Review: Little Book The Infinite: Edition 1 (2024)

While it can be hit or miss, Beam’s Little Book series, which is built around the idea of blending whiskeys in sometimes unusual ways, is always a fun diversion from the usual whiskey season fare. Much like Booker’s, this year Little Book is taking the road less traveled and launching a new sub-series: The Infinite, “a perpetual tribute to three generations of James B. Beam master distillers.”

Let’s get to the specifics of this solera-style offering:

The newest release honors more than two hundred years of rich Beam and Noe family history through a blend of whiskeys laid down by three trailblazing American Whiskey distillers: 6th Generation Master Distiller, Booker Noe, 7th Generation Master Distiller Fred Noe, and 8th Generation Master Distiller, Freddie Noe. Little Book ‘The Infinite: Edition 1’ will serve as the foundation of the line extension utilizing liquid from generations of the Noe Family through every future release.

In the Fred B. Noe distillery at the James B. Beam Distilling Co.’s Clermont campus, Freddie Noe was experimenting with blending varying aged whiskeys, when he sought to blend barrels his father, Fred Noe, and grandfather, Booker Noe, laid down, resulting in a perfectly balanced profile forming ‘The Infinite’. Each year, new whiskey will be added to the blend, delivering an ever-evolving confluence of artistry for a unique experience while pushing the boundaries of flavor and tradition. It’s this initial, proprietary blend that sets the series apart from other Little Book chapters.

“My father and I are lucky enough to work together, side by side as Master Distillers, and I know he always dreamed of that with his own father, my Grandaddy Booker,” shared Freddie Noe, 8th Generation Master Distiller. “This new series pays tribute to that dream and inspired the first Edition of Little Book ‘The Infinite’, a multigenerational liquid that will form the foundation of all future releases. Once a year, I’ll bottle some up for the world to try. So, savor this whiskey today, and come back in a year for its next evolution.”

Four whiskeys, all bourbon, make up the initial vatting, each assigned to a family member. No word on proportions, of course:

Booker Noe’s Component: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Aged 20 years
Fred Noe’s Component: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Aged 14 years
Freddie Noe’s Component: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Aged 7 years
Shared Family Component: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Aged 8 years

So, ready to get started on step one of an infinite journey? Here we go!

This is a big whiskey, nearly 60% abv, and the nose doesn’t hold back. Big and racy, the nose pops with cinnamon and red pepper in equal proportion. Under the heat there’s a strong vein of butterscotch-driven sweetness, and perhaps some toasted marshmallow cream. With a little air time, notes of burnt orange peel add a fruity layer. Lots going on, but amply balanced.

On the palate, again the heat is never far from view, with aggressive notes of pepper both red and black. An anise quality adds a more savory layer, as does ample barrel char. Water’s a key player here, tempering the heat and coaxing out the sweetness that’s telegraphed on the nose. Butterscotch is clearly evident, laced with cinnamon and nutmeg, all very cookie-like. Chocolate notes develop as the finish builds, while vanilla comes on strong. All of this comes to a head on the conclusion with a powerful rush of caramel sauce, tempered with late-game touches of green herbs and a reprise of red pizza peppers.

All told, this is a versatile — and very powerful — base to build from, though the current iteration may come across as surprisingly sweet to some consumers. It’s solid as it stands, but I’m very much looking forward to seeing where The Infinite goes from here as more and more whiskeys get blended into it.

119.3 proof.

A- / $200 / jimbeam.com

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