gurgalunas Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 https://thewhiskeywash.com/whiskey-styles/american-whiskey/freddie-noes-little-book-whiskey-goes-north-second-release/?utm_source=The+Whiskey+Wash+Newsletter&utm_campaign=4843229ffe-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_07_24_09_47&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_20c25ccf55-4843229ffe-154269265 Two Canadian whiskeys and a Kentucky Rye. For some reason, I get the feeling that Corporate has their hands in this. B-S has plenty of Canadian in their portfolio, otherwise I don't get the reason for this from a old school Kentucky Bourbon family member. Either B-S is pushing to diversify between labels, or the next Gen is trying too hard to make a name... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinbrink Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 At first blush I find this more compelling and intriguing than the first Little Book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richnimrod Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 Personally, I find the Canadian's rule allowing so much 'additive' off-putting. I must be religiously careful about what I consume, and not knowing what actually goes into the final product leaves me distrustful. So, I generally don't consume Canadian "whiskey". I'm sure others find many of the whiskeys produced by our Northern Neighbor interesting, I haven't the experience to add anything to such judgments. I'll refrain from tasting this LBBT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanstaafl2 Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 4 hours ago, kevinbrink said: At first blush I find this more compelling and intriguing than the first Little Book. Wouldn't take much to make this more compelling than the first one for me but I am not likely buying at any price without at least trying first. At the very least I would like a bit more detail on exactly what the Canadian components are. The line from the link above leads me to wonder if the two Canadian whiskies are very different in more than just age. One is described as a rye but the older is not. "a 13 year old Canadian rye and a 40 year old Canadian." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinbrink Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 Considering that Beam Suntory owns ADL I, maybe incorrectly, am assuming the Canadian distillate is from there and while the companies that have bottled ADL Rye in the past have been less than transparent in some cases (Whistle Pig, Hochstadter's/Lock Stock & Barrel, Masterson's and Jefferson for example) I tend to really enjoy ADL Rye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Black Tot Posted July 27, 2018 Share Posted July 27, 2018 I agree with others that this has more potential for me than the corn whiskey blend. Not sure how you build a legacy product if you're going to change it radically every year, but so long as it gets better...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flahute Posted July 27, 2018 Share Posted July 27, 2018 On 7/25/2018 at 9:16 PM, gurgalunas said: For some reason, I get the feeling that Corporate has their hands in this. Nope. They've just given Jr. free reign to use anything in the overall the B-S portfolio in his blends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spade Posted July 27, 2018 Share Posted July 27, 2018 This one sounds sort of interesting to me. If folks on SB seem to like it and I come across it when I'm in the mood to drop $100 on a bottle whiskey (which happens from time to time...) I might grab one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlutz Posted July 28, 2018 Share Posted July 28, 2018 On 7/26/2018 at 8:24 PM, The Black Tot said: I agree with others that this has more potential for me than the corn whiskey blend. Not sure how you build a legacy product if you're going to change it radically every year, but so long as it gets better...? Not saying this is on the level of PHC, but I’ll throw that out there as an example of a storied product with varied profiles. Also, I think I remember reading that OFBB is supposed to be different every year. I’ve only had the ‘16 so I cannot opine from personal experience. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Black Tot Posted July 28, 2018 Share Posted July 28, 2018 15 minutes ago, Charlutz said: Not saying this is on the level of PHC, but I’ll throw that out there as an example of a storied product with varied profiles. Also, I think I remember reading that OFBB is supposed to be different every year. I’ve only had the ‘16 so I cannot opine from personal experience. Hey man yeah I thought about PHC as soon as I hit submit on that post... Big shoes to fill if he wants to go that route... but I'm keen to see him try. