Hokus Pokus got a couple of the latest Booker’s release, 2024-01, named the Springfield Batch. This is a seven year, seven month old batch at a hefty 124.5 proof. I regret how difficult it is to get Booker’s lately. This is the first one I have had in almost a year. It is an outstanding bourbon though, and it is not surprising that demand is outstripping supply.

The color on this is a nice solid amber, with a nice film and legs that leave oily droplets on the swirl. The nose is classic Booker’s, albeit with a whole lot of oak more so than the color would indicate. In fact, oak is the main note on the nose, with the vanilla, caramel, and fruitiness taking a back seat. Oak also really dominates the palate, with vanilla, nuts, dark chocolate, black pepper, and clove rounding out the oak tannin. Mouthfeel is medium to full bodied but not too syrupy. On the finish, I get oak and clove with some nuttiness in the background. The finish isn’t alcohol hot but it definitely reminds me of the taste you get from the last few puffs of a clove cigarette (based on what I remember from college; these are now apparently banned in the U.S.). Fred pulled these at the right time as if they had aged longer the oak would really be over-dominant. I suspect that the serious heat of last summer really caused the barrels to really exert influence over this bourbon and added mightily to the oak and clove notes on this bourbon. Normally I pick up some grassy rye notes in Booker’s. The rye notes may be there but I am not tasting them other than the black pepper and clove notes.

To check myself, I had my wife Catherine try it without saying anything to her about what I thought about this batch. She noted the massive oak influence on this batch of Booker’s, and said that it is really good, but only if you like this sort of thing. I do like heavily oaked bourbons and definitely like this, but we agreed that this is a Booker’s Batch not for the faint of heart or palate.