little book 2021 chapter 05 whiskey

About five years ago, my dad asked me if I was sure that making bourbon was what I wanted to do. I didn’t hesitate -- I said yes. Then he asked me what I wanted to do at the distillery and I said “everything.” I’ve always been told I had a strong dose of my granddaddy Booker in my veins – a real fascination with tinkering. It was when I was exploring all the different departments that I realized it myself. During my time at what we call the Global Innovation Center, I was drawn to the practically limitless palate of tastes and flavors created by blending different aged spirits. My fascination became a passion, and I like to think that my granddad’s spirit of experimentation lives on in me today in my love of blending whiskey. After a while, I asked the company if I could come up with my own whiskey. I knew right away that this would be the foundation for my first release, Little Book. The name “Little Book” was the nickname given to me by my family when I was younger. I’m proud to honor my granddad and our family with this name. Little Book will be an annual limited release series that will feature new, unique blends that I’ve crafted and blended, uncut and unfiltered, in honor of my granddaddy, Booker Noe. Why blending? Blending offers an open canvas. Plenty of people are familiar with the taste of Bourbon, or Rye Whiskey or Scotch, but what would happen if these liquids came together? This is the type of question that I set out to answer when I started down this road. - Freddie Noe, 8th Generation Beam Family Distiller