Bourbon Reviews:




Bottling NameBaker's
Bottled ByJames B. Beam Distilling Co. Clermont,KY
TypeKentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Alcohol content107 Proof
Availability US: Available Japan: Unknown Duty Free: Unknown Europe: Available
Age7
Views (since 20080612) 96179
Bottling InfoNamed after Baker Beam, grand nephew of the legendary Jim Beam, Baker???s Bourbon is seven-years-old and hand-bottled at 107 proof. Embracing over six generations of distilling experience, Baker's Bourbon utilizes a special strain of jug yeast that has been in his family for over 60 years. This time tested yeast provides Baker's with a silky smooth texture and consistent taste from batch to batch.

Distinctions
Baker's is a remarkably smooth bourbon. Intensely flavorful, full-bodied and ideally balanced, it is preferred by Cognac aficionados, making for an excellent after dinner drink.

Tasting Notes
Age: 7 years
Proof: 107
Color: Warm amber, tawny, nut brown
Aroma: Fruit, vanilla, caramel
Taste: Toasted nuts, fruit, vanilla, silky texture
Finish: Sweet, smooth, medium-long
Award: Gold Medal Bourbon
- Wine Enthusiast
Comments: "Baker's is elegant and well-balanced in the palate with a clean finish that follows round smooth flavors of vanilla and caramel." - Wine Spectator



Review from masterbuilder (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 2343, Created:20150725235943, Updated:20150726010459)
Purchased at:Wine Reserve - Aurora, Ohio
Purchased for:$48.95 including tax
Info on this bottle:Stock Labels - "batch no. B-90-001"
Nose:Starts with leather. As it opens up, vanilla and/or caramel take over. After a few minutes of aeration, the spice starts to come forward. Cinnamon. A really nice, complex nose.
Taste:A lot of oak quickly gives way to vanilla. Ethanol there all the way through. Velvety, with subtle notes running in and out as you swish and swallow.
Finish:Strong and long. This one shines on the finish. The spice on the top of the tongue gives way to the oak on the sides of the tongue, followed by a shot of sweet cinnamon and then lingering ethanol. Superior finish.
Overall:An old friend comes home. Baker's was a standard, comfortable pour for me in the late '90's and early 2000's. Then, for some [no doubt] insane reason, the PLCB dropped the label from their stores. Last week, I found myself in Ohio, and walked into a liquor store not run by a government for the first time in quite a while. How refreshing!
And there it was. My old friend Baker's. I couldn't resist.
It still has the luxurious mouth feel. The body is a little less full than I remember, but it's still really nice and well rounded. The ethanol is there all the way, but hey - it's 107 proof.
You can do a lot worse than Baker's as a reminder of why we drink Bourbon. Highly, highly recommend.

EDIT>> Throw a little crushed ice in there - it's a very different drink. So smooth - the silkiness remains, but the spice comes through. Baker's and ice is dangerously drinkable.

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Review from Wasatch (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 2290, Created:20140101214015)
Purchased at:Drink Up NY On-line
Purchased for:$53.99 750ml
Info on this bottle:Batch B-90-001
Nose:Very nice deep/dark golden amber color.

Very nice vanilla, oaky, slightly spiced, with some caramel notes, slight tobacco/honey.
Taste:Full Body, Very nice oak notes, vanilla/sweet, with some nice spicyness. A very nice bite at the beginning.
Finish:Moderate, Very nice, smooth, slightly dry and still oaky, with some sweetness. Kick ASS finish!
Overall:A very very tasty bourbon, quite different than most bourbons I've had to date, also one of the best I've had to date. Highly recommended, worth the price.

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Review from JLH3 (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 2175, Created:20130402001602)
Purchased at:Bevmo
Purchased for:$45
Info on this bottle:B-90-001
Nose:Vanilla ice cream. Meringue. Turning into cinnamon and spices.
Taste:Creamy & thick. Caramel. Lots of spice and some, but not too much, heat. Cinnamon and banana. Lemon pie maybe?
Finish:Long lasting finish that carries the flavors from the front. Pepper. Tingles the lips and tongue.
Overall:Very good bourbon. Bourbon's bourbon in fact. Maybe a little too steep in price, but certainly one worth owning and drinking. I like it much more than Booker's.

