I'm relieved I watched your review, I pulled the trigger and bought the Lumberyard batch because it was the last one. This is officially my first Booker's, so cheers and possibly many more.
In 2015, me and my family took an Amtrak ride out to Montana. My prodigious bourbon supply was neatly stowed in the baggage car, and they wanted $10+ for a pour of Makers Mark. BUT... I had an old airline mini-bottle of the original basic Booker Noe (now no longer available) in my onboard stash. I nursed that sucker for 4 hours in the observation car as America rolled past for my viewing pleasure. Booker Noe will always have a sweet spot in my memory, both as the barrel strength whiskey that I first "splurged" $40 on back in the '80's, and for this trip.
I saw that it was just over 7 years and couldn’t help but pick it up. I’m a Booker’s fan but I try not to chase it but if there’s a batch that sounds intriguing then I’d pick it up. Got me thinking of blending some Booker’s to see how they turn out lol
I never see bookers in my area and when i do stores want 190 to 200. Finally found Lumberyard at 100 which is alot but in my area it's like a bargain picked up a bottle. Excited to try it
I managed to get my hands on bookers found it online in Spain after minimum of 3 weeks search! The website didnt specified the batch, however i decided to gamble and ordered it ! While i opened the shipment boooom Lumberyard 🎉 my first bookers ever cannot wait to crack it open
Great comparison...Last batch I got was Beaten Biscuits from 2019 and unopened for a special occasion ....Might have to grab Lumberyard as its been awhile since I grabbed a Bookers...Cheers brother....
Like yourself, I haven't bought a bottle of Booker's in years. Saw a few bottles of Lumberyard in my local Total Wine, so went ahead and picked one up. Thanks for the review!
I live in NW Pennsylvania and you can not find Bookers anywhere. Even going into New York State I haven’t had any luck. They are snatched up immediately from what store people tell me.
It just sits there on the shelf week after week at $90 here in western WI. It's been there since the spring. Intriging to see it's being reviewed by you and comparing it to that which brought you to the bourbon world. I just don't see the younger batches like I used to and him&haw at the price tag. If I ever come across a "country ham" I'll get both and blend them. BZ! Cheers!
Regardless of the price I try to find Bookers. I love the bourbon and I love the stories that go with them. As long as it doesn’t go above 120$ I will continue to buy. It’s not like they are releasing a batch every month, 3-4 batches a year.
I had given up on Bookers. Could not find it in Virginny. I was more than satisfied with the Knob Creek Reserve 9 yr....but just happened to stop in a small town ABC store. They had 1 bottle of Lumberyard. Haven't cracked it open yet, wanted to see a review. Very Promising Review
Would love to get another batch of bookers, but every single store near me started selling it for at least $120 if not more, so Ill have to stick to knob creek picks for beam
I spent about $120 plus for it down in Ashland Ky. Next time I went down the store had a different batch with a green label versus the yellow label(looked like a movie ticket somewhat on the main label.
I got this bottle yesterday for $109 before tax. Haven't opened it yet. It's the first one I've seen in the wild for a decent price. So I'll wait for a special occasion.
In a land of 90 to 100 proofs asking 100+plus and warehouse C going for 10,000+. Booker's is fully warranted at $90 for me packaging, proof, some age, distinct profile, and the thought of Booker Noe while sipping is just badass. Own at least two that you like, keep a cracked one for those who know, and keep one in the dusty collection. I guess I got a soft spot for Wild Turkey and Beam.
Good stuff. I quite enjoyed the Beaten Biscuits batch. I have the Pigskin Batch 2020-03, will be cracking that soon. I think it’s good to have one in the collection but buying several in a year doesn’t make sense for me.
The peanut notes in Beam have made me a die hard Booker's fan so I'm always chasing Bookers, the one thing that sucks is the bottles always find their way to California about six months after their release.
