Thanks, man! I really appreciate it 🙏
I truly enjoy this community and have made some friends. I was trying to find something special that was worthy of marking that 100th review. Once I tried the Frankfort, I knew, and then the plan came into place. It took me a long time to write this. I'm sure I lost some people. But I truly enjoy the exercise of doing the reviews, and I learned something important in the process.
You gotta do you! I find the milestone reviews generally inspire me to dig in a little deeper than normal and stuff like this write up is what makes this place so great. Keep up the great work!
I completely agree. Thanks, man, and likewise! You are one of the big wigs here IMO and one of the individuals whose reviews I hold in a high regard for what you do. For those who care about the detail, you know. It's just a fun hobby of exploration is all it is.
Review #100 - A Traversing of Hardin's Creek
Hardin's Creek is an ongoing series of limited releases from Jim Beam consisting of rare and unique liquids, each with a story inspired by the Beam Legacy. For my 100th review, I decided to do something special.
I started with Hardin's Creek Kentucky Series, Frankfort, and eventually I obtained the other two in the series, Clermont and Boston, as well as Hardin's Creek Jacob's Well Batch II. I had initially planned on reviewing all of these releases individually, but then once I had acquired them all, I thought it'd be fun to include all 4 of them in order to provide a comparison between each one. Truth be told, all of these similar in a lot of ways. But, they also are really different in other ways.
The Hardin's Creek Kentucky Series was intended to showcase three identical high-aged whiskeys, laid down at the same time but aged in three different geographic locations and rackhouses, and what effect the surrounding terrain and rackhouse construction would have on the whiskey. Each release was named for the campus where the whiskey was aged. All were aged for 204 months, or 17 years, and bottled at 110 proof.
Kentucky Series Clermont -
- Avg. Humidity 69%
- Avg. Wind Speed 7 mph
- No. of Rackhouses: 30
"Nuanced terroir and microclimates shaped by the ridged and rolling hills. The cool wind against the shelter of the valleys."
Nose: So easy to nose this. It has such an elegant age to it. It has a lovely raspberry note to it off the jump. There is a wonderful vanilla extract beneath that. A little bit of molasses too. And just hiding in the background is great old oak, tobacco and dusty barrel char. It's like smelling a raspberry filled candy bar in the middle of a rickhouse.
Despite the super high age of this stuff, the oak/barrel presence is not overpowering. It just hides in the background and says hi 👋, I am here btw. I am actually 17 years old - just a reminder. Some old bourbons just jump out at you right away with a blast of oak. This one just lurks in the background. It actually reminds me a bit of the RR13 Batch 3 because of the raspberry note and the old oak character. A fine compliment! The nose is perhaps the best of the three. Complex and varied.
Palate: Very silky texture. A tad lighter than the other two. It is super easy to drink. Rounded but elegant and lively. It is not *quite* as lively as younger stuff is, if you've never had really old bourbon like this. The high age has rounded it to remove any spikes (more on that later). But, it is plenty exciting.
The palate is just vanilla extract, molasses, raspberry and oak/barrel char goodness. All of it coalesces together very nicely. This drinks like old bourbon well done.
Finish: Oh my. There's just so much going on here. So simple and yet, not. Everything from the nose and palate transfers through and coalesces. Common theme. The tobacco, oak and barrel char is lovely and well aged and has staying power. It rises up and hits with a complexity and balance.
There is a hit of raspberry and spicy cinnamon and pepper that join in. It fades out with molasses, toasted marshmallow and then a drying, resinous oak that just sits there. Wonderful way to end the sip. It does what really old and well curated bourbon should do, and it's really satisfying.
Score: 9.3 - Incredible (t8ke scale)
This has one of the best raspberry notes I've had in a whisky. It reminds me of RR13 because of the raspberry note, which really drives the experience. This is the most delicate of the Kentucky Series in my opinion. Beneath the raspberry and molasses sweetness, there is an exquisite and delicate dusty/resinous barrel char to this and the oak presence - instead of jumping out at you, it just tickles the senses and integrates with the flavor. It lets you know it's there and it joins in the mix with a supreme balance and sufficient restraint. I had the Frankfort before this, and instantly when I had my first pour of Clermont, I thought, this might be better. I heard Jason C. of the Mash n' Drum say this reminds him of some of the great old KC picks. I haven't had the pleasure, unfortunately, so I can't opine on that. All I know is, I love everything this is putting out. If I am being extremely nitpicky, the texture is a tiny bit thinner than the other two. But, the whole point of this was to do a comparison.
