Hardin’s Creek is the newest line of products from Jim Beam, which according to the press release “will chart the ongoing story of the Beam family legacy, one that is more than 227 years in the making, through highly limited and rare releases. Hardin’s Creek is the next generation of boundary-pushing, premium American Whiskey inspired by the expertise of seven generations of Beam Master Distillers.” This is the first brand under the leadership of Freddie Noe, the 8th generation Beam family member to be master distiller!
I have the pleasure of reviewing the first two whiskies from this new label, the “Colonel James B. Beam” Kentucky Straight Bourbon and “Jacob’s Well” Kentucky Straight Bourbon.
One bit of housekeeping before we move on: I received these samples compliments of Jim Beam and their PR agency in exchange for my honest feedback and review. While life would be much easier if I was on the take like a dirty cop, I’m not, and all my reviews are honest. The presence or absence of a media sample never affects the outcome. That said, I need a drink…
We’re going to start with the Colonel Beam Bourbon:
This is a two-year-old Bourbon bottled at 54% and was made to honour the legacy of Colonel James Beauregard Beam, better known as Jim Beam. This Bourbon celebrates the fact that once prohibition was repealed “it just took 120 days” for Colonel Beam to get the Clermont distillery running again.
Appearance: In the glass, this Bourbon Is a beautiful amber honey.
Nose: It has warm notes of toffee and caramel. There are hints of flan and Dulce de leche as well. There’s also a very subtle but approachable corn sweetness. There are some earthy musk undertones and a bit of milk chocolate as well as a subtle wheatiness
Palate: Surprisingly soft start with notes of malted wheat and the same corn sweetness I found from the aromatics. It’s a very warming and mouth-filling dram. Really delicious and approachable. Flan, and Dusted cocoa powder with a slight oakiness all throughout, but it’s not overpowering. It’s welcoming and adds to the full encapsulation of your palate.
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Next, we’re going to discuss Jacob’s Well. This is a really interesting product as it’s a blend of 15 and 16-year-old bourbons with two different mash bills. The 16-year-old is a “traditional bourbon” while the 15-year is a “high rye bourbon blended to achieve a depth of flavor unlike any other in Beam history”. This also clocks in at 54% ABV and is double-distilled in Column stills.
Appearance: This Bourbon is one of the darkest I’ve ever seen, in the glass it presents as almost a caramel molasses.
Nose: If I could just write “chef’s kiss” for the aromatics, I would. This has such a wonderful aroma, notes of apple, and caramel, a soft wheat character, and a slight nuttiness. It’s a very dry aroma though with a fair bit of rye on the back end.
Palate: Wow, this is a peanut explosion! Following that, there is an almost lemonhead-like sour note, which then gives way to chili pepper, barrel wood, and a slight hint of banana.