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted July 28, 2018 Share Posted July 28, 2018 I'm a bit sad that the old recipe is probably gone forever, corn be damned, I liked it a lot but missed my chances to buy a bottle of my own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCWoody Posted August 3, 2018 Share Posted August 3, 2018 (edited) I think that WP has already done this..... Just Rye instead of bourbon. It could be good, will have to see. Edited August 3, 2018 by LCWoody Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryT Posted October 6, 2018 Share Posted October 6, 2018 I got to try a sample this week, and I really liked it (whereas the first batch I don't know that I liked at all). I like Canadian rye - the Collingwood 21yr to me (despite the bottle) is very good whiskey for the money. Here were my tasting notes: Nose: Evergreen/pine with mint, maple syrup, cloves, nutmeg and subtle dried fruit. Palate: Warm and sweet, vanilla, caramel, mincemeat pie with raisins and apples. Finish: Moderately long, thick with a cinnamon note. Nosing it reminded me of the other Canadian ryes I've tried, and made me wonder how much of the Kentucky rye was in there. The palate doesn't pull a 180, but the American cousins are better accounted for. If you don't like Canadian whisky or Canadian rye - this probably won't be in your wheelhouse. But I liked it more than I expected I would. If I was still in acquisition mode, I'd probably pick up a bottle if I could get it under $90 on sale. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinbrink Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 (edited) On 10/6/2018 at 7:01 AM, GaryT said: I got to try a sample this week, and I really liked it (whereas the first batch I don't know that I liked at all). I like Canadian rye - the Collingwood 21yr to me (despite the bottle) is very good whiskey for the money. Here were my tasting notes: Nose: Evergreen/pine with mint, maple syrup, cloves, nutmeg and subtle dried fruit. Palate: Warm and sweet, vanilla, caramel, mincemeat pie with raisins and apples. Finish: Moderately long, thick with a cinnamon note. Nosing it reminded me of the other Canadian ryes I've tried, and made me wonder how much of the Kentucky rye was in there. The palate doesn't pull a 180, but the American cousins are better accounted for. If you don't like Canadian whisky or Canadian rye - this probably won't be in your wheelhouse. But I liked it more than I expected I would. If I was still in acquisition mode, I'd probably pick up a bottle if I could get it under $90 on sale. Gary I think your notes are pretty spot on, I do think that the individual parts here are all kind of evident, it's got a healthy amount of oak and having had quite a bit of the KC BP Rye the last couple months I feel like I can taste that profile in here in some of the darker heavy barrel notes but I suppose a 40 year old Canadian could definitely supply some oak in it's own right. I like this one quite a bit, and I'm half tempted to blend a WP Private CS with some of the KC CS Rye to see how close it gets, too bad I don't have a CC 40 year. Edited October 9, 2018 by kevinbrink 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryT Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 6 hours ago, kevinbrink said: Gary I think your notes are pretty spot on, I do think that the individual parts here are all kind of evident, it's got a healthy amount of oak and having had quite a bit of the KC BP Rye the last couple months I feel like I can taste that profile in here in some of the darker heavy barrel notes but I suppose a 40 year old Canadian could definitely supply some oak in it's own right. I like this one quite a bit, and I'm half tempted to blend a WP Private CS with some of the KC CS Rye to see how close it gets, too bad I don't have a CC 40 year. Thanks! I definitely pick them all up on the palate, but on the nose it didn't have that brashness I get out of most US rye with any age and proof. But I do get it on the palate. I hadn't thought to compare it to the KC BP rye (or blending it with some Canadian rye), but I do have some Collingwood 21yr that I enjoyed (even at 80 proof) which I wound up blending the last half of the bottle with some WFE 5yr rye @ 110 proof, which left me with a 95 proof bottle that I do really like. I can't recall if I have another of those, but I'll bet a mingle of those two would be pretty damn tasty. I too lack anything 40 yrs old in the cabinet But I was surprised by how much I liked this, after finding the first one to be pretty blah and uninspiring. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EarthQuake Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 I got a bottle of this and it's rather nice. I haven't taken the time to do tasting notes yet. I was worried with this much Canadian whiskey in it would be a bit flat. Most Canadian whiskey (with the exception of the ADL stuff bottled by Whistlepig, Masterson's, Lock Stock, etc) that I've tried was thin, boring and overly sweet, overwhelmed with vanilla and maple syrup notes. Little Book Batch 2 is none of those things. This is an assertive, spicy, in your face rye. I would wager that this is predominantly the 8 year old Kentucky, as there are a lot of similarities to Knob Creek Cask Strength IMO (but better). I don't really get much of the dry oak or leather that I would expect from a 40 year old so