Little Book "The Path Not Taken" 2024 Release Straight Whiskey, Batch #8

Little Book Chapter 8, “The Path Not Taken,” is a daring, rye-forward blended whiskey that pushes boundaries — a flavorful, robust, and spicy pour that showcases what American whiskey can become when tradition is reimaged. Powerful yet surprisingly balanced for its proof, this release offers a rich tapestry of rye-bread spice, dark fruit, baking-spice warmth, and oak backbone. It’s a whiskey for drinkers who want intensity, complexity, and a whiskey that doesn’t compromise on character.

Origins & Craftsmanship

• Maker & Lineage: Crafted under Little Book, the experimental annual-release project overseen by eighth-generation Beam-family distiller Freddie Noe.

• Blend Composition: Chapter 8 blends seven distinct whiskeys — including an 18-year Kentucky high-rye bourbon, an 11-year straight rye, a 7-year rye malt, and multiple rye whiskies aged 4–5 years from different mash bills and barrel char levels. The variation in grain bills, ages, and barrel treatments gives the blend extraordinary depth and diversity of flavor.

• Proof & Bottling: Bottled at 118.2 proof (59.1 % ABV), uncut and unfiltered, retaining the raw intensity and full-bodied character resulting from long, varied aging across components.

• Philosophy: With “The Path Not Taken,” Freddie Noe intentionally leans hard into rye — reimagining the boundaries of American whiskey and creating a blended whiskey that delivers something bold, experimental, and profoundly expressive.

Critics Reviews & Professional Impressions

Critics and whiskey reviewers have widely commended Chapter 8 for its bold, rye-driven departure from previous Little Book editions:

• One reviewer described it as a “monster blend” — a whiskey with “head-spinning spice, rich rye bread character, and concentrated flavor layers” that still manages cohesion and balance.

• Tasting notes from review panels highlight the blend’s “tidal-wave flavor”: spicy rye, deep caramel, barrel char, and hints of citrus and dried fruit emerge in waves rather than simple one-note profiles.

• Others note its remarkable richness and complexity for a blend, emphasizing that despite the youthful components, the older bourbon base gives backbone, avoiding the common pitfall of overly harsh heat or unbalanced spice.

• Among rye-enthusiast circles, Chapter 8 is frequently called one of the most successful modern blended rye-forward American whiskies — praised for ambition, execution, and a finish that lingers with spice, sweetness, and oak depth.

Overall, reviewers highlight “Path Not Taken” as a standout Little Book release — one that signals how experimental blending and rye-forward approaches can create serious whiskey for connoisseurs.

Tasting Profile

Nose:
Bold and spicy rye-bread aroma leads — fresh rye, cracked pepper, cinnamon, and baking spice. Underlying sweet notes of butterscotch and caramel add depth, while lighter hints of citrus peel and toasted rye bread rounds out the bouquet.

Palate:
Full-bodied and dynamic. The first sip brings rye-spice bite — pepper, clove, nutmeg — layered with deeper flavors: dark caramel, molasses, cocoa, dried fruit (plum/cherry), and toasted oak. As it opens, a subtle herbal edge — almost licorice or root-spice — emerges, giving the palate complexity beyond standard rye or bourbon blends.

Finish:
Long, warming, and spicy. Rye spice lingers, joined by caramel sweetness, barrel char, a touch of dried apricot or raisin, and a lasting oak-derived bitterness. The fade reveals soft citrus-peel brightness and lingering cinnamon bark warmth.

Quick Overview