When Baker’s first made the switch to a single barrel offering I wasn’t too excited, but this Baker’s Bourbon Exclusive Selection 11 Years might be changing that opinion a bit. For a long time Baker’s was the best-kept Jim Beam secret. This 107 proof small batch bourbon was consistently good, consistently underpriced and always on the shelf. But alas that is no more.
Before the switch to making their Baker’s line all SiBs, I was able to snag some of the old label small batch from my local shop for $35 a bottle. Once they were gone, the new SiBs arrived carrying a $60 price tag. It’s likely most of the single barrels most will be good, some will be meh and some will be stellar. Where will this specific premium single barrel land?
Let’s get to drinkin’ and find out.
Baker’s Bourbon Exclusive Selection 11 Years – Details and Tasting Notes
Whiskey Details
Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color
Style: Bourbon (Straight)
Region: Kentucky, USA
Distiller: Jim Beam
Mash Bill: 77% Corn, 13% Rye and 10% Malted Barley
Cask: New Charred Oak
Age: 11 Years, 8 Months
ABV: 53.5%
Baker’s Bourbon Exclusive Selection 11 Years Price: $100*
Related Whiskey
Baker’s Bourbon Single Barrel
Baker’s Small Batch Bourbon
Knob Creek Small Batch Bourbon
Booker’s Small Batch Bourbon
Basil Hayden’s Bourbon
Baker’s Bourbon Exclusive Selection 11 Years Tasting Notes
EYE
Ruddy caramel
NOSE
Oak, dried dark fruit, peanut brittle, cinnamon, clove, anise, leather, chocolate covered cherries, char and a touch biscuity.
Oooh, this is good. It reminds me of old Booker’s releases.
PALATE
Oak, dried dark fruit, peanut brittle, cinnamon, leather, char and a touch biscuity with some light notes of cocoa and black licorice.
Yup, a LOT like older Booker’s releases. Yum.
FINISH
Long -> Oak, dried dark fruit, peanut brittle and baking spice.
BALANCE, BODY and FEEL
Great sense of balance, heavy-full body and a warm oily feel.
Baker’s Bourbon Exclusive Selection 11 Years – Overall Thoughts and Score
This is is the Jim Beam I’ve been looking for, this is the Booker’s of old, but in Baker’s form. Earthy, bakery sweet and spiced, candy sweet and rustic. This is heavy, this is rich, this is complex. This is stunning and I want some more. I could keep going, but I think you get it, it’s just a great freaking bourbon. I wish whiskey like this wasn’t an anomaly. I wish it wasn’t so hard to find and so damn pricy to get back to profiles we had readily available just 7-8 years ago. I wish I had a time machine.
On screen it sounds like a long time ago, but in my mind, it feels like yesterday I could stroll into a shop, grab a bottle of any random Booker’s and get something that tasted like this Baker’s Exclusive Selection 11 Years. And on that same trip, I could pick up a Weller 12 for $24 off of the bottom shelf and buy old Caperdonich for $75. Oi, cue the music “Memories, pressed between the pages of my mind. Memories, sweetened through the ages just like bourbon…”
SCORE: 4.5/5 (very good, highly recommended ~ A- | 90-93)
*Disclosure: The sample for this Bourbon review was graciously sent to me by the company without obligation. The views, opinions, and tasting notes are 100% my own.
Baker's Bourbon Exclusive Selection 11 Years Review $100
Overall
-
Nose
(4.5)
-
Palate
(4.5)
-
Finish
(4.5)
-
BBF
(4.5)
User Review
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