Why Jim Beam Winter Reserve Is a Must-Try Bourbon

November 13, 2024 / bourbonjourney / Leave a comment

November 13, 2024
By Rebecca Herman McBrayer

Wayne and I were thrilled to discover a bottle of the limited-edition Jim Beam Winter Reserve. This bottle is not only eye-catching but perfectly captures the essence of Fall and the holiday season. Even the store employee was convinced it was a flavored whiskey — let me be clear, this is a true Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey! There are absolutely no additives. Instead, they meticulously selected barrels that are at least 6 years old to achieve the desired flavor profile for this release — rich notes of vanilla and warming cinnamon. The extended finishing in new white oak toasted barrels further enhances the flavor, creating a remarkable tasting experience for an 86 Proof spirit.

Tasting Notes: Jim Beam Winter Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Please be sure to read our approach to Tasting Whiskey if you haven’t already.

Mashbill – 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
Age – 6 years
Release – Limited-edition
Proof – 86
SRP – $24.99
Price Paid – $26.99 (plus tax)

Color – Medium amber.

Aroma – Vanilla, cinnamon, baking spice, toasted barrel notes, inviting overall.

Tasted Neat – Toasted barrel, cinnamon, vanilla – vanilla cream or perhaps vanilla pudding. A flavorful surprise.

Finish – Medium to light finish of light cinnamon and notes of marshmallow.

Tasted with dried cranberry – Removed the vanilla and toasted notes, changed to the flavor of a cough drop. Not a good pairing.

Tasted with a pecan – Brought forward the toasted notes and nutty flavors but with a limited finish. Still, nice overall profile with this pairing.

Tasted with dark chocolate – Heavy cinnamon – much like a Red Hot candy. All other notes seem to be gone. Very odd and not a great pairing.

Final Notes and Video

Possible cocktail pairing notes:
The dried cranberry indicated that this might not do well in a fruity-sweet cocktail. The pecan brought the toasted notes forward and might be fun to try in a toasted marshmallow old fashioned. The chocolate really changed the flavor profile and might not be a good combination in a cocktail. Overall, look for complimentary flavors that really accent the lovely vanilla and cinnamon notes of the Jim Beam Winter Reserve.

Why we find this a great value:
The medium amber color strongly evokes the warmth of an evening spent by a crackling fire. The aromas of vanilla, cinnamon, and baking spices, combined with the rich scent of toasted barrel notes, transport you into a cozy home filled with the promise of freshly baked treats. Its flavor profile has a somewhat unexpected richness with flavors of oak, velvety vanilla pudding, and playful hints of marshmallow, harmonized by clove and a medley of baking spices. The finish is light to medium, leaving a lasting impression of cinnamon and marshmallow.

With the great price point and its inviting nose and taste profile, we believe this limited-edition of Jim Beam Winter Reserve is worth your consideration.

Embracing the Craft,
Rebecca & Wayne

Photos and video by Rebecca Herman McBrayer

NOTE: The bourbon 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.

Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey: Such whiskeys have all the requirements of bourbon: 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.

Jim Beam Press Release:

Jim Beam, the world’s #1 bourbon, announces the official release of its limited-edition Jim Beam® Winter Reserve. Crafted with the brand’s iconic attention to detail, the new liquid offers a rich, seasonal flavor profile that captures the essence of the season, making it a standout addition to the brand’s portfolio.

Aged for six years and finished in toasted barrels for enhanced richness, Jim Beam Winter Reserve presents a smooth and elevated bourbon with subtle notes of vanilla, cinnamon spice, and a hint of clove, delivering a warm finish that captures the essence of the season. Whether shared with friends and family, given as a thoughtful gift, or used to add a twist to classic cocktails, this winter-inspired bourbon is the ideal companion for creating memorable holiday moments.