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Review from Watson Roadster (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 2144, Created:20121228012115)
Purchased at:LCBO Burlington,Ontario
Purchased for:$54.70 CDN
Info on this bottle:Bakers Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey...Aged 7 years...
Nose:Nice...Big hits of caramel...Some butterscotch...Vanilla...Sugary fruits (like candy apple)...Some oak and barrel char in behind...
Taste:Sweet up front with peppery rye spice at mid-palate and the alcohol burn taking over at the back...It fairly viscous so it coats your mouth pretty good...
Finish:Fairly lingering...A mingling of the caramel/vanilla flavours from the nose..Fading to a subtle oak and spice mingling with a tobaccolike flavour...
Overall:I took midwestinNY's advice and opened this up,had a few drinks,and,corked the bottle for a few weeks.Originally,I also thought it wasn't very good,but once the air got at it...This is a very nice bourbon,and given time to breathe,could be served to someone not predisposed to enjoying bourbon.Of the Beam small batches,this is the best so far...Highly reccommended...

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Review from midwestinNY (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 1889, Created:20101118225423)
Purchased at:On the web
Purchased for:31
Nose:This bourbon SUCKED all around when I first got it, harsh smell, no good, I've been saving the last drink for a friend, the bottle is now 6 months old and I open it once a week to smell it's SWEET SWEET treasures, all caramel all the time, tobacco spice too, really yummy
Taste:Fantastic, high on the spice, the sour mash must distinguish this, it's got kind of a dark velvety character. Before it's aired out, I personally didn't enjoy it, I just drank it b/c I was out of woodford, way too harsh, not enough flavors coming through. After airing out, totally different, tale of two bourbons. So balanced and smooth, love it. Like a winding trail, takes you left, then right, up, then down. Spicy, sweet, tangy, sour, then....
Finish:Finishes off very balanced, warm and delicious. caramel and sugary sweet.
Overall:Love it, I think everyone is nuts. This is my favorite of the Beam small batchs, although I haven't had Booker's in a while. I love Basil, but it's so predictable, you KNOW it's going to be good, ha! This one is more fun for me, more character, the sour mash makes it appealing to me too. Great, A1 bourbon.

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Review from gillmang (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 1863, Created:20100824070859, Updated:20100824080813)
Purchased at:Gift from friend
Info on this bottle:Current purchase
Nose:Very light, with mild nuts and charcoal
Taste:Light on the palate, soft clean taste of nuts and sugar, light black pepper perhaps
Finish:Elegant, here is where the high alcohol finally shows
Overall:This is a excellent bottle, and it surprised me because in the past, I've always gotten a strong bready/yeasty smell and taste in this bourbon. Spun's review below mentions this and I think it is what he didn't like in the bourbon. Some people don't mind the taste, I think it is what Mike called oranges in his various reviews. I agree with Mike's take on the creamy stylishness of this whiskey, but I think he would like this current bottle even more.

This bottle shows me at any rate that not all Baker's taste the same. This is to be expected of course in a small batch product. Still, I wonder if Beam is starting to select more carefully what is going in the bottle. Excellent bourbon by any standard.

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Review from LogicalFrank (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 1710, Created:20090930235651)
Purchased at:
Nose:A light waft of alcohol hits the nose first. The underlying aroma is somewhat peachy w/ an edge of pepper.
Taste:Sweetish, just a general bourbon taste. Aside from Beam itself, I find this the most Beam-y of the Beam whiskeys. The balance of sweet and rough characters is really pretty close to identical to Jim Beam white label, albeit stronger on both fronts here. I find it an interesting drink in this regard.
Finish:Leather and pepper seem to dominate. Despite a little bit too much of an alcoholic burn, this is where this whiskey shines the most. The lingeriheng flavor on the tongue is rather more lively than the initial impression it makes.
Overall:I think what they were going for here was a smooth whiskey w/ the added intensity of the higher proof bottling. And I think they failed at least to some extent. For one, I think the alcohol burn really detracts from the presentation here, serving to mute and possibly outright overcome any complexity. For two, the flavors are simply not that intense. It is a decent whiskey but it simply does not justify it's existence in any meaningful way.