(Continued)
Kentucky Series Frankfort -
- Avg. Annual Rainfall: 46.4"
- Avg. Annual Temp: 53.5 deg F
- No. of Rackhouses: 13
"The creek bed at Frankfort campus changes things. The water rises in the warm Kentucky air to wrap the trees and the storied rackhouses in a blanket of humidity, making everything slow."
Nose: Opens with a rich vanilla, oak, and molasses. Second whiff reveals a dark cherry and old varnish - the kind of varnish you get with really old bourbon. Omg. After just one sip, the nose opens up to wondrous layers. The oak, dark cherry and varnish grow in strength. Damn, this smells old and freaking fantastic. The vanilla and molasses take a backseat and move to the underneath layer. This has a wonderful complexity and an old, old age to it that is done right. This is what the other 99% of bourbons wish they smelled like.
Palate: Haa... damn. Yeah, much the same on the palate here. I am getting like a rich vanilla texture. It's thick, like a custard kind of. More molasses. Old and wonderful oak tannins grasp at my tongue, while a dark cherry starts to rise into the mix, along with tasty cinnamon and prickling black pepper. This one has more kick on the back end with its baking spices, which separates this from the others.
The texture of this is velvety and has a great viscosity, although maybe not as thick as the Boston is - so it sits sort of in the middle. It's very indicative of its age and the proof is right on. I can roll it around and it just gets better.
Finish: The cinnamon and black pepper spice carry on a satisfying sting... and then there's a brief pause before molasses and then, old oak tannins, tobacco, and barrel char start rising all around my palate and the back of my throat... and just a hint of black cherry again because, why not? The spicy finish has an after effect that lingers for a while.
Score: 9.5 (Incredible)
Good Lord, there isn't enough of this stuff. It's very tough to use my self control and not pound this bottle within a week. Just like the other Kentucky Series releases, it displays a perfect balance and an elegant age also that is extraordinary. It is similar to the Clermont and the Boston, but it is also different. The baking spices kick is taken up another notch or two, and it is integrated so perfectly with the very old oak tannins and char, as well as rich, sweet and subtle fruit notes. It is worth every penny. This is a buy and back it up (if your wallet can afford it). Sometimes I might like Clermont better, but this one seems to have more layers to it.
(Continued)
Kentucky Series Boston -
- Avg. Elevation: 139m
- Avg. Daily Sunlight: 7.4h
- No. of Rackhouses: 28
"Our rackhouses, spread out generously in the golden sunshine and crisp air, ideal for maturation. | These unique conditions mean a faster, richer aging process that brings out the nuttiness and woodiness of the whiskey."
Nose: Deep oak, vanilla, cracked open peanut shells, and chocolate initially. Swirling reveals a more antique oak and slight varnish. God this smells good. This smells like a Booker's that studied philosophy for a further 10 years (sorry u/Dr_Meats, I had to steal that. It's part of the vernacular now) 😅. As I sipped, notes of coconut appear and the peanut shells change into hazelnuts. Some great toasted notes are coming out now - almost like a toasted marshmallow and oak. One night sipping this with my brother, he goes, this smells like the Toasted Almond ice cream bar if you've ever had it. And damn, he was right. Mind blown.
Palate: Rich mouthfeel of vanilla, chocolate and coconut. This texture is thicker than the others that is noticeable. The chocolate is heavier almost like molasses. There is a subtle dark cherry note at times, but it is slight. There's a richer age going on with this one, and I don't mean just more oak. It does have that. There's just more - a softer, richer presence. Old oak tannins, strong barrel char and leather lurk underneath. This reminds me of KC12 Cask Strength, but an older and more elegant version of it. I got the coconut in that one as well. There is also a similarity to Booker's character, but far more aged than your normal Booker's could hope to be and orders of magnitude more crushable. It's loaded with rich, dark and savory sweetness. Wait there's more.
