Table Of Contents

The Details

Rating 93
Style
American Whiskey
Whiskey
Produced In Kentucky
United States
ABV 65.15%
Availability Limited
Price $100.00 
Reviewed By
Reviewed 2024-12-10

Booker's Bourbon ‘The Master Distiller's Batch’ Review

I have to hand it to Jim Beam: It reliably churns out four Booker’s Bourbon bottlings per year, and each still manages to keep my interest. And this time, there are a couple extra reasons to get excited: the third release of 2024 is the oldest and highest proof of the year.

“The Master Distiller’s” batch clocks in at 130.3 proof, with the youngest liquid having spent 7 years, 8 months, and 7 days in the barrel. After a series of early 2020s bottlings well under 7 years old, it seems the Booker’s standard has ticked back up over that age mark for the time being.

The batch was named “in honor of a group of distillers Fred Noe, 7th generation master distiller of The James B. Beam Distilling Co., came to admire,” according to the brand. Noe came of age in the whiskey industry around the time his father — Booker Noe — and contemporaries were first becoming celebrity spokespeople, traveling the world to share the flavor and allure of American whiskey.

As usual, Beam provides some specifics on the blend for this latest Booker’s batch:

  • 10 percent of barrels came from the 6th floor of 7-story warehouse Z
  • 11 percent came from the 6th floor of 7-story warehouse 1
  • 42 percent came from the 6th floor of 7-story warehouse 3
  • 37 percent came from the 3rd floor of 9-story warehouse J

Let’s see how it tastes!

Booker’s Bourbon ‘The Master Distiller’s Batch’ 2024-03 review.

Booker's Bourbon The Master Distiller's Batch: Stats and Availability

In a year with a number of extra-special releases from Beam — Little Book: The Infinite and Booker’s: The Reserves come to mind — The Master Distiller’s Batch is one of four “normal” calendar-year releases for the brand. The MSRP is right around $100, though I still occasionally see bottles hovering for closer to $90 in certain retail markets. While technically a limited expression, Booker’s is widely released across the United States and in some foreign markets. These don’t stay on the shelves forever, but most fans can normally score a bottle at close to retail.

Booker's Bourbon The Master Distiller's Batch Review

As with all of VinePair’s whiskey reviews, this was tasted in a Glencairn glass and rested for at least five minutes.

Nose

The nose starts off with some classic Booker’s notes, then (pleasantly) tosses in a few gentle surprises. First, those hallmark aromas: roasted peanuts, hefty oak, cinnamon-spiced barbecue sauce, and just about the darkest but not-quite-burnt caramel you’re likely to encounter. I also smell a stewed tomato element that’s familiar from some recent batches but not present on every single one. For a 130+ proofer, it’s not overpoweringly hot on the nose, giving plenty of room for sweet, oaky, and spicy notes to develop before ethanol starts to dull the nostrils.

That barbecue sauce lingers here, with plenty of cinnamon and black pepper to go alongside the sweet tomato base. Beneath that thread and after a few more minutes, a couple changeups waft up from the glass. Bananas foster is a scent unique to recent Booker’s releases (at least to my recollection). Roasted peanut shifts to almond extract and eventually marzipan. That’s not an uncommon note on many Kentucky bourbons, but again, it’s more pronounced here than I normally find with Booker’s. A tiny current of fermented grape mash folds in at the end, incorporating a bit of sour to a predominantly spicy and sweet nose.

Taste

The Master Distiller’s Batch brings a big pop of oak on the first sip. But instead of getting bogged down in wood tannins, it quickly mellows to praline; roasted peanuts and caramelized sugar carry flavors through to the midpalate. Strong, concentrated vanilla flavor also hits just after the earliest flavors, as if sipping directly from the extract bottle. It’d be a bit much if not for a sweet, coating sensation from the praline note.

Next up, and just behind those in intensity, comes sweet tea, caramel-drizzled baked apples, and more cooked bananas. Oak comes back in full force right after the midpalate, bringing more leathery tannins along with it; in this instance, the wood’s intensity forms a sort of reverse bell curve, with a dip in the middle allowing those tea and fruit flavors enough time to shine. Cinnamon once again builds toward the back palate, along with both dark cocoa smoked applewood — familiar sensations for longtime Booker’s fans.

All the while, a creamy mouthfeel helps keep flavors intact despite the high proof. It’s a well-composed sipping sensation.

Finish

We’ve got a peppery, long finish, with plenty of dry oak to contrast with the sweeter/caramel aspects of the palate. And it’s almost impossible to miss lingering cooked bananas, here paired with the more expected flavor of roasted peanut skins.

Booker's Bourbon The Master Distiller's Batch Rating

93/100

Recap

So far and with one to go, The Master Distiller’s Batch is my favorite regular Booker’s release of 2024. (Technically my favorite Booker’s release this year is The Reserves, but that’s a different and more limited type of expression.) It’s bursting with classic flavors long associated with the brand while still managing a surprise or two.

