Jim Beam Black Review

Country: USA

Brand: Jim Beam Black Label

Type: Bourbon (Kentucky)

Age: 6 Years

Alcohol: 43%

Colour: Deep Gold

Nose: Very Rich with Sweet Grain, Banana, Coconut, Dried Apricots, Vanilla, Light Oak and Charcoal. There is some young alcohol there so best leave it in the glass for at least 15 minutes before starting to nose.

Taste:  The delivery is smooth and sweet though less sweet as I’d expected after the nose. Vanilla and Caramel. Some light spices are developing. But above all there is a distinct Cherry flavor.

Finish: Middle long with the Cherries leading the way to a dry and nutty finish.

Rating: 85

Nose: 22 – Taste: 21 – Finish: 21 – Overall: 21

General Remarks: With a few drops of water you bring out some more fruit in the nose (Dried Apricots and Prunes). But the palate is ruined so I advise you to drink it either straight or with an ice cube or two.

Drinking Experience Neat:  Good

Drinking Experience On the Rocks: Average (Nutty Bitterness)

Conclusion: I’ve read a lot of very positive opinions on the Jim Beam Black 8 years expression that is being sold in the USA. In Brazil and other parts of the world we have to do with the imported version that aged for 6 years only. I consider it to be a good Bourbon, slightly better than the Jim Beam White Label that I also bought here in Brazil. But I think I will have to go to the States to get the real one. So maybe in the future I’ll go Back to Black!

Jan van den Ende                                                        November 18, 2011

Blanton's Single Barrel Review

Country: USA

Brand: Blanton’s Single Barrel

Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Age: Not Specified

Alcohol: 40%

Date: 08/01/2012

Colour: Deep Red Amber

Nose: Pleasant sweet nose with Corn, Vanilla, Honey, Light Spice (Cinnamon) and fresh Oak. There’s fruit as well but I’m not able to pin it down exactly. Could be Pear, could be Apple, could be Strawberry. A Fruit Cocktail with Honey, Cinnamon and a touch of mint! “Problem” solved.

There are many people that have visions of glue when smelling Bourbons and there’s certainly something to that. But whatever you want to call it, Blanton’s nose is both pleasing and addictive!

Taste:  Blanton’s coats your mouth but I would not call it extremely smooth. It’s too dry for that and not at all as sweet as you would expect after nosing. There is a quick sensation of Honey and Caramel (Burnt Sugar) but the spices are there at once and in force, including Pepper, Ginger and Nutmeg. And Cherries appear, loads of cherries! And there’s this slightly nutty bitterness I find too often in whiskies and Bourbons. And I can’t say I like it a lot.

Finish: Long and quite dry with Corn, Cinnamon, a bit of Pepper and Oak. But it’s the Cherries, Mint and Lime that seem to last forever.

Don’t add water to the Blanton’s! It starts tasting like watery muesli with cherry flavor!

Rating:  83,5 

Nose: 22– Taste: 20– Finish: 21– Overall: 20,5

General Remarks: Blanton was the first Single Barrel Bourbon back in 1984. All major competitors followed in due course. It’s made of Corn, Rye and malted Barley. It’s filtered with Charcoal and is produced by the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The bottle I’m testing today is numbered 282 and was dumped on February 26, 2007 from Barrel No. 31 that was stored in Warehouse H at rick number 3. Each Blanton bottle stopper has a small horse and jockey on top. They became the trademark for this Bourbon. There are 8 different ones each mentioning one letter of the word Blanton’s. All horses and riders show different strides inspired of course by the famous Kentucky Derby.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good
Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Good

Conclusion: Very pleasant nose indeed. But the taste and finish are too dry despite the long-lasting cherries in the finish. This Bourbon really leaves you with a very dry mouth and a bitter aftertaste. This extreme dryness and the slightly unpleasant nutty bitterness prevent Blanton’s Single Barrel from a higher score. Next barrel please!

Jan van den Ende                                                            January 2012