BOTM, 3/06: Baker's

[Ambernecter]

I have always had a respect for the small batch collection.

Bookers, just for the strength, punch and peppery flavour will remain my always remain a fave, but Bakers is a close 2nd in this basically 2 horse race.

Knob Creek has it's good days but is not even a pimple on a pig's ass, compared to the magnitude of the pack leaders - Bakers and Bookers.

I fully agree, Bakers is the perfect strength for an experienced Bourbon drinker, but the 107 proof could well be too much for a newbie.

As for Bail Haydens (Haydes?) I'd rather stick hot pins in my eyes than waste my money on such a bland and low proof drink - once bitten twice shy!

Bourbon either cuts the mustard or doesn't in my eyes, and Bakers really should be considered an all time great!

[wskybnt]

Bakers, def on my top 10 list. Bookers also, top 10..but if I had to choose one or the other ...... Bakers

[bobbyc]

Once I spoke briefly to Baker about his signature Bourbon. I mentioned how really fine a bourbon it is. He said, " we intended for that one to be good". He also mentioned the age of 7 years as the perfect amount of time.

[photogjunkie]

Oh Baker's...my Baker's...the bourbon I call a true friend. Never fails to please. One of the BEST of the small batches.

[brian12069]

I am enjoying some Baker's now...very nice...

[TNbourbon]

A retired sports writer huh? I see now where all the creativity goes. If I wasn't already sure I'd be trying the Baker's, reading your review would have just sold me! Well stated as ALWAYS

Still follow sports much? The baseball world lost one of it's greatest in Kirby Puckett today. He went before his time and will be missed.....

Your kind works are much appreciated, Christian.
Ironically (or, perhaps not -- several thousand games can make one a bit jaded, I guess), my sports enthusiasm begins and ends these days with my Titans season tickets. And they haven't generated all that much enthusiasm for a couple of years.
I always enjoyed watching Puckett play, but thought he defied the laws of physics playing with that body. I guess it was the hyperactivity of playing full-speed that kept him fit -- I understand he had become shockingly out-sized the past few years.
Back on topic, the Baker's always surprises me, which ought not be the case after several such surprises, huh? It's really my favorite of the Small Batch bottlings. I'm (heretically) lukewarm about Booker's, and find both Knob Creek and Basil Hayden's (buyable at half its price) unchallenging, though pleasant.

[barturtle]

Picked up a bottle and drinking it during the chat this evening, while its good, its not as great as I remember it, might be a off night or some such, but if this was my only experience of it, I'd be crying the same chant I do for Basil Hayden..."Too expensive"

Shall revisit another night

[ProofPositive]

Picked up a bottle and drinking it during the chat this evening, while its good, its not as great as I remember it, might be a off night or some such, but if this was my only experience of it, I'd be crying the same chant I do for Basil Hayden..."Too expensive"

Shall revisit another night

I agree with every word. My same thoughts all the way. However, just for the sake of it being BOTM - I'll give it another chance on some night down the road.

[Ambernecter]

No, no, noooooooooooo!

Please don't mention Baker's in the same breath/(lifetime?) as Basil Hayden.

It may not quite cut the mustard for you at the moment, but to compare it to such a scandalously overpriced and overpackaged, nothing going for it whiskey, has just gotta be plain sacrilegious?

For sure one more bite of the cherry for this whiskey - Baker's hold it's own with the heavyweights IMO.

Oops another knee jerk reaction!

[Virus_Of_Life]

No, no, noooooooooooo!

Please don't mention Baker's in the same breath/(lifetime?) as Basil Hayden.

It may not quite cut the mustard for you at the moment, but to compare it to such a scandalously overpriced and overpackaged, nothing going for it whiskey, has just gotta be plain sacrilegious?

For sure one more bite of the cherry for this whiskey - Baker's hold it's own with the heavyweights IMO.

Oops another knee jerk reaction!

I am going to have to agree with you and Tim (above) both in that this, after truly giving it a good tasting, is most likely my favorite in the collection.

Now as much as I hate to have price a factor; money is after all, money. For what I'd have to pay for Booker's I'd rather (and always) buy GTS plain and simple without a doubt it's better, cheaper (usually anyway) and higher proof, 'nuff said!...

I don't think I need to comment on BH do I? The one bottle I have I got "on sale" for $29 and bought for the girlfriend (and other Bourbon newbies) - a good deal compared to regular price. But that, I am convinced, is still a good 10 bucks overpriced.

Knob Creek which I can pretty much always find for $20 is a good pour and will always hold a special place in my heart. It became my every weekend drink back in '98/'99 when I was all of maybe 22 years old. And I kid you knot I drank a lot of it for many months or a few years. Silly as it sounds now it became a weekend event to sit/lie on my black leather couch with a pint, or sometimes 5th, of KC and watch The Matrix on DVD - Dark City to change things up... Aaahhh the good ole days!

Anyway I am very hesitant to say this, blasphemy comes to mind, but Baker's comes closest to reminding me of ------, I'll fill in those blanks at the end of them month if I still fill the same. But I'd have to say it's the best of the s.b. Collection, anything that keeps knob close is the money I save, but otherwise Baker's is head and shoulders above the rest... Yes even Bookers, which by the way I have always loved as it helped ignite my bourbon love about 5 years ago - but is a bit harsh and peppery to me (GTS is not)...

Thanks Jeff for helping push me to give this great bourbon a month long try.... which is going to grow on me as a lifetime favorite!