The answer is yes.
There is a difference between bottom shelf bourbons. The difference is simple: Jim Beam is the best. It's bourbon (Jack Daniels is not), it's crisp and clean, and at $13 you just can't mess with it. And it's our lifelong companion when it comes to shooters.
We'd like to put Jim Beam white label in a blind tasting against some of the $60/bottle craft bourbons on the market today. We think it would probably do pretty well. Mental note...
Anyway, a friend sent us a sample of the higher end Jim Beam "Signature Craft Series" so we figured why not? We'd put it to the test...
What They Say
Jim Beam Signature Craft Bourbon Whiskey Rare Spanish Brandy Finish is a limited edition bourbon that pays homage to a bourbon that was released in Australia. Rather than finishing the bourbon in casks that were previously used to mature brandy, Jim Beam Signature Craft Rare Spanish Brandy is made by adding a small aliquot of rare Spanish brandy to the bourbon. As a result, the bourbon has sweet notes of dates, raisins and figs that give way to graceful notes of caramel, vanilla and cinnamon. The finish is gentle and satisfying, with a crisp, sweet finish.
What We Say
Nose: Pleasant if a little too sweet, it's got a lot of honey, red grapes, rock salt and char.
Palate: In our professional opinion: It ain't bad. That's about as far as we can go. It's like Beam with a little sweetness, a little more polish, and a little sherry/grape thing going on.
Finish: Nothing too notable here either. It's very smooth, which is to be expected at 86 proof (but can't be taken for granted) and has a fairly nice lingering finish of cherries and honey.
Conclusion
Meh, skip it. Hope we don't sound like jerks here, but this is something for someone who knows absolutely nothing about whiskey to buy as a present because they recognize the brand and it costs a few extra bucks. It you're a whiskey fan (and if you're reading this, you're probably a whiskey fan) then there are so many better choices for the money (Smooth Ambler, Four Roses, and EH Taylor come to mind). If you're a big Beam fan and a big brandy fan, maybe this is for you, but we don't know anyone who fits that description.
Here's what you do...
Instead of spending $40 on this, buy a bottle of Jim Beam white label for $13. Then buy a case of PBR for $16. You'll still have enough cash for a suitcase of White Castle. And make it THAT kind of night. You deserve it. Cheers/SB
Nice review. This has been my general opinion of bourbon finished or with added brandy. Sweeter, but not much more than a curiosity. I bet there's a sub set of the whiskey market who really likes it, but I'm not one of them. Also, thanks for keeping it light hearted with some humor, too many reviewers get way to serious. Bourbon and whiskey in general is made to be enjoyed, whether you're reviewing or drinking it!
ReplyDeleteThanks Darren. Yeah if whiskey's not fun you're doing it wrong!
DeleteI don't think you're being jerks - I think you're being generous! I thought this was just awful. I'm no fan of JB, but I felt like this amplified, rather than nuanced, what I dislike about the white label: the cloying, almost sickeningly sweet stale-supermarket-quarter-machine-candy flavor. Blech. Definitely is smooth, though! In any event, I always find it remarkable how palettes can differ in the subtlest, strangest ways. Maybe it's just that I've been so effectively educated by you guys, but I do find I generally align with your assesments. That said, I find JB WL to be about as far from 'crisp and clean' as a bourbon gets. It's pure sludgy corn syrup to me!
ReplyDeleteThat said - I definitely agree that ones money is better spent on something cheaper. Maybe not JB WL... but... Three bottles Evan Williams BiB? Two bottles Old Granded BiB?
DeleteYeah agreed there are some better cheap bottles, but for shots, there's nothing wrong with some Beam!
DeleteCan't argue there!
DeleteJD is bourbon. And for my money I have to echo Chris' sentiment regarding Evan Williams or OGD being preferable to Beam White.
ReplyDelete"It's bourbon (Jack Daniels is not)"
ReplyDeleteThis is wrong. The legal definition of Tennessee Whiskey defines it as a straight bourbon whiskey authorized for production only in the state of Tennessee. It meets all the legal requirements for bourbon.
Thanks, it turns out you guys are right, the rules for Tennessee Whiskey do include the regulations for bourbon. Still though, I think JD is not nearly as good as Beam. Thanks for the correction!
DeleteYeah, I'd take Beam over JD any day and this is coming from a Tennessean.
DeleteI succumbed to the hype and after looking at a bunch of different JB high end Bourbons, I purchased a bottle of this and took it on vacation. I wish I didn't and now 5 months later, I still have more than 1/2 the bottle. This does nothing for me but expand my selection of whiskies.
ReplyDeleteHaha, the worst part is you had to carry it back from vacation! Don'tcha hate that??? Yeah this line seems like a big miss. I still like Beam though. Maybe we should dive into some of their other stuff. Has anyone had Single Barrel or Black or Devil's Cut??? Thoughts?
Delete