Little Book Chapter 8, “Path not Taken.” Of course, it would have been incredible to acquire a bottle of their 2024 Bardstown Collection; alas, there were none available. But that is ok, we got what we thought we would have an opportuity to buy!
It was a great, albeit quick, trip to Louisville. We always look forward to visiting!
Farewell Louisville – time to head to Borden, IN and Starlight Distillery!
Please be sure to read our approach to Tasting Whiskey if you haven’t already.
What constitutes a rye whiskey? The US guidelines for rye whiskey are very similar to those of bourbon except that it must be at least 51% rye. In addition, rye whiskey often has other grains, such as wheat, corn, and barley. Rye whiskey must be distilled to no more than 160 proof, or 80% alcohol by volume (ABV) and it must be aged in new, charred-oak barrels. For additional information, read Rye Whiskey, part of the Sunday Spirit Notes.
Distillery – Jim Beam, Clermont, Kentucky Aged for seven years in charred barrels and bottled at 100 proof. Mashbill – 55% rye, 35% corn, and 10% malt Color – medium amber Aroma – sweetness of rye grass; hint of mint; caramel; ginger; green apple Taste – W: baking spices – nutmeg; R:less sweet, slight mint, tea, hint of dill and white pepper; with dried cranberry – W: nutmeg is stronger; R: rye grass and sweetness is back; with a pecan – W: leads with nutmeg; R: spicy/cinnamon, lost “flavor” Finish – warm linger; light spices and vanilla General Notes – A very solid pour of rye whiskey
MB Roland Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
Distillery – MB Roland, Pembroke, Kentucky Single Barrel, Still and Barrel Proof 110.2 Proof Mashbill – 68% rye, 27% white corn, 5% malted barley Color – medium to dark amber Aroma – W: cherry sweetness; R: roasted nuts, sweetness of rye grass, brown sugar, clove, robust Taste – W: nuttiness, rye grass, then coffee; R: caramel covered nut, rye, mint, cocoa, buttery, all spice; with dried cranberry – W: rye grass bomb with mint & no finish; R: HOT and lost much of flavor profile; with a pecan – W: rye and cinnamon; R: rye and cinnamon Finish – W: coffee; R: warm, sweet, rye and cinnamon spice General Notes – This rye takes you on a journey of sweetness and spice and everything nice!
Still630 Rally Point Straight Rye Whiskey
Special Evansville Bourbon Society Barrel Pick Distillery – Still630, St. Louis, Missouri Single Barrel, Cask Strength 123 Proof; 4.75 years old Mashbill – undisclosed Color – medium to dark amber Aroma – W: caramel, sweet, smokiness; R: mint, sweet, rye Taste – W: rye, mint; R: mint, dill, sweet rye; with dried cranberry – W: very sweet rye grass, warmer; R: dark choc mint, citrus/orange, cinnamon; with a pecan – W: strong rye grass; R: much hotter, bitter choc Finish – W: warm cinnamon; R: warm cinnamon General Notes – A terrific cask strength rye and it is easy to see why they have won so many awards and typically sell out of RallyPoint
Discussion We enjoyed all three of these rye whiskeys. Knob Creek Rye is solid and easy very accessible with a terrific price point. The RallyPoint Rye was terrific and somewhat different from many Kentucky ryes. Since its proof was much higher than the others, we also added some water to balance it. Overall, that didn’t change the experience from our viewpoint. It is somewhat difficult to obtain and that kept us from ranking it higher. MB Roland makes a fantastic rye whiskey. It was the most unique of the three and also the most complex. As noted earlier, this rye takes you on a journey of sweetness and spice and everything nice! All things considered, we selected MB Roland Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey as our #1 pick.
All three are excellent options when considering a rye whiskey, and we certainly recommend each of them.
Cheers, Rebecca
Photos by Rebecca Herman McBrayer
NOTE: The whiskey in this review was purchased by us. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is simply our opinion based on what we tasted on this day. Please drink responsibly.
Your Bourbon Journey 