Doubled Aged

[ErichPryde]

Wasn't it a seven year back back then?

Yes, there was a 7 year expression as well of the black label. I saw a wall hanging mirror in a store once that advertised a 7 year old black label at 90 proof.

[harshest]

Wasn't it a seven year back back then?

So there is White Label 4 year, White Label 7 year and Black Label 8 year. We can't get 7 year here in MI.

[Josh]

So there is White Label 4 year, White Label 7 year and Black Label 8 year. We can't get 7 year here in MI.

Thanks for posting that!

We indeed can't get the 7 y/o White label, but the Distiller's Series is all over the place and it is 7 y/o, 90 proof and state minimum is $3 less than black. It's one of my favorites.

[smokinjoe]

I think it's a terrific redesign. Clean, strong, masculine, and very premium looking. I like Brad's description of "handsome". At first, the "double aged" thing had me a little puzzled, too. But, if "age = quality" to John Q. Consumer, then it probably is an effective way to get that message across. More precise than "extra aged", by giving it a reference. Beam is probably banking on the fact that John Q isn't going to be confused with the other possible meanings of "Double", because John Q isn't aware of them. New packaging, or not, Beam Black is a solid product in my book.

On another note, the redesign is probably a reason Beam is running a mail-in rebate promotion, currently. $7 off 1 bottle, $15 off 2 bottles.

[cowdery]

Their press promotion is sending a bottle of the bourbon with a Magic 8 Ball toy. The outside of the box says, "Eight Years Changes Everything."

I'll give them credit for one thing. Somebody said, "we can't go spend a bunch of money just to tell people we changed the bottle. We have to say something about the product." Hence Double Aged. It takes advantage of the fact that Jim Beam white label is one of the few four-year-olds that says so on the label. Since white is certifiably four years old and black is certifiably eight, 'double aged' works. It's also perfect because Beam is America's most self-referential whiskey maker.

Does anyone recall when they dropped the proof from 90 to 86?

[Ultra]

Beam is America's most self-referential whiskey maker.

I see where you are coming from but I probably would have given that award to Jack.

[CorvallisCracker]

Does anyone recall when they dropped the proof from 90 to 86?

Based on this post, I'm guessing it was summer of 2001.

[ErichPryde]

From what I can gather, "Beam's Black label" 8 years old 90 proof was dumped in favor of Jim Beam Black 7/90 sometime in the early 90s. Then, as Scott posted, sometime in the early 2000's they went to the 8/86.

[CorvallisCracker]

Before that there was the "101 month" version (8.4 years), also 90 proof. I remember buying that back in the late 1980s and recommending it to friends.

[cowdery]

Coming soon.

New triple-aged Jim Beam Blue (12-years-old).

[OscarV]

Coming soon.

New triple-aged Jim Beam Blue (12-years-old).

Is this a parody answer to something I'm to lazy to search for?

"Triple-aged",... is that regular JB White held over a couple more turns?

[ErichPryde]

Is this a parody answer to something I'm to lazy to search for?

"Triple-aged",... is that regular JB White held over a couple more turns?

Jim Beam used to have a Kentucky Wildcats "blue" label. From what I gather it was a specialty release. That, coupled with the fact that someone actually did previously confuse Johnny Walker Blue for a Jim Beam labeling, leads me to believe that Cowdery is pulling our leg in hopes of making us all blue in the face.

Or something like that. http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3458

[ErichPryde]

Before that there was the "101 month" version (8.4 years), also 90 proof. I remember buying that back in the late 1980s and recommending it to friends.

Amusingly, I found a bottle of 101 month beam black from 1986 the same day I read this post. I popped it open and I have to agree that it is surprisingly good whiskey- a LOT less floral and more brown sugar. Closer to the deeper nose that beam once had....

[CorvallisCracker]

Jim Beam used to have a Kentucky Wildcats "blue" label. From what I gather it was a specialty release.

I'm guessing they did that for a lot of universities around the country. Back when I lived in Tallahassee I remember seeing bottles of the 4yo with garnet-and-gold labels (FSU colors) as well as orange-and-blue labels (some other school downstate that has a slimy ol' reptile as its mascot).

Can't remember if it was a one time thing or every year during football season.

If the latter, then maybe it's something they do only in the south, because I'm sure I haven't seen it here in OSU Beaver colors (black and orange).

[whskylvr]

Scott,

I believe they put the really good juice in the "orange-and-blue labels (some other school downstate that has a slimy ol' reptile as its mascot). " bottles, the stuff that didn't make the grade went up north to FSU. :bigeyes:

Dave

Sorry to go off track!! So to be triple-aged it goes in a bottle and whats not sold goes back into the barrel then bottled again you get the idea. Would it be better??

[CorvallisCracker]

Scott,

I believe they put the really good juice in the "orange-and-blue labels (some other school downstate that has a slimy ol' reptile as its mascot). " bottles, the stuff that didn't make the grade went up north to FSU. :bigeyes:

[whskylvr]

Scott I am not a beam fan. I was saying if you bottle Beam White label then what does not sell they can re-barrel it, try selling it again and what is still on the shelves that didn't sell re-barrel it again -

Triple-aged would it be better??

[StraightBoston]

I saw a reference to this in the Knob Creek Single Barrel thread (said SB also available at Julio's, BTW) but I didn't get it until I went shopping this weekend and saw the new bottle.

As a self-avowed JBB fan, I'm not impressed. Somehow the bottle and label remind me of Irish or Canadian whiskey (and my first thought about "double aged" was that they were redoing Jacob's Well under the Black label!)

[Josh]

As a self-avowed JBB fan, I'm not impressed. Somehow the bottle and label remind me of Irish or Canadian whiskey (and my first thought about "double aged" was that they were redoing Jacob's Well under the Black label!)

Come to think of it, it does remind me a lot of the Black Bush bottle.