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Review from independant (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 1648, Created:20090813070159)
Purchased at:From Beam Distilery
Purchased for:43.95
Info on this bottle:Standard
Nose:Nuts vanilla corn chocolate citrus the gangs all here on this one
Taste:my first taste is cinnamon followed my a citrus flavor a very good mouth feel, creamy and think
Finish:Very nice much less burn then I would have expected with a 107 proof. Last upwards of 30 seconds and leave you thinking you mixed pepper and an orange :)
Overall:Very Good, of the beam small batches I think this one gets over looked by its big brother Booker's but this one here is a total winner and should be givien its due.

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Review from Mike (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 1645, Created:20090811173743)
Purchased at:Sigman Bottle Shop, Conyers, GA
Purchased for:$38
Nose:Unfolds slowly, even the alcohol seems somewhat shy, especially for its 107 proof. A few minutes reveals some nuts and leather, some oranges, some grains, some caramel, and a whiff of vanilla. One of the more reluctant noses I can recall. I will give it a while yet and maybe it will get over its shyness. More orange fruitiness emerges along with some caramel, but the shyness essentially remains. What will the taste be?
Taste:Fairly rich with sweetness upfront. The spice bites significantly toward the back and the alcohol demonstrates at last.
Finish:The heat and spice override the sweet a bit more than I like. It's come undone.
Overall:Seems I have had better Baker's and I am somewhat disappointed.

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Review from BuffaloBill (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 1298, Created:20080918120204) View discussion on this review.
Purchased at:Fitchburg, MA
Purchased for:$32 (dusty)
Info on this bottle:Baker's
Nose:Concentrating deeply, taking time to unfold. Tightly knit. Corn is at the top and bottom of this medley. Oak... a very straight whiskey. Vanilla, spice, and along comes a light citrus component. It doesn???t sing that beautiful song I am accustom to hearing. Watered, lacking depth, but fruity.
Taste:It has a remarkable texture and mouth-feel... followed by straw, hay, smoke, corn, and serious heat. It's hot, and it doesn???t show any definitive viscosity. Undefined.
Finish:Finish? Little to nothing in the end...
Overall:My least favorite in the Beam Collection. It leaves me with a question? As in where is this going? I tend to think that this bourbon needs some personality. Could it be the bottle? I would have to try the older version to compare. Too pricey. BB

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Review from spun_cookie (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 1184, Created:20080705173637)
Purchased at:DFW Hyatt
Purchased for:Double fot $14.50
Info on this bottle:new - opened for me...
Nose:Sweet... then yeast.... like rising braed...
Taste:Little corn sweet.... then an odd wood/leather blend that did not taste very good.
Finish:Yeast, oak, leatehr... corn... yeast... yeast... yeast..
Overall:I have had Baker's a few times, but this time it was... yeasty... in the past it was like a 107 proof Knobb... I have a bottle at teh house unopened and I am not sure I want to open it...

This was a new bottle, so I cannot say it had been open to long...

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Review from Mike (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 1180, Created:20080701165009)
Purchased at:
Purchased for:Won it in a card game with a dog.....caught him cheating........aces behind his ears.
Nose:Vanilla, nuts, leather, oak, and a bit of molasses. Changes before your very nose as time passes. Rich and intriguing.
Taste:Thick with corny, oaky, sweetness followed quickly by rye spicy bite that creates a warm, but not hot, glow in the back of the mouth. Very nicely balanced and controlled. The alcohol gives little offense.
Finish:Fades slowly but has many nice residuals to draw you back for another sip.
Overall:I like Baker's quite a lot and think it is a first class spirit. Its balance overcomes its 107 proof. The dog wants to play me now for his Basil Hayden.........but I think I will stand pat.

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Review from scubagirl (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 1008, Created:20080131115338) View discussion on this review.
Purchased at:Bardstown
Purchased for:$40
Info on this bottle:B-90-001
Proof Of this Bottle:107 Proo
Nose:nutty, vanilla, slight oak, maybe a bitter scent chocolate.
Taste:Little Alcohol taste to this one, but allot of differnt flavors come to mind, cinnamen, nutmeg, vanilla, smoked walnut taste.
Finish:Overall good, left a plesant after taste. Little warmth on throat.
Overall:Will drink on occasion but not my favorite Bourbon, will try again.

