Jim Beam Black

Review by: TOModera

So we’re kicking off a new plan I have going on. First up, work is starting to increase again, so I’ll be making sure I write these up and get them ready the night before. Irregular posting commence!

More importantly though I’ll be aiming to surpass 50 reviews of bourbon, and in the process go through most of my samples of American whiskey that have been building up.

So why not start with a high note? Yup, it’s time to review the tiny sample of Jim Beam Black that I own.

Try to contain your excitement for this rare Unicorn of the Bourbon world.

Jim Beam Black is the third up the ladder for the Jim Beam company. Aged for (insert 6 or 8 based on website) in new oak, this is the first step usually for people to start enjoying Bourbon by itself, and not just as something to spice up coke that isn’t giving you a rum hangover.

Man rum hangovers can be rough.

So, as I’ve skipped ahead a little, let’s see what I think about this offering.

Distillery: Jim Beam Distillery.

Bottler: Distillery Bottling.

Region: Kentucky, USA.

ABV: 43%.

Age: Unknown.

Cask type: Virgin Cask.

Price: $29.95 (CAD) at the LCBO (Currently, as of January 2015, on sale for $2 off! Will the deals never end! How do they make money?)

Color: Gold Brown.

Nose: Boiled corn, sugar, peach candy, pine

Fairly simple, if not completely painful nose on this one. Which is currently hard to talk about because one of my cat’s just farted on me.

Okay, taking a moment to get past the fart.

Alright, it’s simple, and it’s not complex, however it smells similar to some Canadian whiskies I’ve had before. Tad sweet, some pine. I don’t love it (and it’s pretty burny at first too), but I don’t hate it.

Taste: Butter, tabasco sauce, lemon candy, anise, burnt toast, cayenne

Initially I am hit with this strong butter taste and for a nano second it’s turning to brown butter/caramel.

And then the whole thing reaches back and says “I’m going to fuck you up” and slaps me with so much hot sauce that even I, a lover of hot foods, am whining like a little lamb lost in the woods.

It tastes like burning. There’s a little bit of sweetness, but mostly burning.

Finish: Orange, herbal, corn, sour peach, a metric shit ton (oh damn, wrong subreddit) an Imperial shit ton of pepper

For the first 5 minutes (after giving it time to open up) of sipping this, I’m impressed.

For the rest, I’m drinking liquid pepper extract. It goes from passable to painful to drink as the air takes it.

Conclusion: Like I said about the finish: At first this wasn’t that bad. I was surprised.

And as time went on, it became more and more painful, and now I can’t really enjoy it. I want to: It’s 8 years, no just 40%, etc, however… that taste is burning and the finish is pepper and the nose is overtly simple. It’s more drinkable than some ‘quote’ premium whiskies ‘unquote’, however just by a little. I guess I’ll have to keep trying some more up the ladder.

Final Score: 43.

Scoring Legend:

  • 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
  • 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
  • 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
  • 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
  • 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
  • 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
  • 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
  • 50-59: Save it for mixing.
  • 0-49: Blech.

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