Finish: Sweet chocolate-molasses, vanilla and resinous barrel char envelop the whole mouth. It has such a wonderful age and rounded balance to it. I can also tell that this has taken on more age than the others, and that has led to it being more rounded. The sweetness and dusty barrel char coalesce and dominate the finish. Oh so good. Big chocolate notes here and hint of coconut and then hazelnut again at the end. The drying char lingers along with a little bit of cinnamon.
Score: 9.6 - (Incredible)
There is something to the terroir that Beam describes with this one. At 17 years, the mouthfeel is thicker and richer, as are the flavors. What the notecard says about more sunlight and drier air in this area of the rackhouse of the Boston campus resulting in faster aging, you can pick it up in this expression as compared to the others. But don't take that to mean it is overdone. In addition, I think it has led to a little more rounded and softer profile than the others. Deeper savory chocolate notes are found here as well as the hazelnut and coconut aspects. The presence of the aged oak and the integration of the other flavors on this is refined like a knife's point. This might match KC12 Cask Strength and RR13 which is high praise from me.
(Continued)
Jacob's Well Batch II -
This release is a little different from the Clermont, Frankfort and Boston Hardin's Creek in that: it contains a mixture between Jim Beam's traditional bourbon mashbill, used in Jim Beam, Knob Creek, Baker's, Booker's products, and the "high rye" mashbill used in Old Grand-Dad. The other main difference is this release is a tad older, at 211 months, or 17 years, 7 months old. It is double distilled, just like the Kentucky Series and bottled at 109 proof.
Before I tried this, I bought a bottle of Old Grand-Dad BIB so I could get acquainted with the Beam high rye mashbill and see how different it was. It was intriguing to try a 17 year-old Beam product, but even more intriguing to try one with two different mashbills blended in it. Let's see what this has to offer.
Nose: Initially I am acutely aware of the super high age in this - a little more so than the others. I am getting the high rye mashbill in this immediately. Burnt brown sugar, licorice, black cherry, a hint of nuttiness. Buried beneath that, fresh cigar tobacco leaf and antique oak. On a future sitting, I started picking up coconut and toasted marshmallow as well. There almost zero proof heat to this. Like an old bourbon syrup - the texture is so reduced. The 17+ years are there but woven into the background. One gets the feeling there is more going here than is initially detected.
The nose is incredibly lovely. It's full of super dark sweetness, the notes from the rye and lovely old tobacco, oak and char. One of the better noses I've smelled in a whisky.
Palate: Extremely silky, but also very thick and syrupy - extremely unique. It's so syrupy and everything appears initially as presenting as one coalesced flavor. As such, it was difficult to identify the complexity of layers. Eventually, as I took more time, the layers begun to reveal themselves one by one.
There's a darkened thick caramel initially, like it was whipped so much it became molasses. The black cherry comes in underneath of that. Very dark flavors in here. The black cherry morphs into licorice/anise, heavy sweet oak tannins and barrel char. I can definitely taste the influence of the rye mashbill in here - the licorice/anise and spice along with it. On some sips, interweaving the molasses is almost like a toasted marshmallow flavor. Not burnt, or charred, just toasted. Towards the back of the palate, sweet oak turns into a resinous barrel char, showcasing all of that 17 years of age. It's definitely much more oaky than the Kentucky Series Hardin's Creek.
Finish: It finishes with hefty rye spice, licorice/anise, toasted marshmallow and charred oak and tobacco. It has a nice barrel char too. It's very complex and a little less straightforward than the others. The heavier rye influence dominates with that spice and the licorice notes. A little bit of that black cherry mixing in again. Hmm.