I just got one for 84.99!!!! I couldn't be happier. Yes they are expensive but they are way cheaper than Blantons, Rock Hill Farms, Elmer T Lee, and EH Taylor. All of those are more expensive than Bookers in my area and are impossible to find. Bookers wasn't easy to find but the price is great for a high proof every batch. I wish they were cheaper but they arent going for crazy prices like the Buffalo Trace distillery brands and you get alot of proof
Very much enjoyed Bookers from 2016-2019, haven’t bought any since then the few pours I’ve tried were only so-so. This one sounds interesting I might grab if I see it. But I still got an unopened country ham sitting in the shelf for a special occasion! Thanks for the review, cheers 🥃
Country Ham, Front Porch and Pigskin (last one I bought) are my unopened and I got a Beaten Biscuit bottle open currently. Great stuff, sometimes a little hot but I enjoy them
“I’m gonna go make a full bottle of that!” ❤️ it! Sums up, or rather “distills” my approach to enjoying bourbon perfectly! Lets see if these components (purchased bottles) compliment each other well enough to use ‘em for a whole bottle… If you combine individual components, sometimes a truly magical blend ensues! Note of ⚠️- sometimes a “fresh” blend tastes better than one thats been on the shelf for a few weeks… or vice versa. Its hard to predict how the cookie will crumble.
For years Bookers was my go-to, but stopped buying long ago when the price got crazy and the age dropped. Interested in trying this but I usually just buy knob or rare breed and 6 yr mgp these days because of the value.
Thanks J! This has gone up to about $120 CAD pre-tax here up North. Hard pass for me at that price. KC SiB is about $70 and very comparable, so I will stick with that.
I am all in on Bookers every year and every batch. I have all of 2020, 2021 and so far the 2 for this year along with the Theresa's Batch from 2019. It's just my favorite and has some very sentimental ties to my bourbon journey. Bardstown Batch to me is the best Bookers I have ever had. Great stuff Jason, as always. I love the comparison to the Country which is the overall crowd fav when it comes to Bookers.
My wife bought me a bottle of Bardstown and I loved it. Haven’t seen any in stores around me since. Cheapest online for Lumberyard I’ve seen is $175. Pass!
Country ham got me into bourbon. Had 4 bottles. The pigskin was great and i have a noe stranger from 21 that is amazing too. Most are peanuts. Cant stand that taste now
Question since we are talking Bookers. I got this older bottle from a friend. Her dad had it on her bar. Anyone know anything about batch # B96-L-23? It's 7 yrs 11 months. Seems pretty old.
In NJ and they are running $99 - $150. For me we have many other selections in the price range. I also Agree...2019-03 Country Ham was the last Great Brooker's. Let's see what happens with the next release.
After video I went grabbed bookers noe stranger which alone I felt was really good. I put it up against a knob creek barrel proof store pick and it's not close. You immediately can tell the bookers is younger. The knob has a richer more dense nose with dark notes. The bookers has a light and higher ethical nose. Taste runs the same. I will say adding an ice cube the bookers is much improves. But I will say I paid 49 bucks for the knob creek so two bottles for price of 1 bookers. Knob creek is no brainer
Jason, if you could grab this Booker's for retail or a Baker's Single Barrel with 8+ years age statement on it for $59.99, which one would you grab? This Booker's just sits on the shelves at Retail where I'm at and was not a fan of the last few....great review either way! 😎
I've had this batch 2 weeks now. It's still hot even with air and water. Not pleased. Going to pick up some Ronnie's batch today. Much better in my opionion.
Most reviews have been positive on this and pointing to a return to form, but $100 is a lot to ask for a bottle that doesn't hit better. For that price it should be a discussion of whether it's very good or great, not if it's better than just okay. I have one bottle and a pair of Little Books and I don't plan on replacing them until the value improves.
I grabbed one here at work 95$ I asked my manager if I can get a bottle of eagle rare and I went in the office and he goes want a Bookers? I said yeahhh
Country ham is the best batch I’ve tasted. But it was $170 here in Michigan. So it was a hard pass. The crackerjack note is totally accurate. The other recent batches I’ve tried, taste like crackerjacks dipped in peanut butter. And still very expensive here. Sadly will prolly pass again. If it’s in a bar, definitely a try for sure. I’ve stopped hunting Larceny BP. Totally agree with you Jason. The last two batches are just hot hot hot messes.
Bookers is still very good, but it's moved into the "overpriced for what it is" range, especially since they don't seem to match up to the bottles I still have through 2019 or so. When the quality goes down and price goes up, that's a bad combo. While the location in the warehouse can definitely make a difference over ECBP or Knob Creek 120 bottles, at this price, it's not something I'm going to buy.
