Booker's 2022-01 Ronnie's Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 750ml

Booker's Batch 2022-01 "Ronnie's Batch" is a magnificent, cask-strength 124.3 proof (62.15% ABV) Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey debuted in the early months of 2022 by the James B. Beam Distilling Co. based in Clermont, Kentucky. Serving as the historic first allocation in the brand’s 2022 Small Batch Collection, this unadulterated expression represents the pure, classic blueprint of uncut American whiskey. The liquid is pulled straight from the charred oak wood at its natural barrel intensity, entirely free of modern filtration shortcuts or flavor-altering dilution.

The highly engaging backstory behind the title honors a personal corporate relationship and a decades-long loyalty that shaped the brand's early distribution history. "Ronnie's Batch" pays a respectful, affectionate tribute to Ronnie Land, a beloved, longtime Beam employee who spent 40 years working for the company. Ronnie worked his way up to warehouse manager, where he spent his days overseeing inventory and looking after the aging facilities. Booker Noe deeply relied on Land's precise, encyclopedic knowledge of barrel placement; Ronnie knew exactly where the sweetest barrels were hiding, frequently helping Booker hand-pick the experimental casks that launched the small-batch movement in 1988.

To celebrate the dedication and deep barrel wisdom of its iconic namesake, 7th-generation Master Distiller Fred Noe carefully curated a blend pulled from five separate production dates. The selected barrels spent their maturation cycles sleeping across five distinct aging facilities—Warehouse 3, Warehouse H, Warehouse M, Warehouse P, and Warehouse Z. Fred Noe’s objective for this opening 2022 release was to craft a remarkably balanced, mid-proof batch that accentuates a sweeter, more vanilla-forward architectural backbone, capturing the rich wood sugars of the mid-tier warehouse tiers while gracefully keeping the raw alcohol burn in check.

The distillery's formal tasting report documents a strikingly complex aroma that weaves fresh tobacco leaf, warm vanilla, rich caramel, and deep wood baking spices alongside a heavy blanket of seasoned oak. The palate is thick, oily, and luxurious, coating the tongue with an intriguing combination of dark brown sugar, molasses, toasted hazelnuts, wood staves, and a prominent touch of sweet cinnamon spice. It rounds out on an exceptionally long, explosive finish that layers warming chocolate, baking spices, and a lingering peanut brittle nuttiness that remains exceptionally clean and persistent.

For high-end whiskey investors and serious collectors, this dark-brown-tagged bottle serves as a critical first chapter for the 2022 vintage line, making it an essential acquisition for completionists tracking annual flavor shifts. Arriving in the brand's classic charred-wooden display crate accompanied by a custom narrative card detailing Ronnie’s warehouse exploits, this limited-edition release stands as a brilliant example of a barrel-proof bourbon that perfectly aligns historic storytelling with premium liquid complexity.

• Size: 750ml
• Proof: 124.3 Proof (62.15% ABV)
• Age: 6 Years, 11 Months, 22 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 March 2022; first batch of the annual small batch collection
• Series: Booker's Bourbon 2022 Small Batch Collection
• Selection: Curated and approved by Seventh-Generation Master Distiller Fred Noe
• Tasting Notes: Nose: Fresh tobacco leaf, warm vanilla cream, rich caramel, sweet oak, and a hint of baking spices. Palate: Thick and oily mouthfeel, dark brown sugar, rich molasses, toasted hazelnuts, wood staves, and sweet cinnamon. Finish: Long, explosive, and drying with lingering oak char, baking spices, and a peanut brittle coating.