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If you drink bourbon then you’ve certainly tasted Jim Beam Original Bourbon. This ubiquitous whiskey, which is also affectionately known as White Label, can be found in countless bars and liquor stores across the country. Yes, I’m aware there are much more complex and expensive bourbons produced by the James B. Beam Distilling Co., including Knob Creek and Booker’s Bourbon. But there is a reason why Original is the best-selling bourbon in the world: It’s affordably priced, approachable, and tastes good.
According to eighth-generation co-master distiller Freddie Noe, it’s a foundational bourbon for the distillery. “We’ve slightly tweaked the family recipe over the years to improve the taste profile, but have kept the same distillation process for decades,” he told Men’s Journal. “It offers a reliable flavor profile that is especially versatile, perfect for drinking neat or mixing into cocktails.” Noe should know, he is grandson of American whiskey legend Booker Noe, who is one of the people you can thank for kicking off the current bourbon boom. Even if you’ve moved on to bigger, bolder, and older bourbons, Original is a classic whiskey that is worth revisiting.
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Jim Beam at a Glance
Bottom Line: Jim Beam White Label is an affordable and uncomplicated whiskey that remains a classic example of the bourbon category.
Type: BourbonCasks: New charred oakStill: Column stillsABV: 40 percent (80 proof)Age: NASAppearance: Light brownNose: Vanilla, caramel, grainMouthfeel: ThinTaste: Brown sugar, grain, oak, butterscotchFinish: Mild
The pros and cons of Jim Beam Original Bourbon Whiskey
ProCons
Affordable and widely available
Relatively young, and it shows on the palate
80 proof means minimal burn on the finish
Not very complex
Can be used for mixed drinks
Related: I’ve Tried Hundreds of Whiskeys. This Is the Best Bourbon You’ve Never Heard Of
Review
“Jim Beam Original is the flagship product of our portfolio,” said Noe. “It’s the origin of the James B. Distilling Co. and the foundation of the Jim Beam brand.” It’s worth considering White Label in the context of what it’s actually meant to be—an easy drinking bourbon that is perfect for mixed drinks.
Courtesy Suntory Global Spirits
The nose starts off with the signature Beam graininess along with a touch of oak and vanilla. Once you take a sip, you’ll also get notes of brown sugar, maple, caramel, and just a touch of spice. Given that the whiskey is 80 proof (40 percent ABV), there’s not much in the way of heat here, but this is a bourbon that is designed to be soft and smooth.
How to Drink Jim Beam Original
As always, you should drink whiskey any way that you enjoy, no matter the style, proof, age or what someone else tells you.
I always recommend starting off with a neat pour first. That way you can get to know a whiskey. At 80 proof, Jim Beam Original is accessible and approachable, while still having enough complexity to work well in a range of cocktails.
“We stand behind the quality of our whiskey, so it’s meant to be enjoyed however you prefer,” said Noe. “If you’re asking me personally, I prefer a non-traditional bourbon cocktail with Jim Beam Original—like in a paloma, mule, or piña colada. But if you want to get old school, my granddad would say, ‘If you take the world’s best bourbon and mix it with Coke, well, now you just made the best bourbon and Coke!’”
Related: Everything You Need to Know About the Best-Selling Whiskey in the World
History of Jim Beam Original
The history of Jim Beam can be traced back to the mid-1700s, when the Boehm family immigrated from Germany to America. Almost half a century later, they relocated to Kentucky and changed their last name to Beam. Jacob Beam sold his first barrel of Old Jake Beam Sour Mash in 1795, and about 25 years later passed the torch to his son David who renamed the bourbon Old Tub.
Near the turn of the century, James Beauregard Beam (Jim Beam) took over, but the operation was soon shut down by Prohibition, which was enacted in 1920. After repeal, the distillery moved to Clermont, Kentucky, where it still stands today. The family’s signature bourbon was also renamed Colonel James B. Beam. In 1935, Colonel Beam’s son T. Jeremiah Beam changed the name of the bourbon once again to Jim Beam. The distillery continues to make that whiskey today.
The Beams had an incredible impact on the history of the American whiskey. Family members not only worked at their own distillery, but across the industry and helped create many different bourbons brands.
How Jim Beam Original Is Made
Jim Beam Original is produced at the James B. Beam Distilling Co. The mash bill is at least 51 percent corn, as required by Federal regulations. (Beam’s recipe calls for 75 percent corn.) The grains are milled and cooked to become a sour mash. Then a proprietary yeast strain is added, and the mash is fermented until it becomes a low-ABV beer. This unhopped beer is distilled twice, and the new-make spirit is then aged in new charred oak barrels (also required by Federal regulations for making bourbon) for a minimum of four years.
Beam ages its more expensive whiskeys for a longer time. For example, Knob Creek, which is made using the same mash bill as Original, is aged for nine years. Booker’s, which is made using the same mash bill as Original, is aged for six to eight years and bottled at cask strength.
If You Like Jim Beam Original, You’ll Also Like…
Knob Creek
Courtesy Suntory Global Spirits
I consider Knob Creek to be Original’s older sibling and it is part of the Jim Beam Small Batch Collection. It’s aged for more than twice as long as Original, a minimum of nine years, and bottled at a higher 100 proof. Knob Creek brings more mouthfeel, complexity, and flavor to the whiskey, although the DNA is the same as White Label. But this extra aging comes at a higher cost. The nine-year-old Knob Creek usually sells for about twice the price of Jim Beam Original.
Wild Turkey 101
Courtesy Campari
Another iconic Kentucky distillery is Wild Turkey. The brand’s signature bourbon is bottled at 101 proof, which is significantly higher than Jim Beam Original. Wild Turkey 101 is also aged for a few years longer than Beam’s Original. Expect a hotter and spicier bourbon than White Label.
Evan Williams
Courtesy Heaven Hill
Another budget bourbon that delivers in terms of flavor and versatility is Evan Williams. It’s bottled at a slightly higher 86 proof than Original. While there are similarities between these two bourbons, Evan Williams boasts some different flavor notes.
Related: Older Bourbon Isn’t Always Better. This Affordable Bottle Proves It
Why You Should Trust Me
I’ve written about spirits for numerous publications for a decade. Throughout that time, I’ve sampled thousands of spirits; visited distilleries across the world; and honed my palate and nose. I am also a judge for two spirits competitions, the John Barleycorn Awards and the New York World Wine & Spirits Competition, for which I blind taste hundreds of spirits.
For this review, I sampled Jim Beam Original neat, over ice, and in cocktails.
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