Booker’s 2024-04 “Jimmy’s Batch” Review

The bourbon industry loves a good story and good stories tend to sell bottles very well. That's probably the reason why Booker's Small Batch Bourbon attaches a story to every release. I'll be the first to admit that I don't pay much attention to Booker's or the stories on the label because I think they're just fluff. But when Booker's announced that their last release of 2024 was titled "Jimmy's Batch" out of respect and admiration for a master distiller of another distillery, it was time to take notice.

The Noe family dedicated an entire batch to a man who spent his seventy-year career making whiskey for their biggest competitor. "Jimmy’s Batch" is a heartfelt tribute to legendary Master Distiller Jimmy Russell of Wild Turkey. In an era where distilleries sue each other over bottle shapes or whether or not the wax is "too drippy," seeing the Beam family tip their hat to the "Buddha of Bourbon" really tugs at the ol' heartstrings.

The Bourbon Brotherhood vs. Corporate Reality

If you follow the industry, you inevitably hear whispers about the "Bourbon Brotherhood." This concept suggests that despite the billions of dollars at stake, the actual distillers are all one big, happy family. Usually, that feels like a convenient talking point engineered by a PR rep, but the bond between the late Booker Noe and Jimmy Russell was authentic. Their friendship was forged during the lean years of the 1980s and early 1990s. During this dark era for brown spirits, clear liquors dominated the market. Instead of fighting for the remaining scraps, Booker and Jimmy formed an alliance based purely on the survival of Kentucky bourbon.

Ambassadors for bourbon

They traveled the world together in the nineties as self-appointed global ambassadors, promoting bourbon when practically nobody wanted to drink it. To save money on expensive overseas tours, Booker and Jimmy would regularly share hotel rooms, spending late nights evaluating each other's products. Their mutual support extended to a strict policy known as the "Check the Back Bar" rule. Whenever they walked into a tavern, they immediately looked at the bottles on the wall. If a bartender failed to carry Jim Beam, Booker would loudly demand they stock Wild Turkey. Conversely, Jimmy would demand they stock Jim Beam. They firmly believed getting a customer to drink any quality Kentucky bourbon inherently benefited the entire industry.

Their travels were also filled with endless comedic bickering. During long international flights, Booker would routinely wait for Jimmy to fall asleep so he could steal his complimentary peanuts or drink his water. Jimmy would wake up to find his snacks gone, leading to hilarious arguments that became a staple of their public seminars.

A seat at the Beam family table

This profound respect extended far beyond international business trips. Down at the Jim Beam distillery in Clermont, there is a tradition involving the Beam family table. To this day, Jimmy Russell remains the only non-family member universally allowed to sit at that table without an invitation.

Furthermore, as Eddie Russell was being groomed to take over Master Distiller duties at Wild Turkey, Booker Noe served as a crucial sounding board. Booker would often pull Eddie aside at crowded events to offer blunt advice. Booker explicitly told Eddie, "Don't let the suits change the whiskey; they don't know what the hell they're tasting anyway."

Fred Noe pays it back

This 2024-04 batch was strategically released to coincide with Jimmy’s 70th anniversary at Wild Turkey (1954-2024), representing a milestone that seems impossible in the modern workforce. Fred Noe finally paid back a massive debt of gratitude for how Jimmy stepped up to mentor him after Booker passed in 2004. Fred Noe selected these specific barrels because they lacked the aggressive bite common in some Booker's batches, aiming instead for a balanced profile that Jimmy would personally enjoy drinking.

Unpacking the Warehouse Math

When you look at the technical breakdown for 2024-04, the label reveals some highly strategic choices. This batch is aged for precisely 7 years, 9 months, and 19 days. In the modern world of Booker’s, that represents a fairly healthy age statement. We have seen several Booker's batches dip down into the six-year range recently. Getting closer to eight years is a welcome change for those of us who feel the younger stuff often drinks far too hot.

Four warehouses, one blend

The warehouse selection is where the detective work gets fun. We are looking at a blend from four different aging facilities: Warehouses 3, Q, 1, and Z. A whopping 46 percent comes strictly from the 3rd floor of Warehouse 3. In a standard rackhouse, the 3rd floor is considered the sweet spot for slower, balanced maturation.

Then you have 22 percent coming from the 4th floor of Warehouse Q. This spot acts as the literal center of the warehouse, capturing the quintessential Beam profile without outlier characteristics.

The 5th floor heat

The remaining 32 percent is split between the 5th floors of Warehouse 1 and Warehouse Z. These higher floors are exactly where the intense heat lives. Up on the 5th floor, the liquid rapidly expands deep into the wood, extracting dark tannins and rich baking spices. By blending nearly half of the smooth 3rd-floor barrels with a smaller portion of high-velocity 5th-floor barrels, Fred Noe engineered a whiskey bridging the gap between Booker’s intensity and Jimmy Russell’s preference for balance.

They use the classic 77/13/10 mash bill. However, at a staggering 125.8 proof, there is nowhere for flaws to hide.

But enough about the backstory... let's see how it tastes. I sampled this neat in a glencairn.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Nose: The initial aromatic hit is classic Beam, but it arrives remarkably refined. I am getting a massive wave of peanut brittle and honey-drizzled roasted peanuts. It smells exactly like walking through a busy county fair where they are actively making sugar-coated nuts in a copper kettle.

Underneath the sweets, there is a distinct note of sandalwood and rich vanilla bean. There is also a wonderful hint of Chinese cinnamon, carrying a woodier, less aggressive spice than standard Red Hots. For nearly 126 proof, the ethanol remains surprisingly well-behaved.

Palate

Palate: The mouthfeel is undoubtedly the star of the show. It feels thick, creamy, and coats the tongue with a heavy viscosity. The flavor starts with a decadent Nutella spread, mixing roasted hazelnut and dark chocolate. This quickly transitions into a salty caramel and brown sugar sweetness reminding me of picking the best pieces out of a fresh box of Cracker Jacks.

There is a lot of robust roasted peanut and buttered popcorn energy happening mid-palate. It genuinely feels older than its stated seven-year age.

Finish

Finish: This provides a long, slow burn staying with you for several minutes. I am picking up burnt orange rind and heavy baking spices like clove and fresh nutmeg.

As the initial sweetness fades away, it beautifully leaves behind a dry, "musty cigar box" oakiness that feels very sophisticated. It never becomes overly bitter, but it definitely lets you know that it spent nearly eight full years resting in charred Kentucky oak.

Score: 8.7/10

8.7 — Excellent. See what our scores mean.

Booker’s is a brand that has seen its retail price climb steadily over the last few years, now sitting firmly at a $99.99 MSRP. On the secondary market or in less scrupulous local liquor stores, you will easily see it priced for $130 or even $165. Usually, I am the first person to tell you to stop paying inflated secondary prices for standard quarterly releases. However, "Jimmy’s Batch" stands as the absolute best Booker’s I have had in at least three years.

It flawlessly captures the historical weight of the Noe-Russell friendship without feeling like a cynical corporate cash grab. The resulting profile delivers exactly what they promised: a smoother, much more approachable version of a traditionally high-proof monster. It stands as a rare "allocated steal" if you can find it for anything close to retail pricing.

This batch definitively proves that when Fred Noe stops focusing on the corporate bottom line and starts honoring his "second father," the result ends up being truly special. If this points to the direction Booker’s is heading for 2025, we are undoubtedly in for a very good year.