Review: Jim Beam Double Oak Twice Barreled Bourbon
Review: Jim Beam Double Oak Twice Barreled Bourbon
Take a four year old Jim Beam and put it into a newly charred barrel (for indeterminate time) and what do you get? Jim Beam Double Oak, a twice-barreled bourbon that attempts to up the ante on the aging process through another spin through the rinse cycle. This of course isn’t a new idea. Maker’s 46 hit in 2010, and Woodford Reserve launched its Double Oaked Bourbon in 2012. Those of course are positioned as ultra-premium whiskeys, while Beam is, well, Beam is Beam — a fine spirit in its price band but not something you’re going to give to your dad for Christmas.
Jim Beam Double Oak is joining Beam’s permanent lineup in September, and we got a preview of the new juice to give it a full review, so let’s get started.
First a bit of surprise: The nose is relatively restrained but eventually gives up notes of dense wood, baking spice, and some licorice. With air, some leathery notes evolve, ultimately giving it a fairly straightforward, but generally wood-centric focus. The palate offers some added surprises, mainly how low-key it tends to be. I was expecting a big blast of wood but instead got notes of sweet tea, gingerbread, and a quite restrained and gentle wash of lumber on the back end. The finish does have a bit of gritty sawdust character to it, but even that is dialed back and in line with pretty much any mainstream bourbon.
Compared to both Maker’s 46 and Woodford Reserve Double Oaked, it’s a night and day experience. Maker’s blends up a complex melange of chocolate, toffee, fruit, and bananas, while Woodford presents a burly frontier style bourbon with winey notes, and a lengthy cocoa-and-coconut finish. Neither of these are particularly overbearing when it comes to wood, but neither are they anything I’d describe as a understated… which is really the first thing that comes to mind with Beam’s Double Oak expression.
86 proof.
B / $22 / jimbeam.com [BUY IT NOW FROM THE WHISKY EXCHANGE]
Jim Beam Double Oak Twice Barreled Bourbon
$22
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I like this! A pleasant surprise from Beam. The oak is the first thing you notice on the nose and the palate, but a wonderful vanilla/caramel sweetness is hanging around in the background. A splash or a cube brings those notes straight to the front. Oak on the finish leaving a pleasant vanilla mint aftertaste that lingers. The same price as the Beam Black, but miles ahead of it in my opinion.
You should expect to receive “double” and “twice” the hangover.