Booker's 2020-02 Boston Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 750ml

Booker's Batch 2020-02 "Boston Batch" is a commanding, cask-strength 126.5 proof (63.25% ABV) Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey debuted in the summer of 2020 by the James B. Beam Distilling Co. out of Clermont, Kentucky. Serving as the highly sought-after second limited entry in the brand's 2020 collection, this robust small-batch expression delivers the pure spirit entirely uncut and non-chill filtered, allowing purists to experience the natural intensity of the liquid straight from the fire-charred stave wood.

The distinctive title chosen for this allocation shines a spotlight on a critical production facility that forms a massive pillar of the family's distilling history. "Boston Batch" pays direct, affectionate tribute to the small town of Boston, Kentucky, home to the secondary Booker Noe Distillery facility located just a short distance from the primary Clermont campus. Booker Noe spent a significant portion of his legendary career operating this specific location, starting when the facility first fired up its stills in the early 1950s. It was here that he mastered the large-scale fermentation schedules and structural barrel aging styles that eventually laid the blueprint for his namesake brand.

To celebrate the industrial heritage and raw power of this foundational production house, 7th-generation Master Distiller Fred Noe engineered a complex blend drawn from three separate production dates. The selected barrels spent their maturation cycles sleeping across three distinct aging environments: Warehouse 2, Warehouse M, and Warehouse P. Fred Noe’s objective for this second 2020 release was to craft a beautifully balanced, heavy profile that highlights a more oak-forward architectural backbone, utilizing the precise microclimates of these specific rackhouses to pull deep, rich tannins from the wood staves that handle the 126.5 proof strength with complete composure.

The distillery's formal sensory records document an exceptionally rich aromatic opening loaded with deep vanilla bean, sweet maple syrup, toasted walnuts, and a distinctive backdrop of seasoned oak and leather. The palate is wonderfully dense, heavy-bodied, and complex, flooding the tongue with bold layers of rich brown sugar, dark molasses, toasted pecans, baking cinnamon, and a prominent touch of sweet corn oil. It rounds out on an exceptionally long, persistent finish that leaves an authentic, warming "Kentucky Hug" packed with lingering black pepper spice, honeyed oak wood, and a soft fudge richness.

For discerning spirits collectors and high-end bourbon enthusiasts, this purple-tagged bottle serves as a stellar representation of artisanal barrel-proof blending, making it an essential acquisition for completing annual flight tastings. Packaged inside the classic dark wooden presentation chest and displaying the iconic handwritten font on the label, it stands as an authentic, full-strength tribute to the hard-working facility where the contemporary small-batch movement was born.

• Size: 750ml
• Proof: 126.5 Proof (63.25% ABV)
• Age: 6 Years, 3 Months, 10 Days
• Origin: Clermont, Kentucky, USA
• Distillery: James B. Beam Distilling Co. (Boston, KY facility)
• Whiskey Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (Uncut and Unfiltered)
• Cask/Cooperage: New charred American white oak barrels
• Bottling: Released June 2020; second batch of the annual collection
• Series: Booker's Bourbon 2020 Small Batch Collection
• Selection: Curated and approved by Seventh-Generation Master Distiller Fred Noe
• Tasting Notes: Nose: Deep vanilla bean, warm maple syrup, toasted walnuts, seasoned oak, and old leather. Palate: Thick and heavy texture, rich brown sugar, dark molasses, toasted pecans, baking cinnamon, and sweet corn. Finish: Very long, full, and warming with lingering black pepper, honeyed oak, and soft vanilla fudge.