There is no doubt, a lot of Kentucky bourbon has been consumed while sitting around an old fishing hole. But few bourbons offer a nod to that tradition like the just-released Booker’s Bourbon “By The Pond Batch.”
Fred Noe, Beam’s 7th Generation Master Distiller said the release is named after a beloved handmade pond in the backyard where his father, Booker Noe like to spend sunny afternoons. Noe was feeding the fish, waiting for them to get big enough to feed him.
This is the second “batch” of this colorful bourbon.
“The first taste I put into my mouth was very nice and had a sweetness I enjoyed, so I took a second,” Noe said. “The second taste was nice, and the finish complemented and completed the experience so well. I feel sure my dad would have enjoyed sipping the By the Pond batch sitting by his pond feeding his fish, waiting for them to grow so he could enjoy eating them with some great Booker’s Bourbon.”
Booker’s Bourbon “By the Pond Batch”
Aged: Seven years, one month, and 20 days.
ABV: 63.25%
SRP: $99.99
The “By the Pond Barch” is blended from bourbon made in seven productions cycles and aged in eight different warehouses:
- 11% came from the third floor of warehouse J, a nine-story warehouse
- 11% came from the fifth floor of warehouse 3, a seven-story warehouse
- 11% came from the fifth floor of warehouse 1, a seven-story warehouse
- 5% came from the seventh floor of warehouse H, a nine-story warehouse
- 11% came from the fourth floor of warehouse K, a seven-story warehouse
- 11% came from the fifth floor of warehouse L, a seven-story warehouse
- 11% came from the fourth floor of warehouse 4, a seven-story warehouse
- 29% came from the sixth floor of warehouse G, at Waterfill, a seven-story warehouse.
Source: Heaven Hill Distillery
“We didn’t always have a pond in the backyard. But then Dad decided he wanted one to raise catfish and bluegill, so we’d always have fresh fish for supper. And that was that. Next thing I knew, Dad put me and some buddies to work: digging the pond, filling it up, making it homey enough for those fish. After a few days, the pond Dad had dreamed up was right behind our house.” But it wasn’t all smooth sailing. At first, the pond leaked, so we put in a liner held down with big stones. Then, after realizing the city water was no good for fish, Dad rigged a system to bring in fresh rainwater. And finally, we had to figure out what to do about the fifty-foot maple tree looming above it. When its leaves fell, they covered the whole pond. Dad set up a net to catch them on the water’s surface, but all he ended up catching was the fish underneath, finding dozens of them tangled up in it each morning. Eventually he put a roof over the pond, and it became something more: a place to reflect. It was where he sat with Freddie as a boy for hours on end, and where he enjoyed plenty of those warm Kentucky days. I think it’s one of the places he felt most at peace. I hope you savor this batch in a place where you find your own bit of happiness, wherever that may be. So go off, and enjoy.”
About Booker’s Bourbon
(From the disitillery) Booker’s Bourbon was inspired by a 200-year-old family tradition and came to life when Booker Noe selected the first bottles of Booker’s as holiday gifts for his friends and family. With its instant popularity within Noe’s close circle, Booker’s Bourbon was soon-after bottled and made available on shelves for everyone to enjoy. Booker’s Bourbon is one of the only bourbons bottled straight-from-the-barrel at its natural proof, which varies from batch to batch. It is crafted in small batches and aged for six to eight years in charred oak barrels, which are stored in the center of the rack house. For more information, visit https://www.bookersbourbon.com/.