“At Jim Beam, we’re always looking for ways to innovate while staying true to our deeply rooted heritage,” said Fred Noe, Jim Beam’s seventh generation Master Distiller. “With Winter Reserve, we wanted to create a special bourbon that embodies the warmth of the holidays and the bold flavors that pair well with cold weather. We are excited to share it with our community and hope its holiday-inspired flavors bring people together to celebrate the joy of the season.”Aged for six years and finished in toasted barrels for enhanced richness, Jim Beam Winter Reserve presents a smooth and elevated bourbon with subtle notes of vanilla, cinnamon spice, and a hint of clove, delivering a warm finish that captures the essence of the season. Whether shared with friends and family, given as a thoughtful gift, or used to add a twist to classic cocktails, this winter-inspired bourbon is the ideal companion for creating memorable holiday moments.

“At Jim Beam, we’re always looking for ways to innovate while staying true to our deeply rooted heritage,” said Fred Noe, Jim Beam’s seventh generation Master Distiller. “With Winter Reserve, we wanted to create a special bourbon that embodies the warmth of the holidays and the bold flavors that pair well with cold weather. We are excited to share it with our community and hope its holiday-inspired flavors bring people together to celebrate the joy of the season.”

Booker’s 2024-03 Master Distillers Batch Review

November 11, 2024 / bourbonjourney / Leave a comment

November 11, 2024
By Rebecca Herman McBrayer

Wayne and I were very excited to get the latest Booker’s release as we are big fans. We did a formal tasting of Booker’s 2024-01 Springfield Batch with Booker’s 2024-02 Beam House Batch in July and have been waiting for this one.

Besides the amazing brown liquid that is always in a Booker’s bottle, is the story. Wayne and I take time to read all about it before diving into the tasting. This particular batch, Master Distillers Batch, is especially important to understand. We have been fortunate to attend several bourbon dinners at Jim Beam and listen to Fred Noe share many stories of his time in the industry as well as tell stories about his dad, Booker Noe. The story behind this batch we have had the honor of hearing in person and that makes it very fun to see it on this label.

Today, those of us who love bourbon and its industry are typically excited to meet Master Distillers and hear their stories. But as Fred Noe and this bottle’s story share, that was not always the case. It was people like his dad, Booker Noe, and his great friends, including Jimmy Russell, who left the distillery to promote their fine spirits that truly gave this industry a face. They are the reason that so many distillers have risen to “rock star” status today.

In case you don’t have this bottle, I have included the details from the label. Even if you do, pour yourself a Glencarin of it, let the aromas fill the air, and read all about it before taking that first sip. I promise that it will make you appreciate it even more.

From the Label

“This batch is named in honor of a group of distillers that I admire greatly. Their work in the late 80s and early 90s helped America fall back in love with bourbon and made the industry what it is today.

This group was made up of legends like my dad, Booker Noe, and some of his peers at other distilleries during this time. These guys— the “elder statesmen” as we call ‘em— paved the way for Master Distillers to get recognized for their craft. They even became the very first class inducted into the Bourbon Hall of Fame. I remember once I was with my dad when they all met up in Chicago for a festival. We were catching up at a bar and to most of the people there, we were just six random guys drinking bourbon. But someone pointed us out to the bartender and said, “you’ve got bourbon royalty in here.” We all laughed and raised our glasses. While it’s true enough now, it wasn’t always like this.

Back in the day, being a Master Distiller just meant running the distillery. But these elder statesmen changed all that, raising the bar for all of us. The job went from spending every waking moment in the distillery, to traveling the world, all the while introducing people to our beloved bourbon. They became spokesmen and celebrities in their own right. They made the job as big as they were. I’ve looked up to these guys my whole life. They showed me the ropes of how to make great whiskey and built my love and respect for everything that goes into the craft. I’m proud to follow in their footsteps and honor them with this batch.”

Master Distiller Notes: (Fred Noe)

“The third Booker’s batch of 2024 is called The Master Distillers Batch to honor the men that shaped my career and the bourbon industry.

The color of this Booker’s batch is a deep amber from over 7 years of aging in the new white oak barrels. The nose is complex, with vanilla and spices that leave you craving more of the taste you expect from Booker’s. The taste is big and bold, as all Booker’s batches should be and the finish is long and delightful.