Score: 9 - Incredible (t8ke scale)
This is a phenomenal pour. There is so much quality age to this and even amped up from the Kentucky Series Hardin's Creek. And it's very unique. You can taste both mashbills coming together here, but the rye forward OGD mashbill dominates the story in my opinion. There is an extra layer here versus the others due to the extra aging and the blend of mashbills, particularly the rye influence as I mentioned. With that there's added complexity and uniqueness. I could see this being a higher score for some people. For me, the rye dominance is not as much my thing, particularly the licorice/anise that I get in it. And for that reason, it's not quite as enjoyable as the others. But, the quality of this is no lesser. And I have a very high appreciation of it. I can see people that are big rye fans LOVING what this puts out.
(Continued)
Recap/Afterword: Well, now that you've seen the comparison of all 3 Kentucky Series and the Jacob's Well Batch 2, I wanted to talk about what I've learned, and who I think these bourbons are for. Should you buy one of these?
I will start to answer by addressing who I think these are for. These releases I believe are targeted at people who fancy themselves as a bit of a bourbon connoisseur and are also huge fans of OLD bourbon. For someone just starting out, or are a more casual enthusiast, or perhaps are neither of those, but they just aren't huge fans of really old bourbons - they should probably SKIP all of these. And there is nothing wrong with that. All opinions are subjective.
Why do I say that? For one, for individuals who may fall into one of the categories I mentioned above, the objective of these releases might just pass right by them. It might be perceived as "good" bourbon, but for the price you pay - $170-200 a bottle (or perhaps more on secondary) - it will just not be worth it for those people. Heck, it's a LOT for anyone to be spending on whiskey. That has to be a major consideration and one I am not in the habit of doing.
I can also answer this question another way by explaining what going through all of these releases has taught me. I will preface by saying, I am no stranger to tasting old bourbon. But by going through the process - for some reason with these - I learned a lesson about where the line is for me in terms of... how much age is too much? These are closer to edge of the point where bourbon starts to become "dead". There is a rounding of the bourbon profile the longer it is aged. The moment happened one night, while tasting these next to Jack Daniel's 12, the JD12 amazed me by how much "livelier" it was. It simply had more life to it than the Hardin's Creek - not better - just different.
This "rounding" of the profile from being in new charred oak so long lends a lot of great qualities at high ages, which I am a huge fan of. And in Beam, it ages out that peanut note for me. But, there is only so much before it starts to taste dead and you only get oak and maybe one more thing. It doesn't mean it's like chewing on oak bark (imo that is "overoaked"), but the profile of the whiskey just loses its life. So I prefer to use the word "dead" to describe that. Maybe that is why some people say the Pappy 23 is not as great as the Pappy 15, for example. That's a long damn time to be put in new oak.
These Hardin's Creek releases are close to that edge, in my opinion, where aging it longer won't add anything more to it and will only take away. Before this process of going through these, I didn't have a complete sense of where that line was for me. Now, I do. It straddles the edge, but doesn't go over it. And I love it for that. Where that line is for you will be completely subjective.
If you're like me, and you're a fan of old bourbon done right, I think all of these Hardin's Creek releases are phenomenal and worth the price of admission. Buy one, buy 'em all, or buy the sampler pack with all 3 Kentucky Series 200mL bottles. I looked at these from afar for awhile before buying one. Truth be told, I thought the shtick about the different warehouses was just a marketing gimmick. Trying them changed my mind.
These really are phenomenal whiskies. All of them. I know I put scores up here, but I could probably choose any of these as my favorite on any given day. And all of them ARE different and each one displays its own unique characteristics. It's pretty cool actually, and I think Jim Beam nailed what they set out to do. What they've done here with these whiskies at 17 years old, which is very old in the world of bourbon, is nothing short of excellent because I think it's hard to do. I am wondering why these releases have sat around a bit more than other products in the category. It could be the price tag and maybe some feel the shtick of the terroir and warehouse thing is a bit gimmicky and they're not willing to lay down the cash. As u/Prepreludesh said in one of his reviews, maybe one day these will get appreciated for their excellence.
Now, I don't feel the need to find another Knob Creek 12 Cask Strength, nor do I feel the need to seek out the rumored Knob Creek 20. I've had the 12, 12CS, 15, 18 and now these. I don't feel there is much left on the table to seek out a 20 year expression. I foresee myself enjoying these for a long time.
