Little Book Edition 1: The Infinite 18 Year Bourbon 750ML

Little Book Edition 1: The Infinite 18 Year Bourbon 750ML is a cask-strength blended bourbon bottled at 59.65% ABV (119.3 proof) in a 750ml format. Created by Freddie Noe, eighth-generation Beam family distiller, this inaugural release combines four distinct bourbon components spanning three generations of the Noe family — a multi-generational blending concept with no true parallel in American whiskey.

Quick Facts: ABV: 59.65% (119.3 proof)  |  Origin: Kentucky, USA  |  Blended Bourbon (components aged 7–20 years)  |  Distillery: James B. Beam Distilling Co.

Production & Heritage

James B. Beam Distilling Co., one of Kentucky's oldest and most storied bourbon operations, serves as the source for all four components in this blend. Freddie Noe, grandson of the legendary Booker Noe, conceived the Little Book series as his personal creative project within the Beam portfolio. Edition 1 marries a 20-year bourbon selected by Booker Noe before his passing, a 14-year bourbon chosen by Fred Noe, a 7-year bourbon from Freddie Noe himself, and an 8-year family blend shared across all three distillers. What makes the "Infinite" concept truly distinctive is its solera-inspired structure: 70% of the initial blend was bottled for this release, while the remaining 30% was held back in tanks — preventing further barrel aging — to serve as the foundation for every subsequent annual edition. Each future release builds upon the whiskey that came before, creating a living, evolving blend.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with dense brown sugar and dark cherries, followed by baked apples and hints of milk chocolate. Deeper investigation reveals aged leather, cedar, and dry oak — hallmarks of the older components in the blend.

Taste: The entry is immediately rich, coating the palate with brown sugar syrup and dark cherry sweetness. At mid-palate, baking spices emerge alongside caramel, graham cracker, and vanilla custard. The peak brings hot cinnamon and dry oak forward, reminding you this is a barrel-proof bourbon with serious depth.

Finish: Long and warming, with growing white pepper spice and barrel char that build gradually. Dry oak and cinnamon linger well after each sip, leaving a pleasant heat that never turns harsh.

How to Drink Little Book Edition 1

At nearly 120 proof, this bourbon rewards patience — pour it neat and let it open for several minutes, or add a few drops of water to unlock the layered caramel and fruit notes hiding beneath the proof. It also holds its own remarkably well in spirit-forward cocktails. An Old Fashioned allows the dark cherry and brown sugar character to shine against bitters. A Boulevardier pairs its dense oak and spice with sweet vermouth and Campari for a complex, warming drink. A Kentucky Mule leverages the cinnamon heat alongside ginger beer for a bold twist on the classic.

Best For

• Collectors seeking discontinued inaugural releases from notable bourbon series
• Gifting a serious bourbon enthusiast who values multi-generational craft
• Special-occasion sipping on milestone evenings or intimate gatherings
• Side-by-side tastings comparing different editions in the Little Book series

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Little Book Edition 1 taste like? It delivers rich brown sugar, dark cherries, and caramel up front, transitioning into baking spices, vanilla custard, and dry oak with a long, peppery, barrel-char finish. The cask-strength proof amplifies every note without overwhelming the palate when given time to breathe.

How does Little Book Edition 1 compare to Booker's Bourbon? Both are barrel-proof bourbons from the Beam family, but Little Book Edition 1 blends four separate bourbon components aged between 7 and 20 years, giving it greater complexity and more pronounced mature oak character than Booker's typical 6- to 8-year-old single-batch profile. Breaking Bourbon noted it reads like a "high-aged, uniquely blended limited release interpretation of Booker's."

Is Little Book Edition 1 good for sipping neat? Yes — despite the 59.65% ABV, the blend's layered sweetness and dark fruit notes balance the heat well, making it a rewarding neat pour for experienced bourbon drinkers who enjoy cask-strength whiskey.

Where is Little Book Edition 1 made? It is produced at James B. Beam Distilling Co. in Clermont, Kentucky, using bourbon components distilled and aged on-site at the Beam family's historic distillery campus.

What foods pair well with Little Book Edition 1? Dark chocolate truffles complement the milk chocolate and cherry notes. Pecan pie mirrors its brown sugar and caramel sweetness. Smoked brisket stands up to the barrel-proof intensity. Aged cheddar contrasts the sweetness with savory depth. Crème brûlée echoes the vanilla custard and caramelized sugar character.

What sizes does Little Book Edition 1 come in? Little Book Edition 1 was released in the standard 750ml bottle size.

Is Little Book Edition 1 worth the price? As a discontinued inaugural edition featuring bourbon aged up to 20 years at cask strength, it positions firmly in the ultra-premium collector tier; secondary market values have climbed well above its original retail, reflecting its scarcity and the significance of the first-ever Little Book release.

Why Little Book Edition 1?

No other American whiskey release has blended bourbon components selected by three consecutive generations of the same distilling family into a single bottle. The inclusion of 20-year-old bourbon chosen by Booker Noe gives this expression a depth and historical weight that cannot be replicated now that those barrels are gone. The solera-inspired "infinite" concept — where 30% of the blend was reserved to seed future editions — introduced a blending philosophy virtually unprecedented in bourbon. For collectors and enthusiasts who value provenance, generational craftsmanship, and barrel-proof intensity, Edition 1 represents the foundational chapter of one of bourbon's most ambitious ongoing projects.