The Whiskey Reviewer A World of Whiskey, Poured Every Weekday
By Richard Thomas
(Credit: Beam Suntory)
The new Booker’s Rye will be released in late May. As the latest rye whiskey release from the Jim Beam Distillery in Clermont, Kentucky, this limited edition has been much-anticipated among American whiskey fans.
Booker’s was originally part of the Beam Small Batch Collection, launched two decades ago, and was the barrel strength entry in that line-up. The bourbon quickly developed a reputation for smooth drinking with bold flavors, this despite its high octane alcohol content. New entries in the Booker’s line follow in this vein, and Booker’s Rye looks to be no exception.
The stock for Booker’s Rye was laid down by Booker Noe in 2003 in his favored spots in Warehouses D and E. The senior Noe then passed away the next year. Fred Noe, Booker’s son and the great grandson of Jim Beam, took over as Master Distiller in Clermont in 2007, and has been steadily bottling Booker’s chosen stock ever since. Booker’s Rye represents the final batch of his Dad’s rye whiskey.
Booker’s Rye will be a limited release of 136.2 proof, 13 year old rye whiskey. The mashbill behind the whiskey is billed as “unique” and “never before released” by the Beam Distillery, so it’s definitely not the Kentucky-stylee, 51% rye commonly associated with Beam. The whiskey will be priced at a hefty $299.99 a bottle.
