For part #2 in our Gateway Series, we’re looking at the next tier in the Jim Beam family.
Jim Beam Black 8yo Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
43% ABV/86 Proof
Available just about everywhere
What the distillery says:
Elegant. Smooth. Refined. That’s what eight years of aging will do to a bourbon. Until it’s sweet like caramel. Meant to be sipped. Savored.
It’s not bragging if you can back it up. And the Beverage Tasting Institute of Chicago gave Jim Beam Black the highest rating among leading North American whiskeys in 2003. We knew that beforehand. But it’s nice to have some confirmation.
What Richard says:
Nose: More complex than the standard white label. There’s a lot of caramel
with a herbal almost medicinal under current.
Palate: More robust than the white label in flavor but still plenty of
kick. It continues to be rough around the edges but you can taste the
improvement of age. There is a sweeter center to the palate but it’s
still peppery with a good bit of alcohol.
Finish: It goes down smoother than the standard expression but that’s not
really hard. It is still one of the rougher 8 year old bourbons that I’ve
had.
Comments: Black label is something that stands up well in cocktails. Much
more so that the standard white label expression. You actually get some
bourbon flavor instead of just alcohol content. That said, this still
isn’t something I’m going to sit and sip neat.
Rating: In cocktails: Average, Neat: Probably Pass
What Matt says:
Nose: More pleasant than the White Label. Lots of caramel. With water, the sweetness turns to floral with overtones of nail polish remover.
Palate: A boatload of oak (too much) and much mellower than the White Label. The sourness present in the younger expression is still there, but sits further back and smooths out.
Finish: I’m with Richard on this one. Rougher than most 8yo bourbons but much less burn than the White Label.
Comments: Good in cocktails. While whiskeys like Jim Beam White Label give bourbon a bad wrap, Black Label takes it up a notch (not a big step though). Again, I’m with Richard. Not something I would voluntarily drink neat.
Rating: In cocktails: Average, Neat: Probably Pass
Overall Rating: Probably Pass unless it is for a cocktail