@@TheMashandDrum From that perspective, yes, quality may be the wrong term, but to my tastes, I haven't liked the newer batches as much, and the price has gone up, so that's two reasons not to buy it.
I no longer chase Bookers or ECBP releases. I just wait for Jason to review them. A good batch of ECBP is better than a good batch from Bookers, though, and there is a big price differential. The richer mouthfeel Jason describes might cause me to grab this batch if I see one but I won’t go hunting for one.
I just saw one for $180 today! This is the same store I bought my "Old Style Batches" C06-B-15, way back when, for $46. I fell in love with Bourbon because of it.
I still have an unopened bottle of Sip Awhile and another of Booker's Bluegrass. Until I open and finish these two, I doubt I purchase another Booker's. I was not impressed with the 2021 releases and my last release before then was Theresa's Batch, which was also disappointing.
I see that Booker's likes to do the year/month/week/day but, like just a simple bottle year age statement, could that just apply to the youngest barrel in the blend? They pull from quite a few places for these.
I'm sorry but Booker's jumped the shark over two years ago when the price passed $60 and the quality went down. The last batch I bought (and probably will ever buy) was Beaten Biscuits. It's sad because, like Jason, Booker's was the bourbon that made me really fall in love with bourbon. At least I had the foresight to bunker a couple of cases going back to 2013-7. The irony is that even though so many people have stopped buying it, it's become hard to find at msrp, at lease in NoCal where I live. If it shows up at msrp, it's gone almost instantly. I think that's driven by the collectors who have to have multiples of every batch.
Bardstown Batch is sort of what got me into bourbon. I chase Bookers, and the Lumberyard is the first one I have seen in stores since I started in whiskey. Lumberyard is good, but not as good as the Bardstown Batch IMO. Never had the country ham, but now I wanna try it. I have four bottles of the Lumberyard Batch and didn't pay over 90 for any of them. Cheapest was 79.99.
Haven't tried Bardstown but I have a Bottle and just picked up Lumberyard...Pigskin was my 1st Booker's and I'll buy it all day when I can find it at my grocery store for 80.
I tried some bookers at a bar once and (without a glen) samples can be meh to get a good read on if I’m not at home in my element. Anyway. Whatever bookers I had was meh. Drank a bit hot for my liking but hard to get a good read at a bar out if a neat glass.
I'm newer to bourbon, and I dont know if I will ever get a bookers. Too much for a 6yr whiskey with so many other options out there. With the lumberyard name, does anyone else have Jackyl's lumberjack in their head?
I took two years off and grabbed the 2022-01. It’s good, but it’s not making me was to keep rushing back for more. For me, Kitchen Table was the best…better than Country Ham
I can't wait for the season premiere of "Bookers and Knobs." Jason, are you playing one of the cops? I see you more as their gruff captain who chews them out all the time.
Booker's is also a different cut than Knob Creek (it's also not the same cut as standard Jim Beam, since Knob Creek is also a different cut than standard Jim Beam)
IMO, Knob Creek Single Barrel is the better bourbon when compared to the last several Booker’s releases. Also, Old Grandad 114 is honestly close enough to this year’s releases and less than a third of the price!
Fun review! Started collecting Booker’s with Boston Batch, when everyone else seemed to bail on it. Got Lumberyard for $90 about 2 weeks ago. Still exploring it but enjoying it so far, and it was noticeably better than Bardstown in a blind. Love the richness and spicy finish.
@@yanksrule311 I only get it when I can find it locally (rural Maine) at SRP. I’ve missed a few that way (Tagalong, Donahoe (?)) but that’s okay. I still think $89.99 is fair for what you get, but the online prices I’ve seen are all $125+, and it’s an easy no for me at that price.
Specs aren’t everything. Age and proof doesn’t equal quality. You can get cheaper older higher proof than bookers but that does not necessarily mean it will be better.
never bought a bookers- too much peanut, not enough complexity. I think that even with KC 9yr store pick SiBs, it pays to be picky / focused on floors/ warehouses that produce a flavor profile to suit ones taste preferences.
