Jim Beam Black Label Bourbon Whiskey

Some time ago, I tried the Knob Creek bourbon whiskey and loved it. It has become one of my favourite whiskies, and if you follow me on Twitter, you would have seen me pair the Knob Creek bourbon with a brisket smoked on my Big Green Egg.

I started to look around for more bourbon from the Jim Beam Company, but sadly, the availability of bourbon whisky in South Africa is declining. However, I managed to get my hands on the Jim Beam Black Label 6 year old Kentucky Straight bourbon whisky.

Whiskey in the USA has a long history. In the late 1700s, German, Scotch and Irish settlers farmed in Western Pennsylvania. When the U.S. government promised incentives for moving to Kentucky’s wild frontier to grow corn, Jacob Beam jumped at the opportunity. At times when he had excess corn, he turned it into whiskey.

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Jacob Beam sold his first barrels of corn whiskey around 1795. In 1830, corn-whiskey distillers shipped their whiskey in used fish or vinegar barrels on the long journey from Kentucky to New Orleans.

Not quite the tasting notes you want in your whiskey. But they found that charing the barrels on the inside removed the unpleasant smell and ready them for whiskey storage. The charred wood produced sugars that added a spectacular caramel taste and a golden colour to their whiskey. This style became known as bourbon.

The Jim Beam Black Label is a 6 year old Kentucky Straight bourbon that was triple aged in American oak.

Jim Beam Black Label Bourbon Whiskey Review

COUNTRY: USA

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Rich dark gold with hints of red shimmers.

NOSE: Not as sweet as you would expect from a traditional bourbon. The nose has notes of spice and is infused with smokiness. Cherries are floating about with lots of vanilla notes and hints of caramel.

PALATE: Big and bold. There are heaps of cinnamon spice with a wonderful balance between the spiciness and the sweetness. This Jim Beam has a freshness that I have not encountered before in a bourbon. After adding water, it becomes smooth and releases more sweetness. There are notes of toffee and hints of BBQ smoke.

FINISH: Hangs around for the longest time.  It ends in notes of cinnamon and orange.

RATING: EXCELLENT

At the price point (R260 or around $20 and ₹ 4,323 in India), this is excellent value for money. I think Knob Creek bourbon just got knocked off the No. 1 spot on my favourite bourbon list. I paired this bourbon with some KFC to see how it would work.  See which bourbon paired best with the fried chicken.

I have tried the Jim Beam Double Oak Bourbon, and you can see what I thought about it if you follow the link. Other Jim Beam releases include Jim Beam White Label as well as the Devil’s Cut.

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