By Richard Thomas
Rating: A-
Booker’s Lumberyard Batch (2022-02)
(Credit: Beam Suntory)
Making its way to or reaching shelves right now is the latest batch of Booker’s Bourbon for 2022. This one is dubbed The Lumberyard Batch, referring back to the time that Booker Noe worked in a lumber yard prior to entering the family trade at Jim Beam and embarking on his legendary bourbon career.
More important than the name, however, is the age statement. When Booker’s was first introduced in the early 1990s, it was as a cask strength bourbon billed as being between 6 and 8 years of age. So it still is, but since the brand moved to individually titled batches, it has mostly been much closer to 6 years than to 8. This is so much the case that I have considered it noteworthy when a batch was just shy of 7 years. This was the case with the first batch of this year, “Ronnie’s Batch,” which at 6 years, 11 months and 22 days was the oldest regular Booker’s seen in years. It was also much closer to the mellow, sucker puncher style of bourbon that Booker’s helped defined 30 years ago: one could drink a double of this at the bar and have no idea how strong it was until they got on their feet!
Now comes Lumberyard, which is 7 years, 1 month and 7 days and 124.8 proof. And it too is reminiscent of that sucker puncher experience of yesteryear.
The Bourbon
A pour of this one takes a surprisingly light cast for a mature, potent bourbon. Although the amber leans towards brown, it’s not a dark liquid.
The scent coming up out of the Glencairn glass here absolutely oozes vanilla, but behind that comes sweet notes of berries and honey. The oak is there too, but that is the faintest note.
Sipping brings the bourbon into better balance, as the palate isn’t so vanilla-forward, the oak takes a step up, and it develops a spicy aspect. The core is still vanilla and honey, and I do mean honey rather than the usual candy corn or brown sugar sweetness. The berries from the nose evolves into apricot, and that hint of oak turns tannic and becomes a full character in the performance. A dash of pepper helps bring out that woody note. The finish runs light and spicy, so it lingers without being at all overpowering.
Booker’s 2022-02 is a mellow, easy-sipping, superbly rounded bourbon. If you missed Ronnie’s Batch, run out and grab this throwback release of Booker’s.
The Price
Officially, this is supposed to go for $89.99
