Review #: 474
Description: Little Book Chapter 2: “Noe Simple Task”
Spirit: American Whiskey (It’s technically an international blend, but I’m just going to keep it in the “American Whiskey” category)
Background: The 2018 release of Freddie Noe’s Little Book, this chapter breaks into some older and international stock that Beam-Suntory has. A blend of 8 year Kentucky rye, 13 year Canadian rye, and 40 year Canadian corn (at 137.8 proof!!). Let’s see if chapter 2 bring us out of the exposition and more into the plot.
Distillery – Various
Bottler – Jim Beam
Brand – Little Book
Selection – N/A
ABV – 59.4%
Age – 8 Years
Nose – Raspberry syrup, lots of oak – the extra age is apparent, coffee beans, leather, cinnamon, sweet corn, sweet rye verging on some mint
Taste – Sweet caramel, vanilla syrup, strawberry frosting, molasses cookie
Finish – A hit of dark fruit, oak, dark chocolate, oak and rye stay without much heat
Score: 7
Would I buy a bottle? Yes. Pretty solid value at $100 now a days (maybe less so in 2018 thought)
Thoughts: little surprised the rye isn’t a bit more up front but it is really well integrated with the corn and the oak. Proof in check, there was some stuff in there I was struggling to articulate into notes real well. A big step up from chapter 1.