Booker's 2023-04 The Storyteller Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 750ml

Booker's Batch 2023-04 "The Storyteller Batch" is a spectacular, barrel-strength 127.8 proof (63.9% ABV) Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey debuted in December 2023 by the James B. Beam Distilling Co. based out of Clermont, Kentucky. Arriving as the final, highly anticipated entry in the distillery's 2023 Small Batch Collection, this unadulterated expression captures the pure essence of traditional distilling by delivering the liquid completely uncut and non-chill filtered straight out of the fire-charred stave wood.

The highly engaging backstory behind the title honors a personal, magnetic quality of the brand's legendary creator. "The Storyteller Batch" pays an affectionate tribute to Booker Noe’s natural talent for capturing an audience, whether he was talking to international executives, neighbors, or line workers at the facility. Booker had a unique way of weaving together humor, Southern heritage, and distilling wisdom into unforgettable tales—often over a glass of uncut bourbon—reminding everyone that the human relationships and shared laughs behind the bottle were just as critical as the grain inside it.

To celebrate this expressive, larger-than-life personality, 7th-generation Master Distiller Fred Noe carefully assembled a multi-warehouse blend drawn from five separate production dates. The selected barrels spent their maturation cycles resting across four distinct aging facilities: Warehouse C, Warehouse H, Warehouse K, and Warehouse Z. Fred Noe’s objective for this final 2023 release was to build a deeply complex, front-forward flavor architecture where a robust rye spice backbone balances out the heavy wood sugars, creating an impactful spirit that holds a room's attention just like its namesake.

The distillery's official flavor report indicates a warm, incredibly inviting nose rich in vanilla bean, deep brown sugar, toasted oak, and a pleasant hint of dark forest berries. The full-bodied mouthfeel wraps around the palate with an oily texture, driving prominent notes of rich caramel, roasted pecans, cinnamon spice, and a touch of white pepper. It rounds out on an exceptionally long, warming finish characterized by a beautifully controlled oak char and a lingering trail of sweet corn oils and baking spice that stays smooth on the back of the throat.

For high-end whiskey investors and serious collectors, this light-brown-tagged bottle marks the definitive closing chapter of the 2023 vintage rotation, making it a mandatory anchor for complete vertical collections. Housed in the brand's classic charred-wooden display cradle with its unique batch ticket, it represents a superb example of uncut Kentucky whiskey that pairs authentic family history with immense structural depth.

• Size: 750ml
• Proof: 127.8 Proof (63.9% ABV)
• Age: 7 Years, 2 Months, 29 Days
• Origin: Clermont, Kentucky, USA
• Distillery: James B. Beam Distilling Co. (Clermont, KY)
• Whiskey Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (Uncut and Unfiltered)
• Cask/Cooperage: Multi-warehouse new fire-charred American white oak barrels
• Bottling: Released December 2023; fourth and final batch of the annual collection
• Series: Booker's Bourbon 2023 Small Batch Collection
• Selection: Curated and approved by Seventh-Generation Master Distiller Fred Noe
• Tasting Notes: Nose: Deep vanilla bean, rich brown sugar, toasted oak, and soft forest berries. Palate: Thick and oily mouthfeel, rich caramel, roasted pecans, warm cinnamon spice, and white pepper. Finish: Very long, full, and warming with controlled wood char, baking spices, and sweet corn oils.