Jim Beam Bonded Bourbon

Minimum 4 years old. 50% alcool. Minimum standard gouvernement enforced at the time.

I purchased a fifth of Jim Beam Bonded for my trip last week simply to enjoy a few strong bourbon & Cokes after golf. This bottle runs $25 and the 100 proof provides a slightly better "bang for the buck" over the regular JB. I returned home with just enough to make one more cocktail and to sample a dram for this review. The nose is still mostly sweet, candied corn and charred oak. There's a little vanilla and butterscotch there, as well. The palate is pretty harsh and IMO this should only be used as a mixer. It's peppery, oaky and pretty hot. Those three flavors drown out almost everything else. The finish is kinda short, astringent and harsh. Not a single redeeming quality here. Just dump it in your favorite mixer of choice and enjoy the extra 10% from the ABV to "get the job done" a little quicker. Otherwise, I'd avoid it.

Nose - Light vanilla & cinnamon, oaky burnt caramel, dry roasted in-shell peanuts that are a bit old so they're a bit oily. Taste - Sweet cinnamon hinted caramel drizzled peanut brittle, light bitter oak, hint of salted peanut shell bitter. Finish - Lingering cinnamon red hot spice kick sweet, lightly bitter peanut sweetness, charred cinnamon stick bitter spice. Score - 69/100 Final Thoughts - So this is definitely a step up from the white label. The off putting wet cardboard notes I previously got are gone, but they seem to be replaced by this salty bitter oak that although not completely off putting, are a bit distracting. Traditional vanilla/caramel notes seem to be a bit dominated by the Beam peanut funk that I don't get as much from their other offerings like Booker's. Still affordable, I'd probably reserve this one as a mixer as opposed to a daily sipper.

TW $18.99