Jim Beam Single Barrel Bourbon (95 Proof)

Barrel JB 7248 a little too peppery bitter for me

There seems to be some confusion as to what is happening with Jim Beam Single Barrel. It is slowly disappearing form shelves in its traditional form. The Beam website shows a new upgraded sloped shoulder bottle design with fancy cork closure at the traditional 95 proof. However, There are bottles on shelves in certain areas of the country that are the now standard square shouldered Jim Beam bottle with a screw cap. That's not the big news though. It's clocking in at 108proof and going for the low price of between $17 and $25. There has been no official announcement or launch for either new product so it remains a mystery. This has been on my "to try" list for a while, but every time I've looked at it I've thought "Yeah, NAS Beam? I think I'll pass." However, with this being the last bottle on the shelf and not knowing what the replacement was going to be, I finally bit. Let's see what Beam Barrel #JB7214 has in store for us... NOSE: There is a lot of alcohol burn on the nose for a 95 proof even after letting it breathe for 10 minutes. Working around it, you get notes of Nutter Butter Cookies, Dry Roast Peanuts, Caramel, and Vanilla. There is also an unpleasant "Oily" or "Plastic-y" smell that comes along with the burn. NEAT: The Beam Peanut Funk is front and center. After a few sips to get adjusted to it you get notes of Oak, Vanilla, Dark Chocolate and Flat Cola. There is Bitter Oak mid-palate. Not astringent really. Just oddly bitter. It's a tick on the hot side on the finish with a decent building KY Hug. It leaves a thick coating of Bitter Oak and Peanut Funk behind. Let's add a little water and pray it gets better. SPLASH: Not a ton of change to the nose, but the Chemically/Oily note is decreased somewhat and a Sweet Baked Pastry vibe emerges. Still, that stinging alcohol heat is distracting from the good that is there. It really does help the palate. That Bitter Oak is really toned down as is some of the heat. The aftertaste is now Sweet Oak and Sugar Cookie with just a small remnant of that Bitterness. Water is a must for this one. VERDICT: A little Splash of Spring Water saved this one from the land of the 2's. I'll give it a 3, but just barely. Beam had really been on a roll with me lately with the new Knob Creek age stated versions. Hopefully this was just a less than stellar barrel. If it should improve with some time open, I will happily report. I'm anxious to see what the replacement ends up being here. Same old same old with a new bottle, or a 108 proof "Young Baker's". Either way, I won't be sad to see this particular barrel/bottle go the way of the Dodo.