Beam's Choice and Old Taylor

[Martian]

Am I correct that Beam's Choice is JB White aged 5 yrs. and Old Taylor is JB White aged 6 yrs? Are the BC and OT 80 or 86 proof?

[TBoner]

Martian,

Don't know why I never saw this post.

I wish I knew more about Beam's Choice. My understanding is it is in fact 5-yo Beam, and that despite the green label that seems designed to go up against JD's green label and the same from Evan Williams, there is no add'l charcoal "mellowing" or anything.

As for Old Taylor, the current bottlings are the standard Beam recipe aged 6 years.

Both are 80 proof in their current iterations, but I know both have been higher. The Old Taylor, as a National Distillers product, came in an 80, an 86, and a bonded product at various times (some of these at the same time). I have also found one 101-proof bottle of it with a black label. As far as I know, the Beam version has always been 80 proof.

The Beam's Choice was at one time a bonded product, but I don't know what other proofs it came in. Someone else who knows may chime in with that. I know that the oldest bottles of this I've found around town aren't old enough...nothing before the UPC came along, no tax strips, and all 80 proof.

I have some 80, 86, and 101-proof Old Taylor from when it was a ND product. Still hoping to get some bonded. If you're interested in tasting any of them, we (whiskeyhatch and I) have tried to organize a DFW tasting (to no avail so far). These might be good bottles to open there. Also, I have some Beam White label 7yo, which could be an interesting thing in a Beam whiskey tasting (we could line up the 4yo, the Beam's Choice, the Taylor, the 7yo, some 8yr/86 proof Beam black, and some 9yr/100 proof Knob Creek).

At any rate, hopefully someone else knows more about Beam's Choice. Hope that helps.