Freddie Noe, Eighth Generation Master Distiller of the Fred B. Noe Distillery and creator of Little Book® Whiskey, is proud to announce the sixth installment in his acclaimed annual, limited-release series – Little Book Chapter 6: “To The Finish.”
The name of this year’s chapter is inspired by Noe’s passion for both whiskey-making and cooking, and more specifically, his curiosity for how flavors come together to complement each other.
“From generation to generation, the kitchen has always been a place where my family comes together to share traditions including my dad teaching me to cure meat and working to perfect my grandfather’s sausage recipe. These memories ultimately led to my pursuits around the grill,” said Noe. “My love for cooking and grilling, along with my obvious love of whiskey, has inspired my work in the rackhouse, and you’ll see that poured into Chapter 6.”
Noe uses the traditional method of smoking hardwoods to create different aromas and flavors in food, and he’s applied that same method to the whiskey-making process, using unique wood staves and barrel techniques for Chapter 6. This process brings different characteristics together to create a final blend that has a perfect balance of flavors.
“To The Finish” is a blend of five liquid streams all distilled under Noe’s watchful eye. The 4-year-old Straight Malt Whiskey liquid streams all start as the same American Single Malt Whiskey but are aged separately with different wood staves and barrel techniques to impart a unique taste profile. Once the liquids are individually dumped, they are blended back together in different ratios before a 5-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon is added to create the final blend. The result is an extremely approachable liquid, even for those who have yet to try a cask strength whiskey.
Little Book “To The Finish” was developed by Noe with the following characteristics:
Blend Overview:
- The 4-year-old Straight Malt Whiskey finished with cherrywood staves adds a unique presence of dried fruit notes, offering a touch of sweetness. The cherrywood also delivers the rich, deep amber color of the final blend.
- The 4-year-old Straight Malt Whiskey finished with applewood smoked barrels complements the whiskey by pulling out the savory toasted grain notes with subtle smokiness.
- The 4-year-old Straight Malt Whiskey finished in hickory smoked barrels brings out the more apparent smokiness in the final blend, complementing the sweetness brought forward by the cherry and applewood components.
- The 4-year-old Straight Malt Whiskey finished with maplewood staves gives a rounded finish to the whiskey, ultimately complementing the overall blend.
- Finally, the 5-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon creates a balance throughout by adding in the classic warm, sweet bourbon notes. This brings the full blend together and allows the nuances of each treatment to shine.
- Proof: 117.45
- Tasting Notes: Little Book “To The Finish” features flavors of rich toasted grain with hints of smoke.
- Sipping Suggestions: Little Book “To The Finish” is best enjoyed neat or on the rocks.
“With each release of Little Book, I strive to bring any curious whiskey drinker along for the journey as I explore different flavors, aging, and blending methods,” Noe explained. “For this chapter, I hope to open people’s eyes to a whiskey that has a taste bigger than its individual components, and a flavor that’s inspired from generations of curing, grilling and distilling.”
“To The Finish” is now available nationwide in limited quantities with a suggested retail price of $124.99 for a 750mL bottle.