I can just picture dad and his colleagues from the past sitting around, enjoying this batch and swapping stories.

The batch is made up of two production dates stored in 4 different aging warehouses. The age is 7 years, 8 months, 7 days and is 130.3 proof. In fact, much of this batch was produced in 2016 on dad’s birthday, December 7th. The breakdown of barrel storage for Booker’s “Master Distillers Batch” is as follows:

10% came from the 6th floor of 7-story warehouse Z
11% came from the 6th floor of 7-story warehouse 1
42% came from the 6th floor of 7-story warehouse 3
37% came from the 3rd floor of 9-story warehouse J”

Tasting Notes: Booker’s 2024-03 Master Distillers Batch

Please be sure to read our approach to Tasting Whiskey if you haven’t already.

Mashbill – Undisclosed
Age – 7 years, 8 months, 7 days (details above)
Proof – 130.3
Price Paid – $149.99 in Indiana, then $113.84 in Kentucky

Color – Deep amber.

Aroma – Brown sugar, cherry, cinnamon, a bit of smokiness.

Tasted Neat – Brown sugar and cinnamon, leaning toward a confectionary sugar. There are also notes of dark chocolate, coffee, and either a dark cherry or date note. On a second taste, the Jim Beam notes of roasted peanuts become noticeable as well.

Finish – Long, warm and inviting. White pepper, cinnamon, coffee, and dark chocolate. Very nice.

Tasted with dried cranberry – Almost an effervescence, such as spicy pop rocks. Orange peel that has been toasted. Limited finish.

Tasted with a pecan – Dark chocolate, oak, a lot of effervescence once again. A bit of the coffee note with a pretty good finish.

Tasted with dark chocolate – Creamy, chocolate, spicy cinnamon, and dark cherry has returned. Limited finish.

Preferences for the pairings – We each enjoyed the pairing with the pecan best; however, we differed on the dried cranberry and dark chocolate. This would likely do well as part of a main course but probably not as successful with a dessert.

Comparing Booker’s 2024-01, -02, & -03

We decided to do a quick comparison of the first three batches of this year:

Booker’s 2024-01, Springfield Batch
Booker’s 2024-02, Beam House Batch
Booker’s 2024-03, Master Distillers Batch

After nosing and tasting each batch we recalled why each one is a winner! This was a tough choice and we could likely select a different preference on another day next week. But for today:

Wayne preferred Springfield first, Master Distillers second, and Beam House third.
Rebecca preferred Master Distillers first, Springfield second, and Beam House third.

Again, each batch thus far in 2024 has been fantastic! We also have tired the Reserve 2024, which is outstanding, and are looking forward to Booker’s 2024-04 “Jimmy’s Batch” Bourbon. Per their website, this “batch of Booker’s Bourbon for 2024 is a tribute to a cherished friend of the Noe family, Jimmy Russel. A close friend to my dad and a second father figure to me since my dad’s passing in 2004.”

Final Notes and Video

To recap Booker’s 2024-03 Master Distillers Batch: This color is a stunning deep amber. The aromas instantly evoke rich notes of brown sugar, cherry, and cinnamon, accompanied by an intriguing hint of smokiness. Upon tasting it neat, our palate is enveloped in layers of brown sugar and cinnamon, with a delightful touch of confectionary sweetness. Further complexity emerges with notes of dark chocolate, coffee, and a robust essence of either dark cherry or date. On a second sip, the unmistakable Jim Beam notes of roasted peanuts assert themselves brilliantly. The finish is impressively long, warm, and inviting, as white pepper, cinnamon, coffee, and dark chocolate converge to create an exceptional experience.

As noted earlier, this is a great year for Booker’s and we are really looking forward to the final release for 2024. We hope you enjoy these fine pours as much as we do.

Embracing the Craft,
Rebecca & Wayne

Photos and video by Rebecca Herman McBrayer

NOTE: The bourbons in this review were 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.

Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

An Evening with Bourbon Icons: A Culinary Journey

September 19, 2024 / bourbonjourney / Leave a comment

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.