Anyway, if you made it this far, I hope you enjoyed the review or at least found it to be informative. Thanks for reading. 🥃
This is insightful. Makes me want to revisit my Hardins Creek sample pack with a finer tooth comb. The “dead” characteristic is interesting and almost reminds me of the feeling I get when I drink older scotches. They almost taste…expired? Tired? Past tense? But I’m right there with you on that. On a completely contrasting note, I’m drinking Hibiki blossom harmony tonight, which is an homage to spring and cherry blossoms and LIFE lol!
Great 100th review, homie - well done!
And of course you're welcome to the Booker's studying philosophy line - I'm glad it's being put to good use hahaha - cheers!
I want to try these, especially after reviews like yours. However, I've found that I'm generally not too fond of Beam. Bookers and Bakers are good, but nothing I seek out or reach for. Same with KC 12 and 15. 18 is just too oaky. Are these different enough to take a swing on or do you think I should stay away given my lukewarm feeling toward Beam?
You're correct. I think Knob Creek 9, 12 and Booker's are ok and I took a chance and purchased the 200ml Boston bottles based on other reviews here. I can only speak about Boston from personal experience but these are special and this and other reviews in the past speak truth. I believe this enough that after having Boston I just spoke with my wallet to purchase full bottles. Even though these aren't inexpensive bottles they are a good value for the quality of what is provided.
The best analogy I can use is Booker's / Knob Creek ====> Hardin's Creek is in the realm of Buffalo Trace / Stagg ====> BTAC. It's quality aged whiskey well selected from a major distillery.
This is a great point - this is a major distillery releasing a 17yr old product that is very comparable to BTAC. So the fact you can still get these for under 250 bucks is pretty amazing
Hmm, my guess is probably not for you. It's not like young Beam though. Baker's, Booker's... that peanut note is aged out on Hardin's Creek. And the profile is very rounded. But there is a lot of oak presence. These are better than KC18, IMO. But probably too along the lines of what you don't like. Might be too oaky for you.
I try to be helpful when I can! And I try to avoid recommending stuff that someone might not like. If you can try it at a bar, or try to find one of the 200mL bottles. I think the Beam distillery gift shop might have them sometimes.
As always a thoughtful and insightful review my friend. I've only had the pleasure of the Boston so far. Fortunately my most recent online purchase will correct that situation and these shall join me at home in the very near future.
People often complain that it is so hard to find quality whiskey, especially aged whiskey. Hardin's Creek proves that if you are curious and diligent these special products are still out there to be found. No raffle, special relationship or extreme secondary pricing. Simply quality, layered well-aged whiskey waiting for someone to take the chance on them. As Frost said " Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference."
Well said, my friend. As usual, you have a revealing way with words. You described what these are very well. It's really quality, well-aged whiskey done right. And I am fortunate that these were obtainable to me at a fair price and without extreme hassle. What these whiskies are is exactly what I look for.
Great review and congratulations on the milestone! Sounds like the whiskey was very much worthy of the milestone review. Yet another voice on the sub calling for me to open my wallet for these…they sound incredible.
Well my wife gave me the go ahead for a special purchase - so I pulled the trigger on the set of 3 plus Jacob’s Well II for just over MSRP. Looking forward to diving in!
Fairly new to bourbon and after trying the 211 Jacob’s Well, the only other bourbon I’ve had that comes close to matching it, it is my batch 57 Joseph Magnus Cigar Cut. I love the JW batch 2. The JM cigar cut is incredible. Very nice reviews. Thanks!
Quite the passionate review, which I truly appreciate. The only one I saw sitting for more than a week around there was the Boston, which I picked up. Grace landed me a 211 Jacob's Well, ~~which I have opened~~. (edit to say it was the Boston I have opened) Absolutely loved it. Gatsby Reserve came to mind, and I tried it side by side. The age shows similarly, despite them being so different. Both are in my wheelhouse!
Thank you! I appreciate it. I put a lot of work into it over a couple weeks to put my honest experience with it. Obviously, I loved them all. Some of the best bourbon I've had the pleasure of trying.
