Per Freddie Noe: Little Book Chapter 5, “The Invitation,” is the fifth chapter in the Little Book Whiskey series. The Invitation offers a chance for any curious whiskey drinker to expand their palette - both seasoned connoisseurs and newcomers alike. The name of this year's chapter offers fans of American whiskey an opportunity to experience liquid that I personally had a hand in creating and blending and showcases the innovation of Little Book chapters over the last five years. Little Book Chapter 5 is a blend of four different liquid streams with a vast range of ages, flavors and distillation styles. Three of the four liquid streams contained in Chapter 5 were distilled under my watchful eye, and I'm thrilled to offer drinkers a whiskey that is both expansive and complex. With the base of this blend being a 2-year-old bourbon, this chapter continues to push the boundaries of blending and challenges what some might assume of lower aged whiskies. The way these liquid streams complement each other makes this liquid extremely approachable, even for those who haven't given cask strength whiskey a try. The Invitation was one of the more difficult chapters to perfect. Harmonizing such varied liquids and ages requires delicate balancing of flavors and immense amounts of patience, but the effort was certainly worth it when you taste the final product. Little Book Chapter 5 is my way of inviting Little Book drinkers into different aspects of the whiskey space, regardless of if they've been along for the ride since Chapter 1 or are just tasting Little Book for the first time.

The batch is made up of four production dates that were aged in five different warehouses. The breakdown of barrel storage for Booker's “Ronnie's Batch” is as follows: 4% came from the 3rd floor of 7-story warehouse 5, 7% came from the 4th floor of 9-story warehouse D, 15% came from the 5th floor of 7-story warehouse 1, 26% came from the 5th floor of 7-story warehouse Q, 48% came from the 5th floor of 7-story warehouse Z. This batch has a nice color and a rich vanilla aroma with hints of brown spice that you can enjoy even before your first sip. The whiskey has a sweet taste that comes from the time spent aging in our unique Kentucky climate. It was a brisk, cold day when I selected this batch, but the warm and pleasant finish make it an ideal pour as we leave behind these cooler months. I know my father would be so proud to name this batch after Ronnie, as he was sure to make Booker's just like Dad wanted.