REVIEW: Jim Beam Black

Color: Toffee

Nose: Caramel, Sweet Honey, Spice, Oak

Taste: Oak, Sweet corn, Orange peel, Vanilla, And Spice

Finish: Long smooth finish, Smoke, Caramel and a bit of Spice

Score: Sam- 7.0/10.0

This was part of a four pack sampler. I have wanted to try the Devil’s Cut and the Black Double Aged and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to try them both. I have had Jim Beam before, but growing up I was a Jack Daniels guy, so I only had it on occasion. I figured since I am blogging about bourbon I should give it a try again. Glad I did.

This is going to be my new daily drinker. It isn’t the best bourbon I have ever had, but it is fairly priced and has great flavor.This is one of those Bourbons you keep a couple of bottles of and pull out to share and sip on when you want to relax with friends or after a long day.

Now, on to the review. First, water really makes this drink come alive. The nose on this is sweet caramel, spice, raw honey, and oak. The first thing I am hit by is the oak, but that is typical of most Bourbons I have had. The sweet caramel is enticing, and leads you right to the spice and honey. Love the way this smells.

I took my first sip without water and was pleasantly surprised by the sweet corn and spice that greeted me. I was a bit overwhelmed by the acrid-ness of the smoke. It is quite strong especially on the finish. This is where the water comes in. I found that just a dash of water makes the smoke enjoyable and really brings out the vanilla, caramel, and oak. Overall quite tasty with water.

The finish without water is an acrid taste of smoke that just seems to coat the back of the tongue. I was almost put off by it, but decided to add water to see if it would help. The transformation was amazing! The smoke becomes more delicate and the fruit comes forward to ease its way down, giving the finish a nice smooth burn that really satisfies.

Overall, this is a great bourbon for the dollar. The price plus the experience is why to me it deserves such high marks. I meant what I said earlier, this is going to be my daily drinker. I plan to keep a couple of bottles on hand for the not-so-special occasions. I used to have a preferred bottle for that, but I finally found a reason to move on

Until Next Time,

Slàinte Mhath!