Baker’s Exclusive Selection Single Barrel Bourbon Review

By Richard Thomas

Rating: A-

Last month saw Beam Suntory build on their revamping of the Baker’s brand, long the most neglected of the four brands of Jim Beam’s famed Small Batch Collection of the early 1990s (Blanton’s, Basil Hayden, Knob Creek and Baker’s). Following their conversion of Baker’s to a single barrel expression, they have now released and extra aged, limited edition version of that 107 proof, single barrel bourbon. Whereas the standard Baker’s has been a 7 year old whiskey for almost 30 years now (now I feel old), this Exclusive Selection is 11 years, 8 months old.

The Bourbon
I found the scent of this middle aged Beam bourbon surprisingly airy, especially in view of light aromas not being a quality I often associate with what comes out of Clermont. I wondered what some airing might do, so I left the glass out for 20 minutes and then returned to it, only to find it as airy as at the start. I gathered hints of vanilla and cookie spice, but little more.

The palate, however, is some very well-aged Beam. That benchmark sweet vanilla bourbon character opens the ball, but this is soon overtaken by a current of nutty, almond and peanut tinged oak and a parallel current that mixes dried mint and tart, dried berries. I found the flavor to be quite barrel-driven, but in a mature and distinguished sense, very far from being over-oaked. The finish ran dry, spicy and a touch woody.

The only thing missing from this experience was a nose I could properly enjoy, and I am left scratching my head as to why that was the case. Otherwise, this spin on what was long Beam’s most overlooked classic gives it some truly enjoyable character. Snag a bottle while you can.

The Price
A bottle of Baker’s Exclusive Selection will set you back $99.99. Keeping in mind that Baker’s still isn’t at the forefront of any casual bourbon drinkers imagination, bottle hunters should find it an easy and worthy score at that price point.