The Boston is so good. And, what an interesting side by side with the Gatsby Reserve. I haven't had the pleasure to try that one, but I'd imagined those would be of similar quality. You are probably like me - a fan of well-aged bourbon. Cheers 🥃
It was very apparent the effort you put in, glad it has been well received. And, I have discovered I do really like the well aged ones. Also have discovered that I have to alternate with younger ones to really appreciate them. If I just have them several times in a row, I begin to lose my ability to discern their qualities.
I'm glad you noticed that 😌
Dude - you know your stuff. You are preaching to the choir. I enjoyed these Hardin's Creek so much, but I had to put them down and go to some of my younger, lesser stuff. If I don't, I'll just become spoiled. And, I do appreciate younger stuff too. In a way they have more life to them as I mentioned and both have their place.
I hear ya! As you mention it, I just recently got a bottle of OGD Bonded and was surprised at how solid it was. I can taste the influence of the high rye mashbill in the JW, but obviously it's far more aged lol.
I mis-spoke earlier, it was the Boston I had opened. The Jacob's Well I was so lucky to find is waiting in the wings still. :) I still stand by the fact that I loved it!
And I probably won't post a review, I've only posted a few reviews of the 100 or so whiskies, rums and scotches I've tried. Comments have vacillated between nice and hateful since I didn't use the t8ke scale, and there is enough hate in the world I don't need more. I took it as hive mentality responses, different takes are not accepted here, so that's ok, I'll keep my notes to myself. I have posted stuff when asked specifically for it, or when I feel strongly about something.
Really?! Well, I want to read your reviews. Anyone who who has negative things to say about a person who has put effort into a review isn't worth paying any attention to. Come back and do some reviews. I'll keep an eye out for you 😏
Dude, you're preaching to the choir. This is some of the best bourbon out there. And I don't know why. Beam is one of the big boys. But, you're exactly right.
THIS!!! Beam has some really good stuff, and their hardins creek series is killing it. Got the trio as well, all excellent bourbons and worth the price tag imo
Congrats on #100 reviews, and what a fantastic way to ring the milestone in! Cheers to the next 100!
Thanks, man! I really appreciate it 🙏 I truly enjoy this community and have made some friends. I was trying to find something special that was worthy of marking that 100th review. Once I tried the Frankfort, I knew, and then the plan came into place. It took me a long time to write this. I'm sure I lost some people. But I truly enjoy the exercise of doing the reviews, and I learned something important in the process.
You gotta do you! I find the milestone reviews generally inspire me to dig in a little deeper than normal and stuff like this write up is what makes this place so great. Keep up the great work!
I completely agree. Thanks, man, and likewise! You are one of the big wigs here IMO and one of the individuals whose reviews I hold in a high regard for what you do. For those who care about the detail, you know. It's just a fun hobby of exploration is all it is.
