BOTM, 11/06: Jim Beam

[Gillman]

I think I am starting to "get" Beam White and even more so the premium line-up. Or maybe they have improved in the last two years, I am not sure.

Recently I bought a mini-pack (minis of Baker's, Booker's, Knob Creek and Basil Hayden) and thought they were superb whiskey.

Each is clean, elegant, sweetish and pure-tasting. In the past Baker's and BH seemed a little coarse to me but the current samples are very far from that.

Gary

[darrinbond]

I have come upon a bottle of Beam Bicentennial Bourbon with seal intact is 30 year old Beam still good?

[darrinbond]

[quote=darrinbond]I have come upon a bottle of Beam Bicentennial Bourbon with seal intact is 30 year old Beam still good? don't know weather.
to drink it or sell it someone please help

[FlashPuppy]

[quote=darrinbond]

I have come upon a bottle of Beam Bicentennial Bourbon with seal intact is 30 year old Beam still good? don't know weather.
to drink it or sell it someone please help

Drink it.

Here's a decent way to determine the value.

[TNbourbon]

I have come upon a bottle of Beam Bicentennial Bourbon with seal intact is 30 year old Beam still good?

If you're talking about the 1976 Bicentennial decanters, it's 100-month (8-1/3 year old) bourbon -- it doesn't age after it's in the bottle. Beam decanters are quite plentiful on eBay, and often sell under $20. Drink it!

[TNbourbon]

Revisiting the Beam White 7yo solo tonight in an attempt to re-confirm my 'not bad' verdict while comparing it the other night to the 4yo.
Confirmed -- it's not bad. Light, simple, short, but not unpleasant. I've got plenty of better stuff laying around, but having a bottle around for marinading steaks, etc., might not be a bad idea.

[OscarV]

Revisiting the Beam White 7yo .

Tim,
What does the 7yo Beam label look like?
And what is the proof?
Is it oily like the 4yo?
I have never heard of this until JB was made the Nov Bourbon of the Month.

[TNbourbon]

Tim,
What does the 7yo Beam label look like?
And what is the proof?
Is it oily like the 4yo?
I have never heard of this until JB was made the Nov Bourbon of the Month.

Both 80 proof. Labels identical but for the top line: on 4yo it says "The World's Finest Bourbon", on 7yo it says "Premium aged (big red 7) Seven Years Old". I don't find either of them particularly 'oily', Oscar, which is part of what I mean by calling it "light". Very little body at all.

[Exdimmerjock]

The guy who taught this California beer drinker how to drink whiskey, drinks nothing but Jim Beam white label. My mentor, who started my education in 1966, grew up in Tennessee and went to college in Kentucky. He still drinks JB every night.

[wku88]

Christ-a-mighty.. You'd think jeff called most of ya's mother a woman of ill repute.

I got my own issues with Beam in general, but after a sample of white a couple of weeks ago, i gotta say it really ain't as bad as I remembered!
Lots of honey and vanilla when it's on ice. Certainly a good mixer.
There are certain folks on here that will say anything with a VanWinkle on the lable is the best, and so on, but after the tirades against the MM drinkers from the last BOTM, I gotta laugh.

Just like women (or men, if you are of the fairer sex...or otherwise), there is no one that will stand as the standard. So they sell Beam by the tanker load... it must appeal to SOMEBODY to sell that much.

I always say there is no BEST bourbon... they all have certain qualities that are enjoyable. IMO, a better measure would be value, i.e. "bang for the buck"
Beam white would be on that list, moreso than it's sister whiskey, Basil Hayden.

Having said that, my personal opinion is that Beam Black is a far superior VALUE over Beam White. White is worthy of BOTM on it's own merits.