Booker's Bourbon Batch 2015-05 "Maw Maw's Batch"

Taste: 2 oz. Neat in glen cairn, then with three drops. Appearance: dark amber with thicker, slower running legs. Thanks to msewell16 for sending the sample. Nose: This punches you in the face! It is strong, bold, initially heavy with ethanol, then loads of oak, brown sugar, and caramel. With a few drops of water the fruitier notes come through. Think apple pie and struesel here. Palate: when neat, the flavors are very condensed. Very oaky but a few drops of water unlock apple baked brown betty, red michigan apple peel, and vanilla all covered in brown sugar glaze. Addition of water makes this one turn from just being a strong high proofed, oaky bourbon, to making you remember apple pies cooling on a fall day with the windows wide open! Bourbon that can evoke a pleasant memory is a worthwhile bourbon in my book. Finish: warming and long. Makes you blush a bit as that warmth works its way upward. My only hit against it is that it is a bit woodshoppy on the end note. Some may like that send-off, kind of gave me splinters. Overall: I must confess I was not a big fan neat. It was just too strong, hot, full of oak, but you could tell that sweeter stuff was in there, you just had to fine tune it. 2 drops of water and this is a different bourbon entirely. It is everything you want in a barrelproof bourbon but only if you work hard at it. I find this with most Bookers and I love that challenge! If you are simply popping the top and pouring a glass you are not getting to what Booker's is really about-- choosing your own adventure and tuning in to unlock unlimited potential!

Sitting at the bar waiting for the Alabama/Clemson game to start, after a nice bbq meal (Go Tigers). The banana notes are the first notes on the nose. They overpower all, initially. As you wait, they do lessen and other bourbon traits make their way: corn sweetness, vanilla, oak and cinnamon. This initial Bookers blast (neat) immediately anethestizes the tongue and dulls the senses. The second wave, as you are better prepared, allows you to discern the brown sugar sweetness. At this point, water is your friend. Add some ice gradually and let it open. This beast need taming. As it starts to settle, the brown sugar sweetness and oakey dryness play off each other, starting sweet then turning dry. The oak dominates and as it starts the finish, the palate is left oakey dry and Red Hot cinnamon spicy. A nice treat and fun ride. As far as all the two Booker batches I have experienced, to me, they are all very similar. A more refined palate may be able to discern the differences. But, in general, if you like bourbon, you can't go wrong with Bookers. [93/100] [Tasted: Black Eyed Sally's, Hartford, CT; 1/11/16]

The name "maw maw's" makes me think of an old appalachian woman sitting in a rocker that likes her bourbon strong. Doesn't disappoint. I do think it should be named paw paw's however. It's hard to come by that fruit in the wild nowadays, but, that's just what it smells like. Over ripened bananas, sweet and slightly turned. In the glass the spirit has a beautiful cedar color. On first sip the palette is overwhelmed with hot, burning, caramel. It settles however to provide a long cinnamon sting. Clean oak is the finish, and my tongue feels spicy and dry.

The most amazing part about this bourbon is how smooth it tastes for its proof. In a blind taste test, I wouldn’t believe you that this guy is over 120 proof. The nose does give you a warning: very astringent, with a hint of caramel. Body has faint vanilla, but mostly caramel. Finish has aged wood flavors and pepper on it. I appreciate what they were able to do here, and I’d reach for this one if I wanted a quick buzz without a ton of burn.

I'm always a fan of Bookers and i enjoyed this batch as well. However this one is quite hot and spicy; that says a lot when Bookers is an in your face full bodied barrel proof bourbon in general. Not one of my favorite batches, but fun to try a batch i haven't had before.

Love the nose. Ripe banana followed by carmel, cinnamon and oak. The 68% is tough to tame, and even once you do the cinnamon that remains continues the burn. Slow sipper for sure.