Category: Bourbon Whiskey

Hannah’s Jim Beam Devil’s Cut Review

Original review written May 16, 2020

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

Even at $20, I do think you can find better bourbons. If you like mellow pours, it’s worth it, but to me, bourbon should always be more complex and explosive. 71/100

VITALS:

– Made In: Kentucky, USA
– Distillery: Jim Beam Distillery
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
– Age: nas
– Mash Bill: Corn=77%; Rye=13%; Malted Barley=10%
– Casks: Char #4
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125
– ABV: 45% (90 proof)
– Price: $19.95 USD in Idaho

Visit jimbeam.com for more information

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed the juice neat from a Glencairn glass with father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.

Check out his review for this bourbon here!

SETTING:

I think this would be a pleasant pour over a game of chess. The game can make up for the lack of complexity in the drink, while also being a sturdy low-proof base when contemplating the next move.

Photo by Piotr Makowski on Unsplash

NOSE:

There is some buttery oak here, but with no noticeable spice or even alcohol to back it up, it comes across as being fairly bland and dry. I can find some sweet corn – courtesy of the mash bill – and perhaps some yeasty component that is reminiscent of white bread. There is a slight hint of leather on the very deep draws and maybe simple syrup. It’s inoffensive, sure, but it’s a little plain.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: Initial tickle, then mellows out dramatically.
– Balance: Plain. It’s blended, but with no star of the show… just plain.
– Visual: Russet muscat in color, there are clinging droplets that eventually give way to fat legs.

– Taste: There is an interesting tickle straight off. It isn’t alcohol, but it could be white pepper. It’s almost like a carbonated effect, but it vanishes incredibly quickly. What remains is an herbal quality, with a minty freshness particularly strong. It’s not sinus-clearing by any means, but it is certainly more than I would have ever anticipated. There is a sweetness also that seems artificial – maybe like marshmallows?

The aura of oak is here too, being old in character, but also in a bark-esque kind of way. The chips have been soaked in water, and though you’d think this would promote a Kentucky chew, it actually makes me more likely to try drawing the moisture out of the chips instead.

Still, when I do partake in the chew, the white pepper blooms a bit, marrying to the oak and simultaneously waking up a subtle floral element. Still next to no alcohol burn, even on the chew.

It’s not bad, but the plainness and lack of complexity leaves me a little disappointed.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Clipped short, except at the chew, where a cooling tingle clings to the sides of the tongue a bit longer.
– Between Sips: A hint of bread lingers between sips, maybe a white bread, but I wouldn’t rule out a rye bread entirely for the briefest of seconds.

– No More: This, unfortunately, doesn’t grow too much the further into the glass I get. An argument could be made for some expanding floral notes, but they are indistinct and still shrouded by the bread and oak.

The empty Glencairn is a warm oak that has a touch of spiciness to it. It’s a really nice aroma; I just wish I could have tasted more of that in the actual pour.

WORTH THE PRICE?

When I decide to pour a glass of bourbon, I am looking for an explosive quality, whether that be from actual spice or maybe from fruit, or a sharp sweetness or oakiness. Given the idea behind Devil’s Cut (in brief, meaning the inclusion of bourbon that leached out of the sides of the barrel after the barrel was emptied), I wanted some more barrel aggression here. If this was a Tennessee Whiskey, I’d likely love this, as I expect mellowness from such a product, and I’d gladly say this was worth the price. Since it’s marked a bourbon, it doesn’t hit the mark for me, sadly. If you want something that pops, I think there are other bourbon options around this price point that would suit better. If you don’t mind getting a more Tennessee Whiskey vibe, go for it.

RATING: 71/100

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Brian’s Jim Beam Devil’s Cut Review:

16-May-2020

JIM BEAM DEVIL’S CUT BOURBON REVIEW:

I must begin this review by saying, I went into this tasting not expecting much. I was pleasantly surprised – Jim Beam Devil’s Cut is the best $20 bottle of whiskey I’ve ever had. Now I’m not likely to rush out and buy another when this one empties, but it might be a worthy addition to the bar for the novice drinker. It is not complex, in fact it’s pretty simple, but certainly worth the money.

JIM BEAM DEVIL’S CUT VITAL STATS:

– Category: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
– Region: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Jim Beam
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
– Mash bill: 77% Corn, 13% Rye, 10% Malted Barley
– Casks: New Charred Oak
– Barrel Char: #4
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125
– Age: nas
– ABV: 45% (90 Proof)
– No batch or bottle number identifiers
– Price: $19.95 USD

Learn more at https://www.jimbeam.com/bourbons/jim-beam-devils-cut

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

For the evaluation, I shared the juice neat from Glencairn glasses with my daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer Hannah.

Check out her review for this bourbon here!

NOSE:

When I first brought the Glencairn to my nose I was greeted with brown sugar and caramel but the sweetness does not linger. There is a little alcohol burn and at times, sensations of strong alcohol. When the harshness wafts through, the aroma is a bit rough and gritty with has faint scents of acetone. The off-putting aromas are overshadowed with nice roasted corn and dusty grain. Continued nosing brings, faint tart apples mixed with traces of orange zest and spices of cloves, white pepper and rye. But mostly, the juice is wood forward with plenty of toasted and hazy barrel char.

PALATE:

Jim Beam Devil’s Cut is not complex, so if you are after more, look elsewhere. But if you are after a simple and dry woody sip with just enough flavors to entertain, this bourbon could hit the spot. There is a bit of an alcohol bite, more than expected from a 90 proofer, but it’s not hot. The roasted corn and dusty grain sensed on the nose come through along with with some fresh citrus and warm applesauce with faint notes of cinnamon. And there’s just enough black pepper and rye to mix with the woody caramel and toasted wood and hazy barrel char to keep the palate entertained.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
In the mouth, this bourbon is pleasant and surprisingly smooth. It is not watery but not thick either. In the Glencairn, the juice makes a decent crown before falling in medium thick legs back to the russet and muscat colored pool.

FINISH:

The warm and slightly sweet finish of Jim Beam Devil’s Cut bourbon is quite short. There is herbalness and hints of roasted corn to go along with traces of pepper. Still my mouth continues to water long after the sip is swallowed. And the empty Glencairn gives up more toasted wood and hazy barrel char.

MY RATING: 84/100

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To access other whiskies from this distillery, click Jim Beam.

WHISKEY TRAITS AND FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:

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