Jim Beam Bonded Bourbon

Good stuff. Not my favorite bourbon but I would drink this again.

Don’t know how y’all gave this a 90. It’s drinkable and a little more interesting than Jim Beam White Label. However, at this price point and proof, Evan Williams White Label is the way to go.

1st at $20/750ml this is good value and surprising good, at a 4. The reason I tried it because someone on this app said it is better than Jim Beam Single Barrel. Agree. Add a cube of ice if you want to soften the burn. It’s a balance of sweet and spicy, mint balanced with smoky oak. I bought it to give my father-in-law instead of Wild Turkey Rare Breed, it’s that good and 1/2 the price.

Nose: Vanilla, oak, peanut, light cinnamon, alcohol and a touch of char. With a little time in the glencairn it picks up a citrus note. Neat: Sweet! Vanilla, caramel, underdone sugar cookies, overwhelming Peanut Butter, and cocoa. A little heat, but not excessive for 100 proof. Eventually, much like the nose, the citrus decides to make an appearance and the vanilla increases, but not enough to compensate for the Beam peanut funk. Coats on the finish with peanut and light oak. Splash: A few drop of water adds a healthy dose of cinnamon to both nose and palate. Verdict: At first, I was not a fan of this one. I prefer my Beam with a little extra age (Knob Creek, Distillers Choice) or extra barrel (Double Oak). I find the overwhelming peanut funk too much in younger expressions. Age and oak seem to get rid of it. What redeemed the Bonded in my eyes was its performance on the rocks. The melt and temperature change from one large cube seemed to tame the offending note and actually made it quite good. If you want to move up in the Beam lineup, I think the Double Oak, Distiller's Choice, Black Label, or even the Devil's Cut are better options.