Booker’s 7yo Small Batch (63.7%, OB, Batch#C03-1-16, +/-2011)

Black pepper on the nose and then some good fruit and sweetness, beef stock and a very evident presence of alcohol (!) along with some gentle cask notes that are very nice. The taste is vibrant and very dry with lashing of flavour and loads of cold dark unsweetened black tea. This is begging for a little water…so with water things are much more manageable and all the afore mentioned notes are present but simply not as aggressive…still very excellent. The finish is much as the nose and the taste and is extremely long and active. Hints of liquorice and sweetness. The finish with water improves also and the pepper etcetera is still very much in play and adds to the end game significantly. After some time the pepper turns to lemon pepper….

Benefits from some water; the addition of which makes it into an absolutely stellar whisky.

Another steal for $56

Score 89 points

Day THREE of American Whiskey Week.