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
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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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