Older age and higher proof don’t always equate to better whiskey. But in the case of the Booker’s Bourbon line, the relationship has been very closely correlated.

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93
POINTS
Booker's Bourbon ‘The Master Distiller's Batch’
I have to hand it to Jim Beam: It reliably churns out four Booker’s Bourbon bottlings per year, and each still manages to keep my interest. And this time, there are a couple extra reasons to get excited: the third release of 2024 is the oldest and highest proof of the year. “The Master Distiller’s” batch clocks in at 130.3 proof, with the youngest liquid having spent 7 years, 8 months, and 7 days in the barrel. After a series of early 2020s bottlings well under 7 years old, it seems the Booker’s standard has ticked back up over that age mark for the time being. The batch was named “in honor of a group of distillers Fred Noe, 7th generation master distiller of The James B. Beam Distilling Co., came to admire,” according to the brand. Noe came of age in the whiskey industry around the time his father — Booker Noe — and contemporaries were first becoming celebrity spokespeople, traveling the world to share the flavor and allure of American whiskey. As usual, Beam provides some specifics on the blend for this latest Booker’s batch:
  • 10 percent of barrels came from the 6th floor of 7-story warehouse Z
  • 11 percent came from the 6th floor of 7-story warehouse 1
  • 42 percent came from the 6th floor of 7-story warehouse 3
  • 37 percent came from the 3rd floor of 9-story warehouse J
Let’s see how it tastes! Booker’s Bourbon ‘The Master Distiller’s Batch’ 2024-03 review.

Booker's Bourbon The Master Distiller's Batch: Stats and Availability

In a year with a number of extra-special releases from Beam — Little Book: The Infinite and Booker’s: The Reserves come to mind — The Master Distiller’s Batch is one of four “normal” calendar-year releases for the brand. The MSRP is right around $100, though I still occasionally see bottles hovering for closer to $90 in certain retail markets. While technically a limited expression, Booker’s is widely released across the United States and in some foreign markets. These don’t stay on the shelves forever, but most fans can normally score a bottle at close to retail.

Booker's Bourbon The Master Distiller's Batch Review

As with all of VinePair’s whiskey reviews, this was tasted in a Glencairn glass and rested for at least five minutes.

Nose

The nose starts off with some classic Booker’s notes, then (pleasantly) tosses in a few gentle surprises. First, those hallmark aromas: roasted peanuts, hefty oak, cinnamon-spiced barbecue sauce, and just about the darkest but not-quite-burnt caramel you’re likely to encounter. I also smell a stewed tomato element that’s familiar from some recent batches but not present on every single one. For a 130+ proofer, it’s not overpoweringly hot on the nose, giving plenty of room for sweet, oaky, and spicy notes to develop before ethanol starts to dull the nostrils. That barbecue sauce lingers here, with plenty of cinnamon and black pepper to go alongside the sweet tomato base. Beneath that thread and after a few more minutes, a couple changeups waft up from the glass. Bananas foster is a scent unique to recent Booker’s releases (at least to my recollection). Roasted peanut shifts to almond extract and eventually marzipan. That’s not an uncommon note on many Kentucky bourbons, but again, it’s more pronounced here than I normally find with Booker’s. A tiny current of fermented grape mash folds in at the end, incorporating a bit of sour to a predominantly spicy and sweet nose.

Taste

The Master Distiller’s Batch brings a big pop of oak on the first sip. But instead of getting bogged down in wood tannins, it quickly mellows to praline; roasted peanuts and caramelized sugar carry flavors through to the midpalate. Strong, concentrated vanilla flavor also hits just after the earliest flavors, as if sipping directly from the extract bottle. It’d be a bit much if not for a sweet, coating sensation from the praline note. Next up, and just behind those in intensity, comes sweet tea, caramel-drizzled baked apples, and more cooked bananas. Oak comes back in full force right after the midpalate, bringing more leathery tannins along with it; in this instance, the wood’s intensity forms a sort of reverse bell curve, with a dip in the middle allowing those tea and fruit flavors enough time to shine. Cinnamon once again builds toward the back palate, along with both dark cocoa smoked applewood — familiar sensations for longtime Booker’s fans. All the while, a creamy mouthfeel helps keep flavors intact despite the high proof. It’s a well-composed sipping sensation.

Finish

We’ve got a peppery, long finish, with plenty of dry oak to contrast with the sweeter/caramel aspects of the palate. And it’s almost impossible to miss lingering cooked bananas, here paired with the more expected flavor of roasted peanut skins.

Booker's Bourbon The Master Distiller's Batch Rating

93/100

Recap

So far and with one to go, The Master Distiller’s Batch is my favorite regular Booker’s release of 2024. (Technically my favorite Booker’s release this year is The Reserves, but that’s a different and more limited type of expression.) It’s bursting with classic flavors long associated with the brand while still managing a surprise or two. Older age and higher proof don’t always equate to better whiskey. But in the case of the Booker’s Bourbon line, the relationship has been very closely correlated.