Even if you can find it these days (which is next to impossible in the U.K) it's likely to be price prohibitive. Lumberyard Batch, Granny Batch, Taken for a Jerk Batch - It's all rather silly isn't it? Over the years I've tasted some variation but not that much truth be told. I'd bet I've commented on bourbon reviews more than any other person on this side of the pond and I'm a huge fan of bourbon, but this a, b, c, lumberyard, whatever the fuck, batch is becoming increasingly irritating. Seriously, how good is a product if it's mediocre one month and decent, or good, 4 months later? The tasting notes are pretty much always identical anyway. Different locations in the warehouse is just marketing bullshit. "The rainy weeks ahead of the Kentucky Derby" - WTF! Anyone that follows my comments knows I'm just as critical of Scotch. This stuff is overpriced - end of. If Wild Turkey can do what they do for the price why can't Jim Beam? I can even buy JD SBBS in the U.K for £65. Folks are being burnt and taken for fools with Beam's bourbon and disgraceful Japanese offerings. It's just a money grabbing operation with no regard to consumers. Dish out the Lumberyard and Country Ham nonsense (etc) and limit it, so we all go and chase, and the dollars roll in. Decent bourbon used to be a working man's drink. What the hell is going on? Workers in the distilleries get treated like shit and have to fight for decent working rights; like pension rights for crying out loud. Anyway. I love the idea of Lumberham and that was a rock solid review. Cheers my friend. WT
I'm relieved I watched your review, I pulled the trigger and bought the Lumberyard batch because it was the last one. This is officially my first Booker's, so cheers and possibly many more.
I also purchased it as my first on just yesterday, and need to keep it until fall starts too warm to drink the octane monster in Spanish summer time
I buy Bookers whenever my grocery store has it; just picked Lumberyard up for 79.99.
Love The Lumberyard, 80 € here in Germany
In 2015, me and my family took an Amtrak ride out to Montana. My prodigious bourbon supply was neatly stowed in the baggage car, and they wanted $10+ for a pour of Makers Mark. BUT... I had an old airline mini-bottle of the original basic Booker Noe (now no longer available) in my onboard stash. I nursed that sucker for 4 hours in the observation car as America rolled past for my viewing pleasure. Booker Noe will always have a sweet spot in my memory, both as the barrel strength whiskey that I first "splurged" $40 on back in the '80's, and for this trip.
Thanks for that story. Thats pretty cool
Agreed, the Ham was peak Booker's
I saw that it was just over 7 years and couldn’t help but pick it up. I’m a Booker’s fan but I try not to chase it but if there’s a batch that sounds intriguing then I’d pick it up. Got me thinking of blending some Booker’s to see how they turn out lol
Before this year never saw Bookers on the shelf. Now I have both of this years. Just jumped on a bottle at a Walmart liquor store.
I never see bookers in my area and when i do stores want 190 to 200. Finally found Lumberyard at 100 which is alot but in my area it's like a bargain picked up a bottle. Excited to try it
I managed to get my hands on bookers found it online in Spain after minimum of 3 weeks search! The website didnt specified the batch, however i decided to gamble and ordered it ! While i opened the shipment boooom Lumberyard 🎉 my first bookers ever cannot wait to crack it open
Watched this video again because I just found a country ham and it’s awesome!
Great comparison...Last batch I got was Beaten Biscuits from 2019 and unopened for a special occasion ....Might have to grab Lumberyard as its been awhile since I grabbed a Bookers...Cheers brother....
Like yourself, I haven't bought a bottle of Booker's in years. Saw a few bottles of Lumberyard in my local Total Wine, so went ahead and picked one up. Thanks for the review!
I live in NW Pennsylvania and you can not find Bookers anywhere. Even going into New York State I haven’t had any luck. They are snatched up immediately from what store people tell me.
It just sits there on the shelf week after week at $90 here in western WI. It's been there since the spring. Intriging to see it's being reviewed by you and comparing it to that which brought you to the bourbon world. I just don't see the younger batches like I used to and him&haw at the price tag. If I ever come across a "country ham" I'll get both and blend them. BZ! Cheers!
Si, great content as always!
