BOTM, 11/06: Jim Beam

[barturtle]

This evening, as is my chat-night routine (anytime I'm participating in BOTM) I started of with some. However this time i made a manhatten with it. I took the same care I do with my "good" whiskies, and it came out quite nice.

A "perfect" manhatten, using both sweet and dry M&&R vermouth as well as bothe bllod orange and Ango bitters, with a lemon twist Quite nice overall, but maybe a bit swet for my palate (odd, I never thought of Beam as sweet, maybe my pours were off) Anyway it worked quite well in this capacity...well enough that I thing this is how the rest of the bottle will likely be consumed, as it doesn't work nearly as well in my other preferred consumtion method-neat.

[shaggy]

My dad drained an old decanter and gave me the Beam that came out of it. The bourbon was distilled and put into wood in 1964 and aged for 8 years and 10 months. This cardinal bird decanter was released in 1973 and sat on the my parent's shelves for years until my dad decided to clean out some of his stock and take these bottles to the auction house. The Beam from this decanter is very dark. It is smooth and sweet with a little cinnamon fire. I felt this one burn all the way down to my belly. It was one of those good burns that warm up your whole body. This whiskey doesn't even really taste like modern day Beam white label. We drank some of it this weekend while doing some construction work on my back porch. It hit the spot on a cool fall day in KY! I am going to keep this 42 year old whiskey and use it for samplers and side-by-side tastings.

[Gillman]

Of course this is twice as old (when bottled) as Beam White.

A good side by side would be to Beam Black Label or Knob Creek.

I've tried some of those decanters ones too, and a 4 year old Beam White Label of circa 1980. There did seem a different kind of sweetness then, more a maple-like sweet even for the regular Beam White (which may have been more than 4 years old at the time).

The current line even at the older ages has less of that. I am not sure why. My best guess would be that maturation in very large palletised climate-controlled warehouses imparts different qualities and possibly more of a fresh wood character. Or maybe it is that the barrel wood used today is younger (but that shouldn't apply to Beam Brands only).

Or maybe the whiskey darkened and changed in the decanter and my 1980 bottle..

Gary

[mythrenegade]

JB White label?

Are you serious?

Sorry, but the last time I tried JB White straight, it kept me from drinking bourbon for over 10 years before I ventured to try Maker's Mark. I'm not taking that risk ever again.

I get the shivers just thinking about that stuff.

Sorry, not gonna happen. I'll sit out this BOTM.

Joel

[full_proof]

C'mon Joel...ten years is long enough to get over the most acrimonious divorce--let alone a bad whisk(e)y. I see where you are a newbie like me...as a fledgling neophyte to bourbon and SB.com I'm willing to read and try new drams. The information and wealth of experience on this website is somewhat overwhelming--but invaluable. The seasoned members here can do no harm .

[chasking]

It's good stuff. Next time I am in a restaurant with a line-up of Beam White, Maker's Mark and Jack Daniels Black Label, I'll choose the Beam White.

My thoughts exactly. In fact, this describes almost exactly my experience last week. Given the choice between Beam and Maker's Mark, and knowing that I'd be charged a premium for the MM, I went with Beam on the rocks. I have no complaints. In fact, I had two of them.

When I asked what bourbons they had, they also listed Bellow's, their well bourbon, but I passed on it. I had never heard of it, and assumed it was some no-age rotgut. I see now, checking the SB database, that it's a Beam product. Has anyone had it, and what's it like compared to JB White? I figure that's an appropriate question in this thread.

Chuck (the other one)

[jeff]

I appreciate everyone's input and patience with this bourbon. I realize this is not as exciting as past months, but lets face it, we were going to have to get to it eventually. Also let me say this, participation in the BOTM is obviously voluntary, but please don't post just to say you're not going to post because you don't like the choice. This will reduce clutter for future readers and for those interested in playing along.

Thanks,

[Ambernecter]

I slapped my thigh as I read this BOTM!

It'll cause some outrage for sure but hey we're here to chat about whiskey (the good, the bad and the ugly!)

Like people have said it is an intro "well" Bourbon that is very easily available. If JB white was all I could get I'd drink it with no grumbles.

However, I can get Maker's, BT and WT 101 8YO for the same price in England, so it's a no brainer. JB white when I'm in a badly stocked bar and mixed with coke or with a gun to my head. It ain't great that's for sure...

[straightwhiskeyruffneck]

ok, last night while out with some friends i thought it would be a good time to revisit the BOTM. i ordered two shots, to get a good accurate tasting. it was quite smooth, but with very little charactor. young char-woody flavors with a hint of maple sweetness, mabey a little vanilla came with. overall not a whiskey i'd seek out and buy, but not one i'd shy away from either. just kinda plain if ya ask me

[straightwhiskeyruffneck]

My dad drained an old decanter and gave me the Beam that came out of it. The bourbon was distilled and put into wood in 1964 and aged for 8 years and 10 months. This cardinal bird decanter was released in 1973 and sat on the my parent's shelves for years until my dad decided to clean out some of his stock and take these bottles to the auction house. The Beam from this decanter is very dark. It is smooth and sweet with a little cinnamon fire. I felt this one burn all the way down to my belly. It was one of those good burns that warm up your whole body. This whiskey doesn't even really taste like modern day Beam white label. We drank some of it this weekend while doing some construction work on my back porch. It hit the spot on a cool fall day in KY! I am going to keep this 42 year old whiskey and use it for samplers and side-by-side tastings.

your thread has made me curious of a decanter of beam i've had for awhile, not jim beam....just beam! distilled in 1958, bottled in 1968. its a B.P.O.E, ELKS
centenial decanter. all it says is: Beam 120 months old, 86 proof, 4/5 quart. distilled at the james b. beam distillery, clearmont kentucky
this whiskey was VERY dark, and had a huge sweet maple flavor.it had just a hint of the cinnamon you spoke of, but not the fire part.
fantastic! although i only poured about one finger, its left a great impression, thanks