Tastes

The nose is timid, you do pick up a bit of vanilla. The body is somewhat thin and sweet, predominately vanilla but if you search hard enough you can pick up a bit of oak and tobacco, certainly not overly complex but very smooth and easy. A bit of pepper on the short finish. While there is nothing to really dislike about this one there isn’t anything truly outstanding either, I honestly prefer the original and their Black Bush.

While many consider this a “bottom shelf” whiskey, I’d put it at the top of the bottom shelf. There is a lot to like & enjoy here, much more than just a powerhouse abv, there is a complexity to keep it interesting. It is very full bodied, lots of caramel, oak, tobacco and pepper spice, with a big cube or a touch of water the chocolate & vanilla opens up, finish lingers nicely. Bold & well balanced this one is not for the faint of heart, I think I’ll have another...

My go to bourbon. Has all the classic bourbon highlights but not too sweet and I can pick up coconut in the body as well, finish is nice and leathery. It’s the flagship bourbon of Buffalo Trace for a reason, yeah it’s that good.

There isn’t much on the nose which I think is unfortunate because typically it enhances the tasting experience. The body is very thin, but it is smooth. I picked up maple and vanilla sweetness but it just wasn’t that notable, not much of a finish as it fades quickly. Others have stated it is a good mixer and they are probably right, drinking it neat is rather blasé.

This isn’t a bad bourbon, it just wasn’t that good for me either. Not much on the nose, the body was rather medicinal to me. You do catch the rye spice and the alcohol burn on the finish. This is a one bottle try for me.

While this is not overly complex it is an interesting Irish whisky, more than enough for me to give it another try. There is a fruity sweetness at first, with the maltiness and cereals filling the body with chocolate cherries. There is a bit of spice on the finish which is quite nice, I wish it lasted a bit longer. Often aging whiskeys in Sherry cask’s will throw it off for me however this is well balanced and not overpowering. As principally a bourbon drinker I do enjoy stepping out of my routine and occasionally I am pleasantly surprised, this was one of them.

This is such an amazing bourbon at this price point, it’s a must have. Hits all the high dollar notes without breaking the budget. Smooth, rich, not too sweet with a oaky full leathery finish - one of my favorites.

Since 3 is considered an average rating on this scale, this is slightly better than average. As I stated before this is one of the better bourbons from Jim Beam, far more interesting and enjoyable than their standard white label. While this is not one I would purposely seek out I would not turn it down if it was offered

Tooty Fruity Citrus, oranges and more oranges!