This was my favorite bottle in 2022
Good review and glad to see the comparison with Country Ham. Still have a couple bottles left. Lumber Ham or Country Yard??
Regardless of the price I try to find Bookers. I love the bourbon and I love the stories that go with them. As long as it doesn’t go above 120$ I will continue to buy. It’s not like they are releasing a batch every month, 3-4 batches a year.
I had given up on Bookers. Could not find it in Virginny. I was more than satisfied with the Knob Creek Reserve 9 yr....but just happened to stop in a small town ABC store. They had 1 bottle of Lumberyard. Haven't cracked it open yet, wanted to see a review. Very Promising Review
Would love to get another batch of bookers, but every single store near me started selling it for at least $120 if not more, so Ill have to stick to knob creek picks for beam
I spent about $120 plus for it down in Ashland Ky. Next time I went down the store had a different batch with a green label versus the yellow label(looked like a movie ticket somewhat on the main label.
Knob single barrel, 120 proof? 🤤
Here in Germany is selling for like 78 euros and not so hard to find. Is something that im not getting?
I got this bottle yesterday for $109 before tax. Haven't opened it yet. It's the first one I've seen in the wild for a decent price. So I'll wait for a special occasion.
I want some Lumberham! Just need those 2 bottles 🤣
In a land of 90 to 100 proofs asking 100+plus and warehouse C going for 10,000+. Booker's is fully warranted at $90 for me packaging, proof, some age, distinct profile, and the thought of Booker Noe while sipping is just badass. Own at least two that you like, keep a cracked one for those who know, and keep one in the dusty collection. I guess I got a soft spot for Wild Turkey and Beam.
Good points.
Great review, Jason! 7 years and a little more depth than recent Bookers sounds great. I’m in need of a Bookers and will look for it! Cheers bro🥃
Good stuff. I quite enjoyed the Beaten Biscuits batch. I have the Pigskin Batch 2020-03, will be cracking that soon. I think it’s good to have one in the collection but buying several in a year doesn’t make sense for me.
Beaten Biscuits was such a great batch.
I’m a huge fan of the Pigskin Batch. Opened mine a few months back 👌🏼 I like to get one a year or at least try 😂
I haven't bought one since they were $49 a bottle (pre story bottles) And even back then I thought it was a bit much for what you got.
Nice review! I’ll keep an eye out for one in my area. I really enjoyed the 2021-03 Bardstown batch from last year
Being new to whiskey and in Ohio, I bought this after waiting in line for allocation release not knowing to much. Hope I like it. Thanks for sharing.
The lumber yard is great. Got 3 bottles this week
Will try it if I find it.
I’m sold I’m getting this one
The peanut notes in Beam have made me a die hard Booker's fan so I'm always chasing Bookers, the one thing that sucks is the bottles always find their way to California about six months after their release.
There’s a spot in LA down the street from me that has batches on the shelf from years ago lmao crazy
@@thewhiskeybible Do they have Granny's Batch? And are you willing to hook a brother up with the spot?
Always pick up a Boookers at UK retail (£80 Inc tax 2022) looking forward to this at Xmas, have to wait until Santa delivers it.
I just got one for 84.99!!!! I couldn't be happier. Yes they are expensive but they are way cheaper than Blantons, Rock Hill Farms, Elmer T Lee, and EH Taylor. All of those are more expensive than Bookers in my area and are impossible to find. Bookers wasn't easy to find but the price is great for a high proof every batch. I wish they were cheaper but they arent going for crazy prices like the Buffalo Trace distillery brands and you get alot of proof
Very much enjoyed Bookers from 2016-2019, haven’t bought any since then the few pours I’ve tried were only so-so. This one sounds interesting I might grab if I see it. But I still got an unopened country ham sitting in the shelf for a special occasion! Thanks for the review, cheers 🥃
That’s a great bottle to bunker
Country Ham, Front Porch and Pigskin (last one I bought) are my unopened and I got a Beaten Biscuit bottle open currently. Great stuff, sometimes a little hot but I enjoy them
Got both releases for this year and the Lumberyard came on top! Nice review, cheers🥃
“I’m gonna go make a full bottle of that!” ❤️ it!
Sums up, or rather “distills” my approach to enjoying bourbon perfectly!
