Style: Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey
Age: 7 years, 7 Months, 8 days
Proof: 124.5 (62.25% ABV)
Region: Clermont, Kentucky
Like every batch of Booker’s Bourbon, there’s a story behind the Springfield Batch. The first release of 2024 is named after Booker Noe’s original hometown of Springfield, Kentucky. Booker spent his youth working as a farmhand long before he moved to Bardstown and revolutionized bourbon whiskey, as Master Distiller of James B. Beam Distilling. His son and current Master Distiller, Fred Noe, blended this batch in tribute to this small rural community. In crafting the Springfield batch, Fred used the following makeup of barrels:
- 17% came from the 5th floor of 9-story warehouse G
- 7% came from the 4th floor of 9-story warehouse H
- 31% came from the 5th floor of 7-story warehouse Z
- 45% came from the 4th floor of 7-story warehouse 3
Booker’s is known for its high-proof, no-holds-barred approach to small batch bourbon, and at 124.5 proof, this bottle is no exception. How does the Springfield batch stack up to past expressions of Booker’s bourbon? Find out below.
Tasting notes
On the nose, the Springfield Batch presents a rich bouquet of caramel, red apple, and raisin that’s paired with Beam’s trademark aroma of roasted nuts. The aroma is hot and clearly proofy, but doesn’t have the same degree of aggressiveness that I’ve noticed in past batches. On the palate, this batch has a strong butterscotch character that’s bolstered by more raisin and dried apricot along with citrus peel and a whiff of smoke from the barrel char. There’s a burst of warm and peppery baking spice on the back palate that carries through to a satisfying finish with notes of orange zest and caramel.
Final thoughts
Booker’s Springfield Batch clearly stands out from recent releases. I often pick up a smoky, leathery note in each batch, but this one seems to have a fresher, brighter profile overall. By no means is that a bad thing — this bourbon is still as punchy, viscous, and full-flavored as any other Booker’s batch. It just trades some of the barbecue sauce for butterscotch and orange zest. Overall, it’s an extremely satisfying pour, but the Springfield Batch is a touch less aggressive than past batches. If you have any friends who might be “Booker’s agnostic”, this might be the batch to convert them.
