Little Book Chapter 10: All The Wiser Blends Five Beam Brands
Freddie Noe has pulled almost the whole Beam family into one bottle. Little Book Chapter 10, called "All The Wiser," blends 14-year Basil Hayden, Knob Creek, Booker's, Baker's and a sherry-finished Jim Beam into a 122.6 proof blended straight bourbon.
It is the tenth chapter of Noe's annual blending project, and it reads like a greatest hits album from the Beam warehouses. One US retailer already lists it at $149.99.
What Makes This Release Special?
Every Little Book is a new blend, so no two chapters taste alike. What sets Chapter 10 apart is the lineup: whiskeys from four of Beam's best-known bourbon brands, plus a younger Jim Beam that was finished in sherry and toasted bourbon casks.
Bourbon fans will notice the ages. Chapter 10 uses a 14-year-old Basil Hayden, which is a lot older than what usually goes into that label. It also includes 11-year and 9-year Knob Creek, 10-year Booker's and 9-year Baker's. The 4-year Jim Beam adds a younger, brighter note to all that maturity.
The release is also bottled uncut and unfiltered, apart from standard quality screening. In plain terms, no water was added to bring the proof down, and nothing was stripped out for polish.
Inside the Bottle
"Blended straight bourbon" means several straight bourbons, each aged at least two years, were combined into one whiskey. Think of Noe as a chef working from a pantry stocked with some of the best barrels in Kentucky.
At 122.6 proof (61.3% ABV), this is a strong pour. A splash of water or a large ice cube will open it up if you want to ease in.
According to the release description, expect mature oak, dark fruit, molasses, raisin, fig, caramel and cinnamon, with the deep Kentucky character Beam is known for. The listing describes the blend as big, layered and deeply Beam.
The Story Behind Little Book
The name starts with Booker Noe, the legendary Beam master distiller and Jim Beam's grandson. According to the source, he gave his grandson Freddie the nickname "Little Book," and Freddie later put it on his own blending project.
Booker is the reason Basil Hayden, Knob Creek, Booker's and Baker's exist together. In 1988 he launched the Small Batch Bourbon Collection, a group of higher-proof, small-batch bourbons that helped start the premium bourbon boom. Chapter 10 brings whiskey from all four of those original brands into one bottle, a quiet salute to the man behind the nickname.
Freddie Noe is now an eighth-generation member of the Beam family and a master distiller at the company. His Little Book series began in 2017, and each year he has built a different blend.
Price, Proof and Availability
Official Name: 2026 Little Book "Chapter 10 - All The Wiser" Blended Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Category: Blended straight bourbon
ABV/Proof: 61.3% ABV (122.6 proof)
Price: listed at $149.99 at a US retailer; official suggested retail price not confirmed
US Availability: the states carrying it have not been announced, so check with your local retailer
Limited Edition: yes, described as a limited release
Did You Know?
Little Book Chapter 10 pulls from four of Beam's best-known bourbon labels, and each one is aged differently, from 9 years up to 14.
The 4-year Jim Beam in the blend is the youngest component by a wide margin, and it spent time in both sherry and toasted bourbon casks.
Tonights Poison Take
A tenth chapter is a milestone, and Noe marked it by drawing on the whole Beam portfolio. At $149.99 it sits in the premium limited-release tier, and the old stocks of Basil Hayden, Booker's and Baker's give it plenty to justify that. This one is for collectors who have followed the series, and for anyone curious what Beam's small batch family tastes like in a single glass. Fans of high-proof bourbon should keep an eye out.
Bar Talk: Little Book Chapter 10 blends whiskey from all four of the original Small Batch Bourbon Collection brands Booker Noe launched in 1988.
Know a bourbon fan who has been collecting Little Book since Chapter 1? Send them this one before it sells out.
More on Tonights Poison
About the author: Jas Sawhney (Tonights Poison) has spent 18 years in the beverage alcohol industry and shares new releases, tastings and spirits news as @tonightspoison on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
Please enjoy responsibly.
Comments