Lets see if these components (purchased bottles) compliment each other well enough to use ‘em for a whole bottle…
If you combine individual components, sometimes a truly magical blend ensues!
Note of ⚠️- sometimes a “fresh” blend tastes better than one thats been on the shelf for a few weeks… or vice versa. Its hard to predict how the cookie will crumble.
For years Bookers was my go-to, but stopped buying long ago when the price got crazy and the age dropped. Interested in trying this but I usually just buy knob or rare breed and 6 yr mgp these days because of the value.
Try it against the Bardstown Batch....
B roll on point ! You've got some of the cleanest videos on Whiskey Tube
I never chase Beam. Unfortunately i don't really feel like chasing ECBP anymore either.
LoL … Lumberham 👍
We’re not talking enough about the solid Arnold impression
B roll coloring is making the label look awesome
I really like this one!
So usually bourbon hunting near me sucks. I've seen this one several times in my area for about $80. This is in the Chicago suburbs.
This is pretty easy for us to get in the UK and I picked up my bottle for £70.
Found 5 for 89.99 at total wine today, bought 2.
I’m glad I grabbed one too now 👍🏻
Love the shirt
Thanks J! This has gone up to about $120 CAD pre-tax here up North. Hard pass for me at that price. KC SiB is about $70 and very comparable, so I will stick with that.
Hells yeah
I am all in on Bookers every year and every batch. I have all of 2020, 2021 and so far the 2 for this year along with the Theresa's Batch from 2019. It's just my favorite and has some very sentimental ties to my bourbon journey. Bardstown Batch to me is the best Bookers I have ever had. Great stuff Jason, as always. I love the comparison to the Country which is the overall crowd fav when it comes to Bookers.
My wife bought me a bottle of Bardstown and I loved it. Haven’t seen any in stores around me since. Cheapest online for Lumberyard I’ve seen is $175. Pass!
I only buybookers when it's at costco for $67
Same for me.
Country ham got me into bourbon. Had 4 bottles. The pigskin was great and i have a noe stranger from 21 that is amazing too. Most are peanuts. Cant stand that taste now
Question since we are talking Bookers. I got this older bottle from a friend. Her dad had it on her bar. Anyone know anything about batch # B96-L-23? It's 7 yrs 11 months. Seems pretty old.
The price Is going up again starting with the 3rd batch this year
In NJ and they are running $99 - $150. For me we have many other selections in the price range. I also Agree...2019-03 Country Ham was the last Great Brooker's. Let's see what happens with the next release.
After video I went grabbed bookers noe stranger which alone I felt was really good. I put it up against a knob creek barrel proof store pick and it's not close. You immediately can tell the bookers is younger. The knob has a richer more dense nose with dark notes. The bookers has a light and higher ethical nose. Taste runs the same. I will say adding an ice cube the bookers is much improves. But I will say I paid 49 bucks for the knob creek so two bottles for price of 1 bookers. Knob creek is no brainer
I remember when Bookers cost me $40...what happened? Beam chasing the dollar I guess. Haven't chased it in a bit, still ahven't opened shiny barrel!
Jason, if you could grab this Booker's for retail or a Baker's Single Barrel with 8+ years age statement on it for $59.99, which one would you grab? This Booker's just sits on the shelves at Retail where I'm at and was not a fan of the last few....great review either way! 😎
While you are back in the laboratory blending up that Lumberham try mixing some Knob Creek single barrel with some FourSquare rum.
Have you had the tag along batch? That’s my favorite, albeit I’m very new to bookers.
Tagallong was a great batch. Still have one
Agree!
I've had this batch 2 weeks now. It's still hot even with air and water. Not pleased. Going to pick up some Ronnie's batch today. Much better in my opionion.
Yeah this didn't drink that hot for me. It did in the beginning.
Good video as usual! I'm still interested in Booker's, but not to the point where I'm hunting for it.
lumber ham!!!! lol awesome
Most reviews have been positive on this and pointing to a return to form, but $100 is a lot to ask for a bottle that doesn't hit better. For that price it should be a discussion of whether it's very good or great, not if it's better than just okay. I have one bottle and a pair of Little Books and I don't plan on replacing them until the value improves.
