Booker’s 2021-03 “Bardstown Batch” Review | Whiskey Raiders
Skip to main content

Sign up for the brand-new Whiskey Raiders Bottle of the Month Club! Register in May to receive an early-bird discount on your first month.

right-pointing

More to Enjoy

  • Tequila Raiders
  • Rum Raiders
  • Gin Raiders
Lead post image
91
Bourbon

Booker’s 2021-03 “Bardstown Batch”

  • Distiller:

    Beam

  • Bottler:

    Beam

  • ABV:

    62.75%

  • Age:

    6 Years 5 Months

  • Price:
    $$$$$
Aggregated Reviews
  • Raided Score: 93
  • Publication: Paste
  • Excerpt: It’s absolutely not lacking in character, and it strikes me as a step or two outside of the very traditional Beam flavor profile, while still being recognizable.
  • Read Full Review
  • Raided Score: 89
  • Publication: Distiller
  • Excerpt: This is a rather autumnal expression, with aromas of baked apple pastry and sweet spices wafting out of the glass.
  • Read Full Review
  • Raided Score: 90
  • Publication: The Whiskey Jug
  • Excerpt: Adding water to the 2021-03 brings out more peanut notes and more baking spice especially on the aroma. On the palate the same rise up a bit, but do so against a growing biscuity background. All of which is delivered on a heavy, but always balanced, slab of oak.
  • Read Full Review

Raided Score is a conversion from an external site's score, to our in house uniform scoring system. Please see the FAQ for more.

House Review
  • Intro:

    The third Booker's release of 2021, this is titled "Bardstown Batch." Aged for 6 years and 5 months, it's released at 125.5 proof and can typically be found around the $100 mark.

  • Nose:

    Bold and creamy on the nose - tons of apple pie, baking spice, roasted peanuts, candied almonds and a wallop of cocoa, caramel and creme brûlée. There's plenty of ethanol here but also plenty of character and oak.

  • Taste:

    Rich on the palate. A touch hot, but not punishing, and there's plenty of oak and complexity to balance nicely. Sweet cream, honey roasted peanuts, caramelized sugar, creme brulee and a prickle of ethanol. Less oak here than other batches but plenty enough to carry. Blends bold syrupy mouthfeel nicely with that caramelized sugar and dessert note. Vanilla bean on the back palate.

  • Finish:

    Long finish, a touch hot but packed with character. Sweet cream, prickle of ethanol, light oak, caramel candies and roasted pecans. Maple and honey.

  • Overall:

    Overall, this is nice but can't touch the greatness of other Booker's batches in this year's releases.

  • Score:

    6

  • By t8ke
  • Our in house critic rates spirits on a scale of 0-10 (10 best) and is aggregated the same as external sources
User Reviews
Read our privacy policy