Distillery: Jim Beam
Proof: 114
Age: No Age Statement
Mashbill: 63% Corn, 27% Rye, 10% Malted Barley
Price: $30
Company
Since 1795, seven generations of the Beam family have been involved in making whiskey. Along with the iconic Jim Beam line, the distillery is also responsible for brands like Knob Creek, Baker’s, Basil Hayden’s, and Bookers.
Production
Basil Hayden’s grandson created this bourbon with a high-rye mashbill to pay homage to his old man. Beam was considering discontinuing Old-Grandad in 2016 but obviously didn’t.
Nose – 92/100
Rich and more complex than expected with notes of caramel, licorice, cinnamon, and rye.
Palate – 90/100
A swift kick to the no-no square. Much hotter than the proof leads you to believe, then fades into a hint of caramel, vanilla, rye spice, brown sugar, and feint orange.
Finish – 92/100
A long and complex finish that is uncommon for bourbons in the $30 range. I tasted notes of pepper, leather, vanilla, and cinnamon. The sweetness lingers.
Value – 95/100
A great buy at $30 and it’s readily available. It’s not going to be everyone’s favorite due to the heat, but it’s a surprisingly complex and bold bourbon for its price range. Any bourbon connoisseur should keep this on their shelf at all times.
Verdict – 92.25/100
We score each bourbon based on nose, palate, finish, and value.
Scoring System:
- Platinum – 95+
- Gold – 90 – 94
- Silver – 80 – 89
- Bronze – <80
Hunter Branch is the Founder and Director of Editorial for Bourbon Inspector. He has been writing about and professionally reviewing bourbon since 2020 (and has been drinking it for much longer). He’s been able to interview big names in the bourbon industry like Trey Zoeller from Jefferson’s Bourbon and his work has been featured in publications like TastingTable, Mashed, and more.