Bookers - pretty tasty

[Tony]

Howdy All:

I hope you are doing great.

I am still new into Bourbon and learning. I started about a year ago and had a buddy come over and educate me. One of the bottles I had was Bookers and he said it would last me forever because it was so high proof that I would not be drinking a lot of it.

Fast forward to last week, a friend buys me a bottle of Bookers and I figure I should finish off the other bottle. I get myself a nice cigar and fill my glass with some Bookers and a couple of ice cubes to cut it a bit and cool it down for my time outside in the warm weather. It was really a wonderful drink, I did not feel at all that it was "too strong".

Learn something new everyday I guess.

Best regards, tony

[cigarnv]

Bookers is spoken about from time to time on SB..... most seem to visit this old standby now and then. I have always found it to be a solid pour that is found in most higher end restaurants.... where I was introduced to it in my early bourbon days. It is priced close to $60 in Virginia so it is no bargain. Also it has a fair amount of competition these days in the $50-70 range....

[OscarV]

I haven't had any Booker's for a few years, maybe 2005, would like to try it again but from what I remember the 58 bucks could be spent better else where.

[nor02lei]

I haven't had any Booker's for a few years, maybe 2005, would like to try it again but from what I remember the 58 bucks could be spent better else where.

[nor02lei]

Just 2 small pours of ETL and Blanton’s silver before dinner today. Nun of them tasted that good as the nose was a bit tight. However it have straighten out basically and the OGD 114 for a nightcap right now taste as good as ever.

Leif

[Bourbon Boiler]

Around here, it's essentially the only uncut & unfiltered bourbon you can find. Booker's was one of my favorites originally, now I pour from that bottle only occasionaly. If you're introducing bourbon to someone, Bookers is good to have around so the student can taste the difference between 121 proof and 95.

[Res/st-or]

I love Booker's.. It was the second bourbon I tried after beginning my love affair with of what I think of as real bourbon. The first bottle I tried was knob creek. Went out and bought a bottle KC the next day, walked out of the store, dropped it... Smashed like a melon on pavement.

[Dramiel McHinson]

I finished one Bookers and have another in the bunker on standby. I like Bookers myself. The recent bottles have been very flavorful and the high proof remains fairly smooth. As far as price goes, I guess it's all relative to one's own budget-to-taste ratio. Nothing burns my butt-cheeks more than a $100 bourbon with a $25 taste. On the reverse side of that is Nirvana calling to me.

[spy247]

Bookers is a great pour, I always keep one on hand. Although I do prefer Knob Creek over Bookers, availability here down here is an issue.

I've also seen it in two different proofs here. Anyone know the story behind this ?

[matthew0715]

I've also seen it in two different proofs here. Anyone know the story behind this ?

While not single barrel, Booker's is small batch, and since it is uncut, there will be variations in proof from batch to batch. One batch was up to 131 proof, but 121-127 is more typical.

FYI, Pennsylvania State Stores have it on sale this month for $42.99 (plus 6% sales tax), much more reasonable than the $50-60 some other places have it at.

[TBC]

It's one of my favorites and luckily, the price here has dipped as well, it's been floating around the $45 - $50 range, which is fine with me.

[ratcheer]

I agree with most of the above. Booker's is an excellent whiskey. Hard to afford, but delicious.

Tim

[unclebunk]

Haven't hit from my bottle of Bookers in quite some time but will do so tonight, as we are experiencing a wonderful and well-needed break from the heat for the next few days and Bookers was always a favorite for me on autumnal evenings.

[Virus_Of_Life]

Bookers is what got me started and opened my eyes to what bourbon could offer. I'd been a Knob Creek only drinker for a while and then about 10 years ago got a bottle of Booker's as a gift, my friend and I loved the heat and flavor (later I discovered Stagg and all hell broke loose).

I think I have about 4 bottles in the house right now; one, the Commemorative Edition will never be opened, one is just sitting with the rest of the SBC in the display case and then I have two old bottles both batches from the 80s I believe. I may pop the top on one of those older bottles at my wedding.

[Bourbon Boiler]

This thread inspired me to have a small pour this evening. After a large relaxing pour of ETL, this is waking me up.

[jburlowski]

Bookers gets my vote for the most overpriced bourbon on the market. For me, its just not that good. When it was the only barrel-proof around it had some cachet. But now there as so many better (and better-priced) alternatives. The world has passed it by.

[ebo]

I like Bookers, and I have a couple of bottles, but I would rather pay $31.00 for WTRB as opposed to $50.00 for the Bookers. It isn't that Bookers isn't good, it's just too much money for something that isn't any better, in my opinion.

[ILLfarmboy]

I like Bookers. But it has been a while since I've had any, partly because of the summer heat, and partly because, well, there are just so many other great bourbons and ryes.

I usually can get Bookers for 45 or 46 dollars at Sam's Club. They could ditch the wooden box and it would shave a little of the price tag and it wouldn't hurt my feelings.

I think I'll make it a point to open a bottle this weekend. I may even use it in place of vanilla extract when I make my home-made Ice cream tomorrow.

[OscarV]

I may even use it in place of vanilla extract when I make my home-made Ice cream tomorrow.

You Damn Yankee, you makin' home made ice cream and didn't invite this hillbilly over?!?!?:grin:

BTW, my Grandfather would pour a can of cling peaches in his, banana is my favorite.

[DeanSheen]

Bookers is something I'll only buy when I'm out if there is nothing else at the bar I feel like drinking.

[Josh]

Bookers gets my vote for the most overpriced bourbon on the market. For me, its just not that good. When it was the only barrel-proof around it had some cachet. But now there as so many better (and better-priced) alternatives. The world has passed it by.

[OscarV]

Bookers gets my vote for the most overpriced bourbon on the market. For me, its just not that good. When it was the only barrel-proof around it had some cachet. But now there as so many better (and better-priced) alternatives. The world has passed it by.

[Bourbon Boiler]

Well said.

A suggestion to the folks at Beam: Do something else to Booker's. Make it single barrel or give it a two-digit age statement or something like that. George Garvin Brown has a great whiskey dedicated to him. Parker Beam, Jimmy Russell, Jim Rutledge, Elmer T. Lee, all have great whiskeys and they're not even dead yet. Honor Booker Noe's memory as one of America's great whiskeymen by bringing his namesake back to the cutting edge.

[OscarV]

Booker's Bourbon is a great image builder for Beam, it does display well in a store and a good intro for someone who wants get to know bourbon better after Jack, Jim and Maker's.

Booker's is probably to Beam what the Corvette is to Chevrolet.

[TBC]

Booker's Bourbon is a great image builder for Beam, it does display well in a store and a good intro for someone who wants get to know bourbon better after Jack, Jim and Maker's.

Booker's is probably to Beam what the Corvette is to Chevrolet.

Hmmm, agree. It's the first top shelf Bourbon I've tried, still remember the day too. My love afair with Booker's is constant, and that's not a bad thing ( to me ).