Freddie Noe’s whiskey project at Jim Beam, Little Book, is now in its seventh release, titled In Retrospect. As one of the below photographs shows, this blend contains bourbons and ryes ranging from 4 years old to 18 years old, with an interesting addition of a 5 year old barley malt whiskey finished in applewood smoked barrels. This is a cask strength blend weighing in at 118.1 proof.

The color is a really deep amber, which makes me think that some of the older whiskies are exerting their influence on the color. Thin film but big big legs on the swirl. This whiskey is quite sweet with floral and fruit notes and cloves. The palate is similar with cloves being a big part of the mix, along with sweet vanilla, caramel, dark chocolate, fresh apples, along with slight hints of citrus from the malt whiskey in the mix. Really an amazingly complex blend of American whiskies with a nice overall mouthfeel; it is greater than the sum of its parts. On the finish, the apples becomes candied and linger along with the cloves with smoke and oak in the background.

This is such a far cry from the original Little Book which was a blend of corn, rye, and barley malt whiskies to create a bourbon flavor profile. I imagine Freddie is pick prime and interesting barrels to create his releases. The really old bourbons make themselves known in the blend and the addition of the applewood smoked malt whiskey really adds interesting character. This is an extremely well balanced. blend of really great whiskies.