Heritage
Booker’s Bourbon 2025-01 “Barry’s Batch” is the inaugural release of the 2025 Booker’s Collection, crafted as a heartfelt tribute to Barry Berish, the former Chairman and CEO of Jim Beam. Berish, who led the company for over four decades and passed away in early 2024, was instrumental in shaping the legacy of Beam and was a close friend to the Noe family.
Tasting Profile & Food Pairings
Tasting Notes
Intensely robust, with a nose full of toasted oak, peanut brittle, and caramelized brown sugar. The palate is thick and chewy with fiery spice, vanilla bean, and charred barrel influence, ending in a long, warming finish with a hint of maple smoke.
Food Pairings
Pairs perfectly with spice-rubbed ribs, pulled pork sandwiches, or beef short ribs. Cheese lovers should reach for smoked gouda or aged parmesan. Desserts like bourbon pecan pie or cinnamon rolls enhance its sweetness and depth.
Craftsmanship
Booker’s Bourbon is a small-batch, barrel-proof bourbon named after Booker Noe, the legendary sixth-generation master distiller at Jim Beam and grandson of Jim Beam himself. Introduced in 1988, Booker’s was one of the first bourbons to embrace the uncut, unfiltered, high-proof style—offering whiskey lovers a raw, authentic taste of the barrel, just as Booker preferred it.
Each batch is carefully selected and released only a few times a year, often named in honor of influential figures in the brand’s history or personal friends of the Noe family. Every bottle is hand-labeled and includes a short aging statement, batch number, and proof—true to Booker’s vision of transparency and quality.
Booker’s stands as a cornerstone of the Jim Beam Small Batch Collection, which also includes Basil Hayden’s, Knob Creek, and Baker’s. While others may be crafted for balance or approachability, Booker’s is bold by design—meant for seasoned bourbon drinkers who appreciate rich flavor, strong character, and genuine heritage.