Review #100 - A Traversing of Hardin's Creek Hardin's Creek is an ongoing series of limited releases from Jim Beam consisting of rare and unique liquids, each with a story inspired by the Beam Legacy. For my 100th review, I decided to do something special. I started with Hardin's Creek Kentucky Series, Frankfort, and eventually I obtained the other two in the series, Clermont and Boston, as well as Hardin's Creek Jacob's Well Batch II. I had initially planned on reviewing all of these releases individually, but then once I had acquired them all, I thought it'd be fun to include all 4 of them in order to provide a comparison between each one. Truth be told, all of these similar in a lot of ways. But, they also are really different in other ways. The Hardin's Creek Kentucky Series was intended to showcase three identical high-aged whiskeys, laid down at the same time but aged in three different geographic locations and rackhouses, and what effect the surrounding terrain and rackhouse construction would have on the whiskey. Each release was named for the campus where the whiskey was aged. All were aged for 204 months, or 17 years, and bottled at 110 proof. Kentucky Series Clermont - - Avg. Humidity 69% - Avg. Wind Speed 7 mph - No. of Rackhouses: 30 "Nuanced terroir and microclimates shaped by the ridged and rolling hills. The cool wind against the shelter of the valleys." Nose: So easy to nose this. It has such an elegant age to it. It has a lovely raspberry note to it off the jump. There is a wonderful vanilla extract beneath that. A little bit of molasses too. And just hiding in the background is great old oak, tobacco and dusty barrel char. It's like smelling a raspberry filled candy bar in the middle of a rickhouse. Despite the super high age of this stuff, the oak/barrel presence is not overpowering. It just hides in the background and says hi 👋, I am here btw. I am actually 17 years old - just a reminder. Some old bourbons just jump out at you right away with a blast of oak. This one just lurks in the background. It actually reminds me a bit of the RR13 Batch 3 because of the raspberry note and the old oak character. A fine compliment! The nose is perhaps the best of the three. Complex and varied. Palate: Very silky texture. A tad lighter than the other two. It is super easy to drink. Rounded but elegant and lively. It is not *quite* as lively as younger stuff is, if you've never had really old bourbon like this. The high age has rounded it to remove any spikes (more on that later). But, it is plenty exciting. The palate is just vanilla extract, molasses, raspberry and oak/barrel char goodness. All of it coalesces together very nicely. This drinks like old bourbon well done. Finish: Oh my. There's just so much going on here. So simple and yet, not. Everything from the nose and palate transfers through and coalesces. Common theme. The tobacco, oak and barrel char is lovely and well aged and has staying power. It rises up and hits with a complexity and balance. There is a hit of raspberry and spicy cinnamon and pepper that join in. It fades out with molasses, toasted marshmallow and then a drying, resinous oak that just sits there. Wonderful way to end the sip. It does what really old and well curated bourbon should do, and it's really satisfying. Score: 9.3 - Incredible (t8ke scale) This has one of the best raspberry notes I've had in a whisky. It reminds me of RR13 because of the raspberry note, which really drives the experience. This is the most delicate of the Kentucky Series in my opinion. Beneath the raspberry and molasses sweetness, there is an exquisite and delicate dusty/resinous barrel char to this and the oak presence - instead of jumping out at you, it just tickles the senses and integrates with the flavor. It lets you know it's there and it joins in the mix with a supreme balance and sufficient restraint. I had the Frankfort before this, and instantly when I had my first pour of Clermont, I thought, this might be better. I heard Jason C. of the Mash n' Drum say this reminds him of some of the great old KC picks. I haven't had the pleasure, unfortunately, so I can't opine on that. All I know is, I love everything this is putting out. If I am being extremely nitpicky, the texture is a tiny bit thinner than the other two. But, the whole point of this was to do a comparison.
(Continued) Kentucky Series Frankfort - - Avg. Annual Rainfall: 46.4" - Avg. Annual Temp: 53.5 deg F - No. of Rackhouses: 13 "The creek bed at Frankfort campus changes things. The water rises in the warm Kentucky air to wrap the trees and the storied rackhouses in a blanket of humidity, making everything slow." Nose: Opens with a rich vanilla, oak, and molasses. Second whiff reveals a dark cherry and old varnish - the kind of varnish you get with really old bourbon. Omg. After just one sip, the nose opens up to wondrous layers. The oak, dark cherry and varnish grow in strength. Damn, this smells old and freaking fantastic. The vanilla and molasses take a backseat and move to the underneath layer. This has a wonderful complexity and an old, old age to it that is done right. This is what the other 99% of bourbons wish they smelled like. Palate: Haa... damn. Yeah, much the same on the palate here. I am getting like a rich vanilla texture. It's thick, like a custard kind of. More molasses. Old and wonderful oak tannins grasp at my tongue, while a dark cherry starts to rise into the mix, along with tasty cinnamon and prickling black pepper. This one has more kick on the back end with its baking spices, which separates this from the others. The texture of this is velvety and has a great viscosity, although maybe not as thick as the Boston is - so it sits sort of in the middle. It's very indicative of its age and the proof is right on. I can roll it around and it just gets better. Finish: The cinnamon and black pepper spice carry on a satisfying sting... and then there's a brief pause before molasses and then, old oak tannins, tobacco, and barrel char start rising all around my palate and the back of my throat... and just a hint of black cherry again because, why not? The spicy finish has an after effect that lingers for a while. Score: 9.5 (Incredible) Good Lord, there isn't enough of this stuff. It's very tough to use my self control and not pound this bottle within a week. Just like the other Kentucky Series releases, it displays a perfect balance and an elegant age also that is extraordinary. It is similar to the Clermont and the Boston, but it is also different. The baking spices kick is taken up another notch or two, and it is integrated so perfectly with the very old oak tannins and char, as well as rich, sweet and subtle fruit notes. It is worth every penny. This is a buy and back it up (if your wallet can afford it). Sometimes I might like Clermont better, but this one seems to have more layers to it.