I grabbed one here at work
95$
I asked my manager if I can get a bottle of eagle rare and I went in the office and he goes want a Bookers? I said yeahhh
Country ham is the best batch I’ve tasted. But it was $170 here in Michigan. So it was a hard pass. The crackerjack note is totally accurate. The other recent batches I’ve tried, taste like crackerjacks dipped in peanut butter. And still very expensive here. Sadly will prolly pass again. If it’s in a bar, definitely a try for sure.
I’ve stopped hunting Larceny BP. Totally agree with you Jason. The last two batches are just hot hot hot messes.
Good vid 👍
Bookers is still very good, but it's moved into the "overpriced for what it is" range, especially since they don't seem to match up to the bottles I still have through 2019 or so. When the quality goes down and price goes up, that's a bad combo.
While the location in the warehouse can definitely make a difference over ECBP or Knob Creek 120 bottles, at this price, it's not something I'm going to buy.
I honestly don't think quality has gone down. I just think it's the blends. Some are good and some are mediocre and it's a crapshoot
@@TheMashandDrum From that perspective, yes, quality may be the wrong term, but to my tastes, I haven't liked the newer batches as much, and the price has gone up, so that's two reasons not to buy it.
@@steveamsp totally agree.
I no longer chase Bookers or ECBP releases. I just wait for Jason to review them. A good batch of ECBP is better than a good batch from Bookers, though, and there is a big price differential. The richer mouthfeel Jason describes might cause me to grab this batch if I see one but I won’t go hunting for one.
I liked this batch much better than the first batch this year. $91 in my area, but I saw one for $150 in a different store.
I just saw one for $180 today! This is the same store I bought my "Old Style Batches" C06-B-15, way back when, for $46. I fell in love with Bourbon because of it.
I still have an unopened bottle of Sip Awhile and another of Booker's Bluegrass. Until I open and finish these two, I doubt I purchase another Booker's. I was not impressed with the 2021 releases and my last release before then was Theresa's Batch, which was also disappointing.
I see that Booker's likes to do the year/month/week/day but, like just a simple bottle year age statement, could that just apply to the youngest barrel in the blend? They pull from quite a few places for these.
yeah its the youngest.
I thought you were going to go with Hamyard...lol
Of the 2021 and 22 releases, is Bardstown the one to get?
It might be. I have to compare to this one.
@@TheMashandDrum nice. I'll be watching for sure!
Bardstown is soooooo damn good!!!! One of my favorites
Last Bookers I got was the Pigskin batch, where would that rank amongst the more recent Bookers batches?
Pigskin was a very typical bookers batch. I did enjoy the spice on it.
I'm sorry but Booker's jumped the shark over two years ago when the price passed $60 and the quality went down. The last batch I bought (and probably will ever buy) was Beaten Biscuits. It's sad because, like Jason, Booker's was the bourbon that made me really fall in love with bourbon. At least I had the foresight to bunker a couple of cases going back to 2013-7. The irony is that even though so many people have stopped buying it, it's become hard to find at msrp, at lease in NoCal where I live. If it shows up at msrp, it's gone almost instantly. I think that's driven by the collectors who have to have multiples of every batch.
Bardstown Batch is sort of what got me into bourbon. I chase Bookers, and the Lumberyard is the first one I have seen in stores since I started in whiskey. Lumberyard is good, but not as good as the Bardstown Batch IMO. Never had the country ham, but now I wanna try it. I have four bottles of the Lumberyard Batch and didn't pay over 90 for any of them. Cheapest was 79.99.
Haven't tried Bardstown but I have a Bottle and just picked up Lumberyard...Pigskin was my 1st Booker's and I'll buy it all day when I can find it at my grocery store for 80.
I tried some bookers at a bar once and (without a glen) samples can be meh to get a good read on if I’m not at home in my element. Anyway. Whatever bookers I had was meh. Drank a bit hot for my liking but hard to get a good read at a bar out if a neat glass.
Damn, I don't really want to get back into collecting those.
I'm newer to bourbon, and I dont know if I will ever get a bookers. Too much for a 6yr whiskey with so many other options out there. With the lumberyard name, does anyone else have Jackyl's lumberjack in their head?
