Little Book Chapter 4 "Lessons Honored" Blended Straight Whiskey 750ml

Little Book Chapter 4 "Lessons Honored" is the 2020 release of Freddie Noe's annual limited-edition blended whiskey series, and the most personal chapter he had written to that point. Where earlier chapters pushed outward — incorporating Canadian rye, Scotch, and Japanese whisky — Chapter 4 turns inward, toward home. It is an ode to Freddie's father, 7th Generation Beam Master Distiller Fred Noe, and to the decade the two spent working side by side at the James B. Beam Distillery in Clermont, Kentucky. Every element of the blend was chosen because of its connection to Fred, and to the lessons — about patience, honesty, and craft — that a father passed down to a son who was being prepared to carry on one of American whiskey's great family legacies. The blend brings together three uncut and unfiltered Kentucky straight whiskeys: a 4-year-old Kentucky straight brown rice bourbon that represents Freddie's very first solo distillation project — rice takes two to three weeks to ferment versus the three days typical of a Kentucky bourbon, a lesson in patience Fred taught him firsthand — an 8-year-old Kentucky straight high-rye rye whiskey reflecting Fred's love of bold flavor, and a 7-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon with flavors reminiscent of Beam's Small Batch Collection, a spirit Fred has enjoyed for years. Fred himself unknowingly helped select that final component when Freddie brought him samples to evaluate. The blue hang tag on the neck, a distinctive detail on this release, is a tribute to the Kentucky Wildcats — Freddie and Fred's shared favorite team. Bottled at 61.4% ABV and 122.8 proof, uncut and unfiltered, in the signature dark grey Little Book wood box. Released in August 2020 and now a discontinued back vintage.

ABV / Proof

Tasting Notes

Color: Clear medium copper with warm amber depth — slow, thick tears on the glass from the uncut 122.8 proof.

Nose: Orange peel, applewood, caramel apple, ripe peach, and cinnamon with a savory undercurrent — a distinctive early-harvest warmth that carries the fingerprint of the brown rice bourbon's long fermentation. Caramel and oak spice round out the aromatics.

Palate: Full-bodied brown sugar and rich charred wood lead, with aggressively spicy allspice and black pepper from the 8-year high-rye rye. Dried cherries, roasted peanuts, maple syrup, and clove develop through the mid-palate. The brown rice bourbon anchors the complexity with a round, creamy grain quality unlike standard corn-forward bourbon.

Finish: Soft and decadent with warm caramel, spicy rye heat, and lingering oak. Sweet, warming, and long — the kind of finish Fred Noe would approve of.

FAQ

What makes the brown rice bourbon in Chapter 4 so unusual?
Brown rice bourbon is exceptionally rare — Beam has only produced it on a handful of occasions. Unlike a standard bourbon mash where corn, rye, and malted barley ferment together for roughly three days, rice takes two to three weeks to fully ferment. Freddie Noe's first solo distillation project was this very brown rice bourbon, and Fred's lesson about patience — knowing when to slow down — is embodied in the grain itself. The brown rice bourbon makes up the majority of the Chapter 4 blend and gives it a distinctly round, slightly savory grain character you won't find in standard Kentucky bourbon.

Did Fred Noe have a role in making Chapter 4?
More than he realized at the time. Freddie brought Fred several samples during the blending process to get his opinion, and Fred's preference helped determine the final 7-year straight bourbon component. Fred unknowingly co-selected part of his own tribute whiskey. The blue hang tag on the neck of every bottle is Freddie's additional nod to his father — both are Kentucky Wildcats fans.

How does Chapter 4 compare to other Little Book releases in store?
We also carry the inaugural Little Book Chapter 1 "The Easy" from 2017 — the first chapter Freddie ever wrote, built on a 13-year corn whiskey and four grain components. Together, Chapters 1 and 4 represent two of the most story-rich releases in the series and are the two most sought-after back vintages in the Little Book collector community.

Where can I buy Little Book Chapter 4 Lessons Honored online?
Available here at Liquor On Broadway while stock lasts, with fast insured shipping nationwide.