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Episode 472 December 3, 2025 · 44:14
472. Beam Me Up, Toddy: A Trek Through Jim Beam's 2025 Rarities

472. Beam Me Up, Toddy: A Trek Through Jim Beam's 2025 Rarities

Jim & Todd taste Little Book Ch. 9, Little Book Infinite, Booker's Reserve tequila-finish, and Knob Creek 21-year in a full Beam limited-release session.

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Show Notes

Welcome back to The Bourbon Road, where hosts Jim Shannon and Todd Ritter beam into a special Jim Beam limited release tasting session. Tonight the duo works through four standout releases from the Beam family of brands, exploring the creative vision of master distiller Freddie Noe across blended whiskeys, heritage-spanning infinity batches, a first-of-its-kind tequila finish, and a landmark aged expression from the Knob Creek line. It's a fully loaded lineup that showcases just how far the Beam portfolio has evolved beyond its flagship offerings.

On the Tasting Mat:

  • Little Book Chapter 9 "None for Granted": A bold blend of an 11-year Kentucky straight bourbon, an 8-year Kentucky straight rye, an 8-year Kentucky straight bourbon, and two different 7-year straight bourbons — all crafted by Freddie Noe. Coming in at 121.8 proof with an MSRP of $160, this expression delivers vanilla, green apple, and sawdust on the nose, transitioning to a palate of peanut, butter, and Granny Smith apple with a minty rye-driven finish. (00:01:36)
  • Little Book Infinite 2nd Edition: The second installment of Freddie Noe's evolving infinity blend, built on what remained of Infinite Edition 1 and layered with distillate from Booker Noe (22-year), Fred Noe (10-year), and Freddie Noe (7-year). Bottled at 120.8 proof with an MSRP of $200, it opens with a stunning vanilla cream and cake icing nose, leading into a remarkably complex palate of caramel, floral notes, fruit, and a touch of warehouse character. (00:09:23)
  • Booker's Reserve 2025: The latest edition of Freddie Noe's Booker's Reserve, marking the first time any Beam product has been finished in ex-tequila barrels — specifically El Tesoro 85th Anniversary casks — for 11 weeks. Aged 8 years, 10 months, and 11 days, bottled at 123.3 proof with an MSRP of $130, it offers classic caramel and vanilla on the nose with an earthy, herbaceous palate that carries a dry, oak-driven character and a lingering spiced finish. (00:17:06)
  • Knob Creek 21-Year-Old: The oldest Jim Beam release to date, this Kentucky straight bourbon is bottled at a gentler proof than its younger siblings and retails for $250. The nose shows deep, mature oak with hints of cherry and a touch of warehouse funk, while the palate surprises with toasted coconut, roasted peanuts, dark chocolate, leather, and rich maple — all with a velvety texture that defies its remarkable age. (00:26:22)

Jim and Todd close out the night with their rankings and a playful impromptu blend of all four expressions before signing off with warm Thanksgiving wishes to the Bourbon Roadies community. Keep an eye out for the upcoming Hardin's Creek warehouse series — the Owl, Mushroom, and Beaver releases — which the guys promise to cover soon. Until then, cheers and we'll see you down the Bourbon Road.

Full Transcript

Jim Beam Little Book Knob Creek Booker's Reserve Freddie Noe Booker Noe Fred Noe Kentucky straight bourbon bourbon tasting limited release bourbon tequila finish bourbon El Tesoro infinity bottle aged bourbon Hardin's Creek bourbon podcast blended bourbon high proof bourbon Beam Suntory bourbon review

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