Jim Beams BOOKER NOE

 by  Dr. DOg 

From time to time, I have penned profiles of the more notable  figures and companies of whisk(e)y history. Id like to start with  one of the grand old men of bourbon, Booker Noe., recently inducted  into the Bourbon Hall of Fame in Bardstown Kentucky.  In 1989, his bourbon, Booker's, was the first small-batch American  whiskey released, transforming the marketing of American whiskey. He  is the grandson of another famous distiller, Jim Beam. His son, Fred  Noe, currently appears at various whisk(e)y tastings, often engaging  his counterpart from the scotch whisky industry, noted master blender  Richard Paterson, in lively debates on the merits of bourbon versus  scotch.  Booker's bourbon is bottled at a very high 126 proof (63%) and is  not filtered so as to keep the bourbon full flavored. It is usually  six to eight years old when taken from the cask. This process says  much about the man behind the whiskey, a man whose product is full of  character but whose high alcohol content does not interfere with the  complex flavors in the bourbon.  According to The Book of Bourbon by Gary & Mardee Regan, the Beam  family distilled whiskey in Kentucky before the civil war, selling a  whiskey known as "Old Tub." In 1892, David Beam gave his distillery  to his son Jim and son in law. 

With the end of prohibition in 1933,  the James B. Beam Distilling Co. was established and both Carl Beam  and his son Baker became master distillers in the company, followed by  Booker Noe. The Beam family as a whole remains involved in whiskey  today, with distillers at Jim Beam and Heaven Hill distilleries in  Kentucky.  Sometimes called the Dean of Bourbon, F. Booker Noe jr. was born  in 1929 and started working in the whiskey trade in 1951. His  knowledge of the history and significance of whiskey distilling plus a  forceful personality has combined to make him a legend in the area.  He supervised the expansion of the Jim Beam distilleries, but it is  the small batch bourbons that reflect his complex personality.  Described as a medium amber color with a big body, yet smooth and  mysteriously smoky, Booker's bourbon remains one of the most robust  American whiskies on the market.  

The Jim Beam company markets other whiskies as well, including  various versions of Jim Beam, Jim Beam Rye, Old Grand-Dad and the  following small-batch bourbons: Basil Hayden, Knob Creek, Baker's and  of course Booker's. These last, more expensive whiskies, according to  The Book of Classic American Whiskeys by Mark Waymack, are specially  selected in the warehouse, allowed to age longer than usual and three  of the four are produced at a higher proof. Basil Hayden, named for  an 18th century distiller in Kentucky, is the lightest of the  small-batch bourbons, released at 80 proof (40%.).  Baker's, named for Booker Noe's uncle, is the second strongest,  produced at 107 proof (58.5%.) The Jim Beam Distilling company is  located in Clermont, Kentucky, near Bardstown, home of the yearly  American Whiskey Festival. Knob Creek, named after a nearby town, is  released at 100 proof (50%.) The distillery has a well-stocked gift  shop and is open to the public.