Beam 200th Anniversary Bourbon

[scratchline]

I think, I've ferreted out what there is about this bourbon on the site, but there is no really clear discussion about its merits and shortcomings. Maybe, that answers my question right there, but I thought I'd ask if anyone has any impressions they could share about it. I'm not a Beam drinker, but it looked kind of interesting at 95 proof.

Thanks.

-Mike

[gr8erdane]

Wish I could help you Mike, but my bottle is yet to be opened. It's just too darn cool looking to break the seal! Seems to me Dave and Tina (Angelshare) had liked it in an old thread somewhere. I'll open it eventually but not just for me to sip alone. Maybe at St Louis Bourbon Fest....

[JeffRenner]

I'll open it eventually but not just for me to sip alone.

Isn't this in the best spirit of SB.com!? I know what you mean. It is the most fun to share these.

Meanwhile, I have just returned from a trip to Kentucky, and have cracked the seals of a few bottles that were not that special but which are new to me.

I think the highlight was the Sazerac 6 yo, although that slight earthy note in the finish is a bit off-putting. I have found it in two of the last three different bottlings of Buffalo Trace I have. I wonder if they got in a big batch of bad corks.

The W. L. Weller 12 yo is a disappointment. A little rough and hot. I was hoping for a wonderfully smooth wheater. I'll give it more chances after it's been opened a while.

I will have to put together a coherent summary of these thoughts after a bit of thought and reconsideration - to say nothing of another taste of each with less competing tastes. And alcohol! ;-)

I was glad to lay in another couple of bottles of Old Heaven Hill Old Rare 100 proof BiB. Wonderful stuff, and soon to be gone from the HH distillery that burned. This is something to be treasured.

And two bottles of a new, different bottling of FRSB from the same warehouse (ES) as my favorite bourbon ever. One for a young couple whom I've introduced to the pleasures of Kentucky bourbon. It's great to spread the gospel.

And a bottle of PAMA. The marketing division hit a homerun with that bottle design, and the contents are great as well, especially for a foo-foo liqueur. I made up a batch of fresh ginger syrup, and used it with lime juice in place of the sour mix and grapefruit juice for a Pama-tini for my wife, who pronounced it very fine. While it is not to my taste (not enough bite), I could recognize it as a superbly balanced, complex cocktail - absolutely in the tradition of classics such as a martini and a manhattan. In the style of a cosmopolian but more sophisticated.

I garnished it with a slice of lime for a color contrast, but a slice of blood orange would be better if I'd had it.

Cheers for now from Ann Arbor.

Jeff

[scratchline]

Okay, Dane. The place around the corner from me has several boxed bottles at what seems like a very good price. I'm going to buy one and try it and then if it's THAT good, I'll pick up the others to back the open one up.

Sometimes you just have to take matters into your own hands.

Stay tuned.

-Mike

[bobbyc]

The place around the corner from me has several boxed bottles at what seems like a very good price.

When it was widely available in Ky, it sold for 19.99 to 23.00 a bottle. I have a few but like Dane I am saving for a special occasion. I believe Omar(BourbonMed) liked it a lot. They were released in 1995 to coincide with the 200 anniversary celebration. They invited people from all over whose names actually are "Jim Beam". I think the youngest at the time was an 8 year old boy, they had him and Booker on TV.

Those bottles were plentiful and I walked passed them to buy things that I can still find, then they suddenly went away.

[scratchline]

Well, I picked up a bottle today and now I see what the reluctance to open it is all about. It's just beautifully packaged. Definitely has that special occasion feel to it. Luckily, my girlfriend is coming to visit this weekend so that will provide a convenient excuse to break into it and see if the booze lives up to the bottle.

Thanks for the feedback, guys.

-Mike

[TNbourbon]

...The W. L. Weller 12 yo is a disappointment. A little rough and hot. I was hoping for a wonderfully smooth wheater...

That says it exactly for me, too, Jeff -- a bottle full of wood and alcohol. I can drink it -- it's 'okay' bourbon -- but I expected better than 'okay' from a premium bottle in as distinquished company as BT's Antique Collection.

[angelshare]

Wish I could help you Mike, but my bottle is yet to be opened. It's just too darn cool looking to break the seal! Seems to me Dave and Tina (Angelshare) had liked it in an old thread somewhere. I'll open it eventually but not just for me to sip alone. Maybe at St Louis Bourbon Fest....

Wow, you have a good memory, Dane! Our impressions were very sweet, as I recall, maple syrup-like. Tim astutely noted based on our impressions that it was probably similar to Jim Beam Black, and he was right in hindsight. Tina liked it more than I. I thought Jim Beam Black was better.

Our advice would be that if you like the looks of the full package sitting on your shelf, leave it there and enjoy the looks of it for a while. You're not missing out on a big taste experience in our opinion.

[bourbonmed]

Bobby is right, I'm a big fan of that 200th anniversary edition. Sometimes it shows up on ebay for about $25-30, well worth it.

Omar

[Sijan]

I had a similar reaction to the Weller 12yo as Jeff and Tim. Had thought I was in a small minority, but I'm glad some esteemed bourbonians agree.

However, I'm not sure if we're talking about the same bourbon. I'm talking about W.L. Weller 12yo, not the new William Larue Weller, which I haven't tried yet. It seems like Tim may be writing about the latter and Jeff about the former.

[AJ123]

I agree about the basic Weller 12 yo. Since I had originally come to bourbon tasting through likeing MM, I was looking forward to this one, but was a little dissapointed. I haven't tried the William Larue Weller.

I had a similar reaction to the Weller 12yo as Jeff and Tim. Had thought I was in a small minority, but I'm glad some esteemed bourbonians agree.

However, I'm not sure if we're talking about the same bourbon. I'm talking about W.L. Weller 12yo, not the new William Larue Weller, which I haven't tried yet. It seems like Tim may be writing about the latter and Jeff about the former.

[BourbonJoe]

That says it exactly for me, too, Jeff -- a bottle full of wood and alcohol. I can drink it -- it's 'okay' bourbon -- but I expected better than 'okay' from a premium bottle in as distinquished company as BT's Antique Collection.

This is my take on WLW also.

Joe :usflag:

[Vange]

How long is the new William Larue Weller barrel proof aged?

[TNbourbon]

How long is the new William Larue Weller barrel proof aged?

It's a 12yo.

[asnigro]

Just picked up two bottles of this in a small dark liquor store in Pensacola, FL for $20 apiece. I am going to opening one in about 2 weeks. I cant wait. I love Beam White Label and think Black label is just OK, I am quite curious about this product.

[brian12069]

I just bought two bottles of this today for twenty bucks apiece. I ran into them in a store just down the road from my house that I never go to. Glad I did today. They were so dusty I had to use a wash cloth!

[brian12069]

OK...it lasted about 3 minutes and I cracked that baby open. I like it...I like it a lot.