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Review from Delephant (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 992, Created:20080121005037)
Purchased at:BevMo, Hollywood
Purchased for:34.99
Info on this bottle:750ml, 7 years, Standard Bottle - 2007
Proof Of this Bottle:107
Nose:Bakers has one of my favorite bourbon scents, period. For 107p of heat, it really doesn't come across if you nose it right, i.e. don't let your nose huff and puff, just the good 'ole mouth. I think the vanilla comes across stronger in the nose than most, but there is also a very soft, round quality to it; slightly floral with a hint of mandarin. And of course all of this is grounded in the phenomenal sweetness of all bourbon, luscious caramel, honey and fresh sugarcane. Exquisite!
Taste:And here we go....well, without question, and I m sure due in large part to the high proof, the initial assault is of spice here. White pepper and outer tongue heat are very clear. But there is a wonderful essence of balance in the sweet and nutty in this bourbon. The caramel and molasses doesn't come through like in many corn malted whiskeys, but instead there is a soft toffee that is balanced out by a very earthy and dry maltiness. What is not very up front here is fruit of any kind, and I think thats do especially to the high proof. Now, my favorite to drink Bakers, one ice cube...and about three or four minutes now its stunning. All the balance comes together in full force now with some lovely dark fruit here like figs and candied currants. The sweet is also now in the forefront The mouth feel is impeccable and very soft and lush. The spice also resigns itself to the back of the palate with just a slight, tart prickle, instead of dominating the entire experience. Very good!
Finish:Bakers has a very engaging finish, lasting minutes and maintaining a very high level of spice and central tongue sweetness. Its about as pleasing as you could ask, and I think is very indicative of the deep tanned leather hue of the drink.
Overall:I really, really enjoy this bourbon. Whereas getting a favorite from myself is a struggle I encounter every time I sip one of the many fine bourbons available, whenever I pour a Bakers I m constantly reminded that it is a highlight in my cabinet. Few others highlight vanilla, one of my favorite tastes, quite as well as this, and once cut done 10-20 proof the wonders of this drink flourish. Please, do yourself a favor and make this bourbon one you may experience often.

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Review from bourbonguyjapan (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 984, Created:20080113011935)
Purchased at:Bic Camera Nagoya
Purchased for:5900
Info on this bottle:same except for Japanese white label on the back
Proof Of this Bottle:107
Nose:Isopropyl Alcohol. Caramel? Something sweet. Not trying to be vague, I don't have much of a nose to gauge the nose.
Taste:Orange. Citrus. A little sweet, followed by the alcohol taste.
Finish:A little dry. Tasty.
Overall:Not bad. A bit pricey though. For the money, I would spend the extra $10 and get Booker's as it's more manly. I am glad to try the #2 in this particular collection.

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Review from Mike (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 767, Created:20070509193112)
Purchased at:Sigman Bottle Shop, Conyers, GA
Purchased for:$38
Info on this bottle:Baker's Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Seven Years Old
Proof Of this Bottle:107
Nose:Even at 107 proof there is some surprising sublety to Baker's, the alcohol does not roar out of the glass. The nose is almost delicate and on the nutty, fruitty side. Yet there is the leather and corn leaking out too. You want a beautiful bourbon nose?........look no further than Baker's. The proof never gets in the nose's way.
Taste:Very rich sweetness followed by spice that is the perfect balance to the sweetness. The alcohol does not intrude but seems to contribute to the flavor. A bit of orange lingers and holds the attention of the palate while the alcohol tries vainly to assert itself.
Finish:A moderate to long finish where the alcohol finally speaks up a bit. Still remaining are the creamy sweetness working together with the spice.
Overall:I did not add water to Baker's this time, it didn't seem necessary, although the alcohol asserts itself a bit in the gullet. Baker's is a bourbon that has it all. It has balance between the sweet and spice, it is creamy and rich, it has a complex of flavors, and it achieves a certain delicacy in spite of its proof, i.e. it is not terribly assertive. Someone in Beamville knows what the hell he/she is doing. I do not find it surprising that it is rated very highly. If it were not so, I would have told you. If you have not tried Baker's, and you like bourbon, I suggest you deny yourself no longer. It is that good!

