Booker’s Bourbon / Batch 2026-02
The Stats
- Distillery: James B. Beam Distilling Co.
- Location: Clermont, KY
- Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
- Batch: 2026-02 “Milkshake Batch”
- Age: 7 Years, 6 Months, 12 Days
- Proof: 124.4 (62.2% ALC/VOL)
- Mash Bill: 77% Corn, 13% Rye, 10% Malted Barley
- Release: 2026
- Price: $100
Booker’s has never been a subtle bourbon. It’s big, high-proof, unapologetically Beam, and usually carries enough peanut and oak to make its family tree pretty obvious.
The 2026-02 Milkshake Batch has all of that, but there’s a surprising amount of balance underneath the proof. Salted caramel, vanilla, chocolate, peanut, coffee, and oak come together in a bourbon that is rich without becoming overly sweet and powerful without being overwhelmed by its 124.4 proof. We apparently really liked this one.
The Whiskey Behind the Bottle
Booker’s 2026-02 is the second batch in the 2026 Booker’s collection and takes its name from a Noe family tradition started by Booker himself. Fred Noe remembers fishing with his father and stopping afterward for chocolate malted milkshakes. Eventually, Booker started adding bourbon to his shake, then began making bourbon-spiked milkshakes from scratch for Fred and Freddie Noe.
It’s a good story, but the name becomes even more appropriate once you taste the whiskey.
Milkshake Batch blends barrels from four production dates, aged across four different seven-story warehouses. The largest portion, 32%, came from the fifth floor of Warehouse G at Waterfall, with the remainder coming from Warehouses 3, L, and M.
The final bourbon was aged 7 years, 6 months, and 12 days and bottled uncut and unfiltered at 124.4 proof.
Tasting Notes
Aroma
Vanilla, caramel, baking spice, and fresh oak lead the nose, with a slightly grassy note underneath. Salted caramel and roasted peanut emerge as it opens.
Taste
Rich salted caramel, vanilla, roasted peanut, cocoa, and coffee with plenty of oak and spice. There’s a creamy, almost buttery quality that reminded us of a chocolate Drumstick with sea salt and caramel.
Finish
Medium-long and surprisingly controlled for the proof. Chocolate, caramel, oak, and roasted peanut linger without the 124.4 proof taking over.
Artfully Bourbon Rating
9 / 10 - Excellent
Milkshake Batch is everything we want Booker’s to be.
It has the big proof and unmistakable Beam character we expect, but the balance sets this batch apart. Salted caramel, chocolate, vanilla, peanut, coffee, and oak all show up without any one note dominating the pour.
At 124.4 proof, there’s plenty of intensity, but it never feels like the proof is the point. This is rich, complex, remarkably well-composed Booker’s, and easily one of the better batches we’ve had recently.
Buy or Skip:
Buy
At $100, Booker’s is no longer an inexpensive bottle, but Milkshake Batch delivers enough age, proof, flavor, and complexity to justify the price.
If you enjoy high-proof bourbon, this batch is worth grabbing. We’d happily buy another.
Where Does It Rank?
Every whiskey we review is scored using the same 10-point scale, making it easy to compare bottles across styles, distilleries, and price points. Explore our complete whiskey rankings to see how every bottle stacks up.
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