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Booker’s vs Horse Soldier Barrel Strength
Booker’s and Horse Soldier Barrel Strength sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an uncut, rye-forward heavyweight versus an uncut, wheat-forward heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Booker’s | Horse Soldier Barrel Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof | Wheated Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | 70% corn, 20% wheat, 10% malted barley |
| Age | 7 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 125 proof (62.5% ABV) +14 proof | 111 proof (55.5% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$85 – $110 | ~$78 – $85 ~$16 less |
| Availability | Limited | Widely available easier to find |
- Booker’s and Horse Soldier Barrel Strength do not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Booker’s
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Horse Soldier Barrel Strength
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Booker’s Horse Soldier Barrel Strength
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
nuttiness 8/3 nuttiness: Booker’s 8 out of 10, Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 3 out of 10
heat 10/7 heat: Booker’s 10 out of 10, Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 7 out of 10
spice 7/5 spice: Booker’s 7 out of 10, Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 5 out of 10
oak 8/6 oak: Booker’s 8 out of 10, Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 6 out of 10
fruit 4/5 fruit: Booker’s 4 out of 10, Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 5 out of 10
sweetness 7/7 sweetness: Booker’s 7 out of 10, Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 7 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The house grain character is what splits these.
- Booker’s: Uncut, unfiltered Beam at batch strength, and the most concentrated expression of the house peanut-and-oak character. Enormous and hot, with a finish that goes on well past where you expect it to stop.
- Horse Soldier Barrel Strength: A barrel-strength wheater from the veteran-founded Horse Soldier brand. Brown sugar and toasted oak lead, baking spice and heat follow, and a splash of water pulls out darker fruit.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Booker’s if you want the Beam house style at full power and you have water on the table with more proof behind it.
- Go with Horse Soldier Barrel Strength if you want a big, barrel-strength wheated bourbon with plenty of brown sugar and warmth at a lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat (Booker’s); neat, old-fashioned (Horse Soldier Barrel Strength).