The greatest thing about whiskey is the people that you meet because of it. An acquaintance made through a common interest in Bourbon is one thing. When that relationship develops into a true friendship…well, that is a whole other, much better thing, altogether.
I have been fortunate enough to have many friendships emerge from a shared interest in Bourbon. Friendships that are far more treasured than any whiskey collection ever could be. Once such friend is Mike Lisac.
I met Mike through his work on the YouTube / Facebook show called My Whiskey Den, with Patrick Belongia and Benjamin Eaves, both of whom are also wonderful friends. (Side note: My Whiskey Den is an entertaining show that you should check out each Monday at 9:00 eastern). Alan Bishop (@thealchemistcabinet) had told me about My Whiskey Den.
Mike lives in Kansas City and we had an opportunity to hang out together yesterday afternoon in Louisville. We visited Westport Whiskey & Wine and sampled a couple of beverages in the tasting room. That afternoon we also tried the new release from Jim Beam: Little Book Chapter 5 “The Invitation”.
Little Book is the passion project of Freddie Noe (son of Fred, grandson of Booker) and he continues to knock it out of the park with these. I’ve enjoyed each of the annual releases and “The Invitation” is one that I will immediately RSVP “yes” to.
The Invitation is a blend of 2 year straight bourbon whiskey, 3 year 100% malted rye, 5 year bourbon whiskey and 15 year bourbon whiskey. There is no breakdown of percentages of each whiskey in the information provided.
Mike and I enjoyed a pour of LB5 while watching college football on Saturday. There was no unpleasant harshness from the 116.8 proof. Aromas of Karo syrup, vanilla, and baking spices were on the nose.
On the palate, I got a lot of brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon with a #FatGuyTastingNote of pecan pie filling. Mike was also intrigued by the pepper and spice notes that he surmised was largely influenced by the 100% malted rye in the mash bill.
The finish was a real treat, too. After a little pepper dancing on the roof of the mouth, we got a rich, sweet finish that lingered for awhile.
Little Book 5 is a fun and tasty whiskey, that I would recommend at retail prices. Best of all, it was a real pleasure to share it with a good friend.
The Bourbon Fellowship / Bourbon Turntable 