Little Book Chapter 10: All The Wiser Review | Layered, Mature & Full of Surprises

Little Book
Chapter 10: All The Wiser
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Finished in Sherry and Toasted Bourbon Casks
122.6 Proof
SRP: $159.99
Review

Please enjoy our Little Book Chapter 10: All The Wiser Review!

Background

Little Book is Freddie Noe’s annual limited-release whiskey series, created as a way to honor his grandfather, Booker Noe, while exploring unique blending techniques and flavor combinations. Named after Freddie’s childhood nickname, each chapter is crafted as a distinct expression and bottled uncut and unfiltered.

Little Book Chapter 10: All The Wiser marks the tenth release in the series and represents a milestone in Freddie Noe’s whiskey-making journey. According to Noe, this chapter reflects a shift away from pursuing blending “perfection” and toward a more intuitive approach that allows the whiskey itself to help guide the final blend. The result is a whiskey built from several mature Beam bourbons, including a component finished in sherry and toasted bourbon casks.

Details – Little Book Chapter 10: All The Wiser Review

• Distillery: The James B. Beam Distilling Co.
• Expression: Little Book Chapter 10: All The Wiser
• Type: Blend of Kentucky Straight Bourbons
• Finishing: Sherry and Toasted Bourbon Casks
• Proof: 122.6
• ABV: 61.3%
• MSRP: $159.99
• Release: Annual Limited Release
• Blend Components:
  • 14-year Basil Hayden Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • 11-year Knob Creek Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • 10-year Booker’s Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • 9-year Knob Creek Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • 9-year Baker’s Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • 4-year Jim Beam Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in sherry and toasted bourbon casks
• Bottling: Uncut and Unfiltered

Tasting Notes – Little Book Chapter 10: All The Wiser Review

Let’s taste it:

🛏 Rested: 15 minutes in a Glencairn glass

👉🏻 Nose: Moderately sweet; syrupy sugar; cherries, orange peel, caramel, milk chocolate, hot cinnamon, light oak and cedar; alcohol vapor appropriate for the proof
👉🏻 Taste: Oak, tannins, tart orange citrus, mild simple syrup sweetness; hints of milk chocolate and caramel later on
👉🏻 Finish: Tart orange peel, white pepper later on; mild char; slightly sweet; fairly long; lingering mandarin oranges and spice; hot cocoa

An Evolving Nose and Increasing Complexity – Little Book Chapter 10: All The Wiser Review

Initially the nose began fairly sweet, with simple syrup, hot cinnamon, cedar and tart orange citrus. As time goes on, sweet cherries and caramel become evident with subtle oak, as well. Still later, a hint of milk chocolate joins with the caramel, and the oak becomes more noticeable, with the cherries turning darker after a couple of sips.

While mild sweetness continues, the palate is considerably dry, with tannins, oak and tart orange citrus. As a bit of a surprise, hints of milk chocolate and caramel join in after a few sips. Those flavors continue into the finish and are joined by a moderate white pepper spice that appears later on and lasts throughout the long finish. At the very end, the citrus and tannins evolve into hints of canned mandarin oranges, but they are subdued by a mild degree of barrel char and the lingering spice. However, as a special treat, hints of hot cocoa appear after a few sips.

Mature Components and Finished Whiskey Influence

Little Book Chapter 10: All The Wiser is quite the complex and layered pour. The nose builds upon itself with each sniff and sip, revealing layers upon layers of flavors. However, the palate initially seems more one-dimensional, providing a noticeable contrast to the multitude of flavors in the sweeter, richer nose. Nonetheless, with each progressive sip, additional flavors begin to emerge, giving both the palate and finish greater depth and complexity.

The mature flavors of the component whiskeys are front and center in this blend, but the sherry notes from the four-year-old component make themselves known as well, mainly in the nose. The toasted casks undoubtedly add some of the richness, and I suspect the combination of sherry and toasted casks is contributing to the chocolate and cocoa notes as well.

A Complex, Evolving and Layered Bourbon

To be perfectly honest, I did not love this bourbon on my first pour. However, later on, the flavors opened a bit, or perhaps I simply appreciated them more. Ultimately, I found Little Book Chapter 10: All The Wiser to be quite an enjoyable pour.

If you are a fan of a complex, layered bourbon and are not afraid of a drier and somewhat tannic palate and finish, then Little Book Chapter 10: All The Wiser is a bourbon that you will want to try. Have you tried it? What did you think? Cheers!🥃

We hope you have enjoyed our Little Book Chapter 10: All The Wiser Review! Next, read these related articles: Little Book Chapter 9 “None for Granted” Review and Little Book The Infinite Edition 1 Review.

Note: This sample was graciously provided by the Brand for my review. I appreciate it!

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