I took two years off and grabbed the 2022-01. It’s good, but it’s not making me was to keep rushing back for more. For me, Kitchen Table was the best…better than Country Ham
I'm a lumberjack
and I'm OK
I sleep all night and I drink all day...
I can't wait for the season premiere of "Bookers and Knobs." Jason, are you playing one of the cops? I see you more as their gruff captain who chews them out all the time.
Booker's is also a different cut than Knob Creek (it's also not the same cut as standard Jim Beam, since Knob Creek is also a different cut than standard Jim Beam)
Why do you swirl bottle before you pour?
I swirled the country ham since it's been sitting a while. Any of those barrel proof esters at the bottom I want at the top.
Oh! I never tried that. Alway thought might work too much air into it. Which I try to avoid early in the bottle.
Been done with Bookers. No turning back
I noticed that most Bookers reviews only compare it to previous batches of Bookers. Just goes to show you that there is really no comparison. ;)
IMO, Knob Creek Single Barrel is the better bourbon when compared to the last several Booker’s releases. Also, Old Grandad 114 is honestly close enough to this year’s releases and less than a third of the price!
Yeah I can get on board with that
@@TheMashandDrum you’re the man, love your honesty !
Still a bit hot but good flavors. Bookers let me know my upper-end proof point and it ain’t that
I will only buy Booker’s on base, $74 and tax free. Will not pay over $80 for it
Fun review! Started collecting Booker’s with Boston Batch, when everyone else seemed to bail on it. Got Lumberyard for $90 about 2 weeks ago. Still exploring it but enjoying it so far, and it was noticeably better than Bardstown in a blind. Love the richness and spicy finish.
I’ve only had Bardstown and really enjoyed that. Would love to try more, but they’re so hard to find. Were you able to get locally or online? Thanks
@@yanksrule311 I only get it when I can find it locally (rural Maine) at SRP. I’ve missed a few that way (Tagalong, Donahoe (?)) but that’s okay. I still think $89.99 is fair for what you get, but the online prices I’ve seen are all $125+, and it’s an easy no for me at that price.
@@markwanner3633 Thanks for the reply. Completely agree with your stance on SRP. Plenty of solid bourbons at reasonable prices.
HamJack.. better combo name. "Put some HamJack in your mouth" 🤣
Specs aren’t everything. Age and proof doesn’t equal quality. You can get cheaper older higher proof than bookers but that does not necessarily mean it will be better.
Yeah I think booker's has almost become a novelty bourbon with it's history and flavor profile
Only see it rarely and when I do it’s $120-150. Hard pass
never bought a bookers- too much peanut, not enough complexity. I think that even with KC 9yr store pick SiBs, it pays to be picky / focused on floors/ warehouses that produce a flavor profile to suit ones taste preferences.
The 🐷🍖
527👍
Even if you can find it these days (which is next to impossible in the U.K) it's likely to be price prohibitive. Lumberyard Batch, Granny Batch, Taken for a Jerk Batch - It's all rather silly isn't it? Over the years I've tasted some variation but not that much truth be told. I'd bet I've commented on bourbon reviews more than any other person on this side of the pond and I'm a huge fan of bourbon, but this a, b, c, lumberyard, whatever the fuck, batch is becoming increasingly irritating. Seriously, how good is a product if it's mediocre one month and decent, or good, 4 months later? The tasting notes are pretty much always identical anyway. Different locations in the warehouse is just marketing bullshit. "The rainy weeks ahead of the Kentucky Derby" - WTF!
Anyone that follows my comments knows I'm just as critical of Scotch. This stuff is overpriced - end of. If Wild Turkey can do what they do for the price why can't Jim Beam? I can even buy JD SBBS in the U.K for £65. Folks are being burnt and taken for fools with Beam's bourbon and disgraceful Japanese offerings. It's just a money grabbing operation with no regard to consumers. Dish out the Lumberyard and Country Ham nonsense (etc) and limit it, so we all go and chase, and the dollars roll in. Decent bourbon used to be a working man's drink. What the hell is going on? Workers in the distilleries get treated like shit and have to fight for decent working rights; like pension rights for crying out loud.
Anyway. I love the idea of Lumberham and that was a rock solid review. Cheers my friend. WT