Little Book Chapter 10 “All the Wiser” Bourbon
The Stats
- Distillery: James B. Beam Distilling Co.
- Location: Clermont, Kentucky
- Type: Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskeys
- Release: Chapter 10 “All the Wiser”
- Proof: 122.6 (61.3% ABV)
- Age: Blend of 4 to 14-Year-Old Bourbons
- Finish: Includes Jim Beam Bourbon Finished in Sherry & Toasted Bourbon Casks
- Filtration: Uncut & Unfiltered
- Release Year: 2026
- MSRP: $160
VIDEO REVIEW COMING SOON ↓
Ten chapters is a long time to experiment. Since Little Book launched, Freddie Noe has blended bourbon, rye, malt whiskey, Canadian whisky, young whiskey, old whiskey, and just about everything in between. The series has always felt like his place to push things around and see what happens. Sometimes the experiments have been brilliant. Sometimes they have been more interesting than delicious. For Chapter 10, Freddie came back home.
Little Book Chapter 10 “All the Wiser” pulls whiskey from across the Beam family, including Booker’s, Knob Creek, Baker’s, Basil Hayden, and Jim Beam. Most of it is old. Some of it is very old. Then sitting among 9, 10, 11, and 14-year-old bourbon is a four-year-old Jim Beam finished in sherry and toasted bourbon casks. On paper, that younger whiskey looks completely out of place. In the glass, it might be exactly what the blend needed.
Chapter 10 has the oak, depth, and maturity we expected from the age statements, but it never becomes too serious. Dark fruit, caramel, cinnamon, leather, and beautifully seasoned oak come through, with just enough brightness to keep everything moving. Maybe Freddie really has gotten wiser.
The Whiskey Behind the Bottle
Little Book is Freddie Noe’s annual limited-release whiskey series and his playground for blending different ages, styles, and types of whiskey. The name comes from the childhood nickname his grandfather, Booker Noe, gave him.
Chapter 10 “All the Wiser” feels like a fitting milestone. Freddie has said that over the years he has learned to stop forcing a blend toward a specific outcome and listen more to what the whiskey is telling him. This time, he stayed close to home.
The blend includes 14-year-old Basil Hayden, 11- and 9-year-old Knob Creek, 10-year-old Booker’s, 9-year-old Baker’s, and 4-year-old Jim Beam finished in sherry and toasted bourbon casks. It is bottled uncut and unfiltered at 122.6 proof.
The younger Jim Beam is the oddball of the group, but that may be exactly the point. The older whiskey brings oak, leather, caramel, and depth, while the finished component adds fruit and a little more energy. At around $160, Chapter 10 carries a premium price. Fortunately, it also drinks like a premium release.
Tasting Notes
Aroma
The first thing that jumps out is orange zest, but it is softer than expected, more like orange peel worked into vanilla icing. Raisin, cinnamon roll, and baking spice follow, and as it sits, the brighter notes give way to leather, toasted wood, and seasoned oak.
Taste
The orange mostly disappears on the palate and turns darker. Cherry, caramel, cinnamon, and vanilla come through first, followed by mature oak, leather, and a little earthiness. There is a lot of depth here, but the oak stays balanced and never takes over.
Finish
The finish is long, warm, and a little darker than the sip. Dark chocolate, leather, cinnamon, and caramel hang around while the sweetness slowly gives way to dry, seasoned oak.
Artfully Bourbon Rating
9.5 / 10 - Excellent
Little Book Chapter 10 is exactly what we want from an expensive limited release. It does not lean on age or rarity alone. The blend actually feels thought through.
The older bourbon brings depth, oak, leather, and caramel, while the four-year-old finished Jim Beam adds just enough fruit and energy to keep it from feeling too heavy.
Scott landed at a 9. Arthur gave it a 10 and called it the best Little Book he has had. Ten chapters in, Freddie Noe makes a pretty strong case that there really is an art to blending whiskey.
Buy or Skip:
Buy
Yes, $160 is a lot for a bottle of bourbon. But Chapter 10 actually tastes like a special release.
The older whiskey brings mature oak, leather, caramel, and depth without becoming dry or overly heavy. The younger finished Beam adds enough fruit and brightness to keep the blend moving.
If you prefer younger, sweeter bourbon or dislike mature oak, this probably is not where we would spend $160. But if older bourbon, barrel proof, and layered Beam flavors are your thing, this is an easy recommendation.
We would buy it again.
After ten chapters of experimenting, Little Book did not just get older. It got wiser.
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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Product Features
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Soft, breathable 100% combed ring-spun cotton
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Ribbed knit collar for shape retention
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Side seams and shoulder taping for durability and structure
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Unisex fit, perfect for everyday wear
Care Instructions
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Machine wash cold (max 30C / 90F)
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Tumble dry low or hang dry
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Do not bleach
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Iron on low heat if needed
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Do not dry clean
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