Rating: 9/23 I previously tasted this and hated it, but younger, sweeter, less mature bourbons have since grown on me. Well, at least enough for me to use them as mixers. N: Dry wood, mineral thinness, light brown sugar, faint tangerine, definite black licorice, and possibly faint hints of meat. Not bad, but nothing inspiring. I'm concerned by how light it is. P: There is a light caramel sweetness with hints of brown sugar, black pepper and ginger. There's also some black licorice. It's all pretty faint and thin though. Definite minerality. I guess I expected that from Beam. The licorice makes it too bitter and it's pretty flat and boring. F: On the bitter side with light caramel. Bland and not enjoyable. - Conclusion - Pick a lane. Either be light and sweet or bold with some bitterness. This just doesn't work. I think that this isn't even on the same level as Earl Settler (10/23), though it isn't all that far away. What a pathetic offering. Just how did Jim Beam ever get so popular? I'm going with a 9, though it could be an 8.