BigJimFolsom
Reviewed
February 24, 2020 (edited April 14, 2020)
BACKGROUND: Jim Beam Repeal Batch is a limited edition expression that is meant to take you back to the same era, and it officially celebrates the 85th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition on December 5, 1933
It is interesting to note that even though the Beam family had been deeply entrenched in bourbon distilling since the 18th Century, 1933 was also the year that the company we know today was officially branded as “Jim Beam.” Prior to being named for proprietor James Beauregard Beam, the company had been known as “Old Tub” since around 1864.
According to the the official announcement about the limited edition Repeal Batch offering, seventh-generation Master Distiller Fred Noe said, “For the 85th anniversary of Repeal Day, we wanted to release a bourbon inspired by our heritage and dedicated to the hard work my great-grandfather (Jim Beam) put into rebuilding our family business after Prohibition,. Jim Beam Repeal Batch pays tribute to all the generations of Beams that came before me.”
Unlike most bourbons, Repeal Batch is non-chill filtered - which allows some of the fats and acids that affect flavor to remain intact - and it is supposed to have a fuller mouthfeel and bolder char and oak palate than regular Jim Beam.
NOSE: The nose offers the unmistakable scent of buttered popcorn along with oak and the nutty funkiness (funk being good, not bad, in this case) that seems to be a trademark of most Beam products.
PALATE: The Repeal Batch palate is super nutty but also contains sweet cornbread goodness along with oak and a bit of cherry cough syrup flavor that is present in some bourbons.
FINISH: The long finish consists almost entirely of oak and a definite mint flavor that develops on the back of the tongue. It drinks a bit hot for an 86 proof and even offers a slight Kentucky hug in the chest.
FINAL ASSESSMENT: I am a fan of Jim Beam’s more limited offerings, such as Double Oak, Distiller’s Cut, and Bonded, and their higher end expressions, which include Knob Creek and Booker’s. Repeal Batch falls nicely into that niche of Beam products that meet my liking and flavor profile.
At just 17.99 a bottle, Jim Beam Repeal Batch is a worthy daily sipper that can stand alone in a Glencairn while also being inexpensive enough to mix, if necessary.
I give Jim Beam Repeal batch three-and-a-half stars out of five.