Jim Beam Single Barrel Bourbon

Nov 11

This bottle is where Jim Beam starts to turn from Jim Beam White Label and Jim Beam White Label-plus (Black, Extra Aged, etc.) into something more. With a more pumped-up 108 proof and a clearer Jim Beam profile, this is where the simpler turns into the more complex.

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves - this isn’t a mind-blowing pour, but that’s not how I was evaluating it. I thought of it three ways:

How is it as a single barrel
How is it as a higher-proof Jim Beam
Is it worth $35-$40 for what it is

Overall: good to very good, meh, and no. Here’s why:

As a single barrel, you usually look for something that is identifiably that distillery but also off-profile enough that it’s not your grab-off-the-shelf bottle. This is much better than the bottom shelf Beam, and has enough peanut, red fruit, and pepper character to be relatively close to Jim Beam, maybe even a baby Knob Creek-in-training. It’s also hot as hell at first and still a bit raw after that. Hell, maybe in a few years this could’ve been a Knob Creek for real.

On that note, moving on to how it is as a higher-proof Jim Beam. I’m all for extra proof, especially in American whiskies and even more especially in bourbons. Blinded? I would’ve pegged this closer to 125. It drank that hot, and that’s coming from me. Szechuan peppercorns blast the tongue, followed by red fruit on fire and burnt peanut butter. The right flavors are there, but it’s so damn hot it’s hard to taste whatever flavor there is until considerable time has passed. It simply wasn’t balanced. It did do well in a cocktail, and that’s only because it was countenanced with the other flavors.

That brings us to the last part: the value. I don’t usually consider value since price isn’t part of my rating system. That being said, here it’s worth asking. At $35-$40, there are a lot of available bourbons and whiskies at or near that proof and that age (supposedly around 5-6 years old). For a few bucks less, you’d get an Elijah Craig Small Batch single barrel pick that’s likely older, even at a few fewer proof points. Adding “single barrel” to a label usually adds $5-$10 to the base price, and here’s no exception. While you do get the satisfaction of knowing the barrel number (not a given with all single barrels), there’s really nothing else to know about it. No age, no rickhouse, no floor, nothing.

So here’s my question: is this a single barrel because it’s special? Because someone tasted it and thought it was representative enough of Jim Beam but not destined for another product? Of course we’ll never know the answer, but it’s hard for me to believe this was tasted and someone thought it was “ready”. Maybe another few years in oak, maybe a finish to round out the sharpness, something else is needed. At least for this bottle, that is.

After all…it’s a single barrel.

Jim Beam Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey: Specs

Classification: Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Origin: Jim Beam Distillery

Mashbill: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Barley

Proof: 108 (54% ABV)

Age: NAS

Location: Kentucky

Jim Beam Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey Price: $38

Official Website

Jim Beam Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey Review: Tasting Notes

Eye: Apple juice. Thin rims and sagging droplets.

Nose: Classic bourbon nose, if a bit raw and woody up front. Broad red fruit and peppery spice with boiled peanuts.

Palate: More Jim Beam character comes out here, especially the boiled peanut note, alongside maple sugar, oak wood, and pepper all over the tongue. Bright acidic red fruits open, but damn is this hot in a raw way. Mouthfeel is burning for a 108 proof, somewhat creamy but also a bit chalky, with the peanuts moving to the fore.

Finish: Stays peppery, if not proof hot (finally!). The red fruits turn jammy. Medium length and enjoyable, less raw than the nose and palate.

Overall: Still a bit raw for me, even after calming down towards the end. If anything, this is a good cocktail bourbon. But single barrels aren’t the norm for cocktails, so consider that and the price before buying.

Final Rating: 6.1

10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close (Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Old Label Batch 4 or 2, Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel)

9 | Incredible | Extraordinary (GTS, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B518 and B520)

8 | Excellent | Exceptional (Stagg Jr. Batch 10, Highland Park Single Barrels)

7 | Great | Well above average (Blanton’s Original, Old Weller Antique, Booker’s)

6 | Very Good | Better than average (Four Roses Small Batch Select, Knob Creek 14+ YO Picks)

5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary (Elijah Craig Small Batch, Buffalo Trace, Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond)

4 | Sub-par | Many things I’d rather have (A.D. Laws Four Grain, Compass Box “Oak Cross”)

3 | Bad | Flawed (Iron Smoke Bourbon, Balcones)

2 | Poor | Forced myself to drink it (Buckshee Bourbon and Rye)

1 | Disgusting | Drain pour (Virginia Distilling Co. Cider Cask)