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Review from Mike (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 740, Created:20070407151522, Updated:20070408180937)
Purchased at:Sigman Bottle Shop, Conyers, GA
Purchased for:50 ml gift
Nose:A nice enticing nose with vanilla, oak, char, nuts, caramel, corn, grass (or hay) offer up what us bourbon lovers love in the way of aromas. It is a very authentic bourbon nose. A thimblefull of das wasser opened the nose and brought out some citrus to liven things up a bit.
Taste:A very rich taste that is viscous, creamy, and sweet on entry. As it glides across the mouth the cinnamon peppery spice takes control and gives way to the alcohol at the very back of the mouth. While the gullet experiences a little burn, the creamy sweetness remains behind for an encore. That same thimblefull of water mentioned above quickly tamed the alcohol without penalizing the hearty sweetness.
Finish:When cut with a bit of H20 to 95-100 proof Baker's likes me and I like her a bit better. At that level she cozies right up to my taster and says, 'I am home, big boy, mmm, don't stop what you are doing'!
Overall:An excellent whiskey with lots to recommend it. So, I recommend it! Unless you like your spirits quite strong, throw in enough water to get her to 95-100 proof, sip on it a while, call your sister/brother, tell her/him you think they are great, and pat yo own self on your back for being such a nice gal/guy, cause you know damn well you are!! You a human ain't ya? Well, on that basis alone there is something to be said for you (and unfortunately, agin ya.........but for now we keeping that part quiet.)

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Review from Mike (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 565, Created:20060809142838, Updated:20060809162010)
Purchased at:Sigman Bottle Shop, Conyers, GA
Purchased for:$39
Nose:A nice introductory aroma of vanilla and oak, followed by rye, leather, orange, nuts, and butterscotch. Rich and creamy as one prefers. The nose promises a lot!
Taste:A creamy sweetness up front followed by a generous dollop of spice at mid-palate. Baker's delivers on the nose's promise. Mike Veach noted the cinnamon and nutmeg in his review and I find it in abundance, a nice addition to the flavors and something that sets Baker's slightly apart.
Finish:The finish is moderately long with the cinnamon fading quickly to be replaced by an alcohol bite that is not completely unexpected for a 107 proof bourbon.
Overall:My opinion of Baker's is much more positive after more than a year's passage of time. It has a unique spice flavor that is quite refreshing. The alcohol that comes forth at the end just seems to amplify the impression that this baby has some backbone (an alcohol presence is not always unwelcomed in my opinion........it is one of the characteristics of whiskey that sometimes contributes to the overall delight). I recommend Baker's this time with no hesitation.

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Review from bourbonv (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 364, Created:20060311064218)
Purchased at:Bourbon's Bistro Bar
Purchased for:10.00
Info on this bottle:Standard Bottle
Proof Of this Bottle:107
Nose:Sweet Vanilla and spice - cinnamon and nutmeg - with a little oak hiding behind the other flavors.
Taste:Buttery caramel with the cinnamon and nutmeg spices.
Finish:Soicy nutmeg and caramel that is long lasting.
Overall:Drink it neat or in a manhattan cocktail.

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Review from Mike (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 180)
Purchased at:Sigman Bottle Shop, Conyers, GA
Purchased for:$38
Nose:Not a strong nose, but a bit of time reveals a whiff of nuts, citrus, creme, vanilla, and mild spices such as nutmeg. The faintest hint of oak comes out timidly.
Taste:A bit of sweetness and citrus on the front of the mouth that is sustained for only a short visit at the back of the mouth before the alcohol fire takes control.
Finish:There is only a wee bit of flavor and sweetness left in the finish as the sublety vanishes in the face of the alcohol.
Overall:This is my first experience with Baker's and for a $38 bourbon, I was disappointed . While it is a good bourbon, it does not come close in my opinion to bourbons costing much less (e.g. Russel's Reserve at $28). Opinion and rhetorical question: why is it that Booker's is so much better than Baker's, which is better than the very mediocre Basil Haydens?

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