Little Book Whiskey is the yearly release where Beam gets to spread its wings. It’s also a very specific whiskey made by one person who has whiskey-making deep in his DNA — Freddie Noe. Since this is a yearly one-off (that means we only see it once a year and each release is 100% unique and not replicated), we thought we’d break down what we know so far about the 2024 Little Book whiskey drop.
Read our reviews of the 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 Little Book Whiskey releases by clicking the years.
Before we get into the bottle, it’s important to know one thing: This is Master Distiller Freddie Noe’s baby. Noe is the eighth-generation Master Distiller of James B. Beam and responsible for the second best-selling American whiskey in the world — Jim Beam Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. You’ve all seen it. The white label, the cherry palate, the easy shooting vibe … it’s iconic worldwide for a reason.
Anyway, Noe started “Little Book” when he started working with his father, Master Distiller Fred Noe. Long story short, Freddie earned the nickname “Little Book” thanks to his deft, almost preternatural skill at distilling like his grandfather, bourbon legend Booker Noe. Booker, Little Book, you get it.
Freddie Noe set out to honor his heritage by creating a brand of Beam whiskeys that was 100% unique … and his. That became the Little Book brand. Each year, Freddie Noe creates a uniquely blended and finished whiskey that’s the best of the best that Beam’s warehouses have to offer. Sometimes that’s a mix of their bourbons and ryes. Sometimes Freddie adds in American single malt or corn whiskey or something he made in the lab years ago. Often there’s a finishing barrel involved too — last year’s was applewood smoked, for instance.
The point here is that these bottles are always amazingly unique, delicious, and fleeting. People clamor for them because of that but also because you’re getting something new and fresh when you open one of Freddie’s Little Books. That’s exciting. Let’s get into it.
Little Book Chapter 8
ABV: 59.5%
Average Price: $150 (MSRP)
What We Know:
This year’s release will be a Straight Whiskey — so a blend of likely straight bourbons and ryes though there might be single malt in there again. We also know that this will be a Sherry cask finished whiskey. That should be very exciting for anyone who’s been following Beam for the last couple of years. They released Legent Bourbon a few years back, which is a partial sherry-finished whiskey and it’s magnificent. So adding a full-on sherry finish to a Beam product is going to slap.
When Will It Be Available?
August. However, you’ll start to see some bottles leak out in July (as it always tends to go with these things). In reality, expect to see it on shelves leading into fall, and plan to buy for the holidays.
We should also note that the price for these tends to reach closer to $199-$220 a bottle, especially if you wait until late fall to buy one. Still, given the unique nature of the juice in the bottle, it’ll certainly be worth it.