Reviewed On: 12-10-2024
93
POINTS
Booker's Bourbon ‘The Master Distiller's Batch’
I have to hand it to Jim Beam: It reliably churns out four Booker’s Bourbon bottlings per year, and each still manages to keep my interest. And this time, there are a couple extra reasons to get excited: the third release of 2024 is the oldest and highest proof of the year. “The Master Distiller’s” batch clocks in at 130.3 proof, with the youngest liquid having spent 7 years, 8 months, and 7 days in the barrel. After a series of early 2020s bottlings well under 7 years old, it seems the Booker’s standard has ticked back up over that age mark for the time being. The batch was named “in honor of a group of distillers Fred Noe, 7th generation master distiller of The James B. Beam Distilling Co., came to admire,” according to the brand. Noe came of age in the whiskey industry around the time his father — Booker Noe — and contemporaries were first becoming celebrity spokespeople, traveling the world to share the flavor and allure of American whiskey. As usual, Beam provides some specifics on the blend for this latest Booker’s batch:
  • 10 percent of barrels came from the 6th floor of 7-story warehouse Z
  • 11 percent came from the 6th floor of 7-story warehouse 1
  • 42 percent came from the 6th floor of 7-story warehouse 3
  • 37 percent came from the 3rd floor of 9-story warehouse J
Let’s see how it tastes! Booker’s Bourbon ‘The Master Distiller’s Batch’ 2024-03 review.

Booker's Bourbon The Master Distiller's Batch: Stats and Availability

In a year with a number of extra-special releases from Beam — Little Book: The Infinite and Booker’s: The Reserves come to mind — The Master Distiller’s Batch is one of four “normal” calendar-year releases for the brand. The MSRP is right around $100, though I still occasionally see bottles hovering for closer to $90 in certain retail markets. While technically a limited expression, Booker’s is widely released across the United States and in some foreign markets. These don’t stay on the shelves forever, but most fans can normally score a bottle at close to retail.

Booker's Bourbon The Master Distiller's Batch Review

As with all of VinePair’s whiskey reviews, this was tasted in a Glencairn glass and rested for at least five minutes.

Nose

The nose starts off with some classic Booker’s notes, then (pleasantly) tosses in a few gentle surprises. First, those hallmark aromas: roasted peanuts, hefty oak, cinnamon-spiced barbecue sauce, and just about the darkest but not-quite-burnt caramel you’re likely to encounter. I also smell a stewed tomato element that’s familiar from some recent batches but not present on every single one. For a 130+ proofer, it’s not overpoweringly hot on the nose, giving plenty of room for sweet, oaky, and spicy notes to develop before ethanol starts to dull the nostrils. That barbecue sauce lingers here, with plenty of cinnamon and black pepper to go alongside the sweet tomato base. Beneath that thread and after a few more minutes, a couple changeups waft up from the glass. Bananas foster is a scent unique to recent Booker’s releases (at least to my recollection). Roasted peanut shifts to almond extract and eventually marzipan. That’s not an uncommon note on many Kentucky bourbons, but again, it’s more pronounced here than I normally find with Booker’s. A tiny current of fermented grape mash folds in at the end, incorporating a bit of sour to a predominantly spicy and sweet nose.

Taste

The Master Distiller’s Batch brings a big pop of oak on the first sip. But instead of getting bogged down in wood tannins, it quickly mellows to praline; roasted peanuts and caramelized sugar carry flavors through to the midpalate. Strong, concentrated vanilla flavor also hits just after the earliest flavors, as if sipping directly from the extract bottle. It’d be a bit much if not for a sweet, coating sensation from the praline note. Next up, and just behind those in intensity, comes sweet tea, caramel-drizzled baked apples, and more cooked bananas. Oak comes back in full force right after the midpalate, bringing more leathery tannins along with it; in this instance, the wood’s intensity forms a sort of reverse bell curve, with a dip in the middle allowing those tea and fruit flavors enough time to shine. Cinnamon once again builds toward the back palate, along with both dark cocoa smoked applewood — familiar sensations for longtime Booker’s fans. All the while, a creamy mouthfeel helps keep flavors intact despite the high proof. It’s a well-composed sipping sensation.

Finish

We’ve got a peppery, long finish, with plenty of dry oak to contrast with the sweeter/caramel aspects of the palate. And it’s almost impossible to miss lingering cooked bananas, here paired with the more expected flavor of roasted peanut skins.

Booker's Bourbon The Master Distiller's Batch Rating

93/100

Recap

So far and with one to go, The Master Distiller’s Batch is my favorite regular Booker’s release of 2024. (Technically my favorite Booker’s release this year is The Reserves, but that’s a different and more limited type of expression.) It’s bursting with classic flavors long associated with the brand while still managing a surprise or two. Older age and higher proof don’t always equate to better whiskey. But in the case of the Booker’s Bourbon line, the relationship has been very closely correlated.

Reviewed On: 12-10-2024