I assume there is very little of that and it's really just there for an extra bit of complexity. And this is complex, and quite good overall. I would recommend this to anyone who is a fan of Rye whiskey, and I don't think liking Canadian whiskey is a requirement, again with the American bottled, ADL sourced ryes being the exception. If you like WP, Lock Stock, etc I would say there is a good chance you'll like this. Doing a blend with some WP is an interesting idea, though apparently some or all these single barrel WP picks are MGP rather than ADL (I've had 2 picks from different stores that were MGP for sure, one I verified with the store, the other has near the same flavor profile so I'm 99.9% sure it's MGP too). I don't have any 40 year old whiskey but I have some Armagnac in the 30-36 range which could work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinbrink Posted October 24, 2018 Share Posted October 24, 2018 Well I tried to see how close I could get, right now in my glass is a blend of a WP store pick with the KC CS rye, just alone they get kind of close but are lacking something, I added in CR 13 yr Blenders Mash and that was the wrong direction so I added a few drops of Hochstadter's 16 yr which got it a little closer but there is a darker wood note both are nice but the LB is certainly superior, tempted to add some Barterhouse as that is the oldest thing in the cabinet that isn't a malt, Cognac or Armagnac. Kind of wondering if an old Congac might get me closer, maybe that will be the next try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffrey r Posted October 24, 2018 Share Posted October 24, 2018 I’ve now seen this in a couple of stores here in NJ, but priced at $100. I might cave at some point, but I am not a buyer of this at that price point right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinbrink Posted October 24, 2018 Share Posted October 24, 2018 7 minutes ago, jeffrey r said: I’ve now seen this in a couple of stores here in NJ, but priced at $100. I might cave at some point, but I am not a buyer of this at that price point right now. BK in Ramsey had it for $85 or $89 I don't remember but it was sub $90, would imagine the other BK's are the same, pretty sure it was around the same in Wayne. I've spent more on whiskey's I've enjoyed far less for what it is worth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CUfan99 Posted October 24, 2018 Share Posted October 24, 2018 $119.99 at the only store I've seen it at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gurgalunas Posted October 25, 2018 Author Share Posted October 25, 2018 I've seen LB2 pretty commonly at MSRP, didnt buy any. The distributor Rep that handles Beam and KO in my area is now setting up a time to meet me at a store to sample both. Not sure if it's a sign that it's not moving, but I didnt make the request. He came to me and one of the LS managers with the idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanstaafl2 Posted November 3, 2018 Share Posted November 3, 2018 Nev er found my happy place with the first one so didnt get this one, Went to the Little Book 2 "deconstructed" seminar last night at Whiskyfest and now I might have to change my mind... The 40yo Canadian 100% corn whiskey at around 137 proof from used barrels was something I could wish to have on its own! If I see it again at about retail looks like I will get one after all. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzhead Posted November 9, 2018 Share Posted November 9, 2018 I bunkered a bottle of Little Book Batch 1 a year or so and still haven't opened it, so I can't compare it to the new one. But I picked up Batch 2 yesterday and immediately set about sipping and listening to the Don Rendell Quartet. Simply put, Batch 2 is tremendous, and a great idea - American straight whiskey blended with well-aged Canadian rye. I assume that the rye is from Alberta Distillers, who make some of the best Canadian whiskey. There's also some 40 [!] year old Canadian "whisky" - probably corn whiskey, and I'd guess Canadian Club. The point of a blend of whiskeys, I think, it to achieve balance, and that it what this is all about. Well-aged rye, perfectly balanced. I added some water because of the high proof, but it can be easily taken neat. What wowed me was the granular-yet-oily mouthfeel, and the long rye-spice finish. I tried it next to a Midwinter Night's Dram - the best rye I've had this year up to now - and I think the Little Book tops it. But what the hey - these are two luxury pours, and when the setting (and the music) is right, this is why life is worth living! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CUfan99 Posted November 9, 2018 Share Posted November 9, 2018 Dang! Y’all are making me think about dropping $120 for this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richnimrod Posted November 9, 2018 Share Posted November 9, 2018 38 minutes ago, CUfan99 said: Dang! Y’all are making me think about dropping $120 for this. Not me..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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