Blended whiskey is slowly gaining newfound respect. Once seen as little more than a whiskey and neutral grain spirit (NGS) combination—no doubt thanks to whiskey’s downturn roughly between the 60s to the 80s, blenders and distillers alike are fostering a new look for a once frowned upon category. Now if we want to get technically, the term “blend” is more all-encompassing than some might realize, but that’s a discussion best reserved for a later, more in-depth review.

Today we’re getting down to brass tacks. Or at least, as much as a whiskey of this nature allows. Little Book Chapter 7 is a wild whiskey blend with an appropriate name to boot. Dubbed “In Retrospect,” the composite whiskey utilizes one whiskey from each of the previous six Little Books in addition to one extra component, presumably to tie it all together. The blend consists of:

• 18-year KY bourbon
• 17-year KY bourbon
• 10-year KY rye
• 9-year KY bourbon
• 5-year malt finished in applewood smoked barrels
• 4-year KY bourbon
• 4-year KY rye

An esoteric blend to say the least, but there are two frustrating aspects about this whiskey before so much as nosing it, one of which applies to all Little Books. The first complaint is that Beam doesn’t disclose the portions of the blend, so we have no idea how much of those highly aged components comprise the blend. The second grievance has to do with referencing In Retrospect’s predecessors: with one or two exceptions, we don’t know which whiskeys correspond with what Little Book Chapter. Other than the malt whiskey finished in applewood smoked barrels, it’s a fool’s guessing game to know whether the whiskeys continued aging, were vatted, or some combination of both.

Setting these omissions aside, we still have a blend to discuss. Let’s see how this retrospective release holds up. Little Book Chapter 7 released in 2023, bottled at 59.05% ABV (cask strength), and retailed for around $150.

Nose: Almond Butter, Brown Butter, Baked Apple, Caramel

Warm, Festive, Layered

Palate: Almond Butter, Burnt Apple Pie Crust, Allspice, Toffee

Medium, Dense, Tannic

Finish: Caramel, White Pepper, Burnt Toast, Black Tea (Irish Breakfast)

Dry, Long, Moderate

Now that’s interesting. For such a seemingly scatterbrained blend list of whiskeys, everything comes together in a strangely cohesive manner. The Jim Beam foundation is absolutely there, but with a boost of buttery and mildly festive notes to enhance the overall experience.  If you’re an experienced whiskey drinker then the following statement should be a no-brainer, but Little Book Chapter 7 absolutely benefits from enjoying over time. I initially got a drying essence, particularly on the backend to the finish, that eventually balanced out as I continued sipping throughout the course of several minutes. The end result is a blend that isn’t nearly as convoluted as one might suspect, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t surprises awaiting within.

All things considered, I give Freddie Noe serious props for making this iteration of Little Book work as well as it does. Were I given this sample blind, I doubt I’d suspect anything beyond a slightly peculiar bourbon or bourye product, possibly from outside of Kentucky. Those looking for a unique and quality blend with an eye-catching presentation probably won’t find much better than this.