Tastes

Just not great. Far to sweet and syrupy with a weird chemical taste. I guess it would blend into a soda or something but I'd recommend Jack TN Fire if you want a decent low cost cinnamon whiskey.

Jim Beam Double Oak is one of two expressions from the Beam distillery with the goal of enhancing the oaky wood qualities in their bourbons, the other being Devil's Cut. Double Oak takes standard Beam juice and simply ages it again in a second newly charred oak barrel for an unstated period of time, but likely less than 1 year by my guess. Enjoyed neat from a Glencairn. The short of it is standard JB profile with just a bit of extra oak and smokey char flavor. I like more oak forward flavors so this is enjoyable and cheap for a double oak, compared to something like Woodford DO. Nose is sweet corn with caramel toffee . Palate is sweet with more caramel vanilla and slightly more noticeable oak and char flavors. Pretty smooth neat sipper with easy heat and spice. Finish is sweet caramel and barely augmented by the extra oak, not an oak bomb by any means. A nice pleasant minty menthol lingers long into the finish with an enhanced char smokiness. In comparison to Beam's other "woody" bourbon, Devil's Cut, I find DO to be sweeter with more caramel flavors, and in particular an enhanced smoky char back note; whereas DC is far more astringent oak tannin driven with more wood barrel and less smoky char. Overall for the price a decent "extra oaked" bourbon. If you like slightly more oak forward flavors give this a try. It's not at all complex or even that interesting, but the extra oak on top of traditional JB bourbon flavors is nice if that's what you like. Compared to Devil's Cut, the DO is sweeter more caramelized with a more smoky undertone, while DC is more astringent oak tannin forward and less smoke. Part of me thinks the Double Oak naming here is more gimmick than what it really delivers, and I suspect it's because the overall length of aging just isn't long enough to impart more robust oak flavor, and the time spent in the second barrel is far to short to really matter. I honestly get stronger and better quality oak flavors out of other bourbons in the same price class, namely the delicious Wild Turkey 101 and even Bulleit, although bear in mind the overall flavor profile of these is unique and vastly different than JB. It's not that JB DO is a bad bourbon, but for a double oak I expect stronger more intense oak flavor, and this tastes like any traditional caramel vanilla forward JB bourbon really. If you truly want amped up oak with amped up traditional bourbon flavor in a JB product, you'll need to step up to Knob Creek, especially the SiB which is truly exceptional. Cheers!

Best bourbon you can buy in the $25 range. Don't understand the low "expert" score on this one, which puts it lower than most common bottom shelf pours. Not remotely justified IMO. This BT expression is down right excellent and tastes like it could sell for much more than it does. My BT bottle is a single barrel select store pick. Enjoyed neat from a Glencairn. Nose is fruity sweet vanilla, maybe toffee, with light sweet barrel wood. Palate is also rich and sweet but also nice heat and spiciness. Long lingering finish brings out toasty barrel wood and a pleasant tobacco note. Very nice. In fact I’ve not had any other bourbon, particularly under $30, so far with such rich tobacco flavors that linger forever. Makes you want to keep sipping just to get to those finish notes! Overall, not the most complex bourbon but delicious in its own right; in the price range it deserves a high 80 to 90 rating. I'd take it all day every day over any other $25 picks, save for Wild Turkey 101 which I also love but offers a completely different flavor profile. Hey, it's great we have such awesome choices under $30!! Cheers!

Love Weller SR so much! Makers may be the most brand recognizable wheated bourbon, but Weller is so much better, more rewarding, and cheaper to boot. One of my all time favorites for the price! Enjoyed neat from a Glencairn. On the nose, sweet honey, fruity (maybe fresh apples and pear), leather or varnish with some woody vanilla follows to the palate. Nice and rich vanilla sweetness with notes of honey and sweet fruit, again like green apples. A nice never overpowering warming heat and light spiciness fill the palate. Just a very delicious, sweet smooth sipping wheater that leaves you maybe pondering how good it's expensive wheated siblings must be! Finish is just as grand as it lingers into lovely barrel flavors of sweet lightly smoky wood. Later in the finish is my absolute favorite part of this sip, as it produces very enjoyable tobacco leaf notes and light menthol. Oddy enough even the older Weller 12 doesn't produce the rich tobacco note, but does give a better maple flavor inline with longer aging. If you prefer tobacco notes though, stick with the SR. Buffalo Trace products rarely disappoint and Weller is no exception, so well done! I do like other wheaters like Makers and Larceny, but Weller is always richer and more complex, and produces that tobacco note never found in the competitors. As good as this one is, I can't wait to try out its big brothers in the Weller line! Cheers!