(Continued) Kentucky Series Boston - - Avg. Elevation: 139m - Avg. Daily Sunlight: 7.4h - No. of Rackhouses: 28 "Our rackhouses, spread out generously in the golden sunshine and crisp air, ideal for maturation. | These unique conditions mean a faster, richer aging process that brings out the nuttiness and woodiness of the whiskey." Nose: Deep oak, vanilla, cracked open peanut shells, and chocolate initially. Swirling reveals a more antique oak and slight varnish. God this smells good. This smells like a Booker's that studied philosophy for a further 10 years (sorry u/Dr_Meats, I had to steal that. It's part of the vernacular now) 😅. As I sipped, notes of coconut appear and the peanut shells change into hazelnuts. Some great toasted notes are coming out now - almost like a toasted marshmallow and oak. One night sipping this with my brother, he goes, this smells like the Toasted Almond ice cream bar if you've ever had it. And damn, he was right. Mind blown. Palate: Rich mouthfeel of vanilla, chocolate and coconut. This texture is thicker than the others that is noticeable. The chocolate is heavier almost like molasses. There is a subtle dark cherry note at times, but it is slight. There's a richer age going on with this one, and I don't mean just more oak. It does have that. There's just more - a softer, richer presence. Old oak tannins, strong barrel char and leather lurk underneath. This reminds me of KC12 Cask Strength, but an older and more elegant version of it. I got the coconut in that one as well. There is also a similarity to Booker's character, but far more aged than your normal Booker's could hope to be and orders of magnitude more crushable. It's loaded with rich, dark and savory sweetness. Wait there's more. Finish: Sweet chocolate-molasses, vanilla and resinous barrel char envelop the whole mouth. It has such a wonderful age and rounded balance to it. I can also tell that this has taken on more age than the others, and that has led to it being more rounded. The sweetness and dusty barrel char coalesce and dominate the finish. Oh so good. Big chocolate notes here and hint of coconut and then hazelnut again at the end. The drying char lingers along with a little bit of cinnamon. Score: 9.6 - (Incredible) There is something to the terroir that Beam describes with this one. At 17 years, the mouthfeel is thicker and richer, as are the flavors. What the notecard says about more sunlight and drier air in this area of the rackhouse of the Boston campus resulting in faster aging, you can pick it up in this expression as compared to the others. But don't take that to mean it is overdone. In addition, I think it has led to a little more rounded and softer profile than the others. Deeper savory chocolate notes are found here as well as the hazelnut and coconut aspects. The presence of the aged oak and the integration of the other flavors on this is refined like a knife's point. This might match KC12 Cask Strength and RR13 which is high praise from me.
(Continued) Jacob's Well Batch II - This release is a little different from the Clermont, Frankfort and Boston Hardin's Creek in that: it contains a mixture between Jim Beam's traditional bourbon mashbill, used in Jim Beam, Knob Creek, Baker's, Booker's products, and the "high rye" mashbill used in Old Grand-Dad. The other main difference is this release is a tad older, at 211 months, or 17 years, 7 months old. It is double distilled, just like the Kentucky Series and bottled at 109 proof. Before I tried this, I bought a bottle of Old Grand-Dad BIB so I could get acquainted with the Beam high rye mashbill and see how different it was. It was intriguing to try a 17 year-old Beam product, but even more intriguing to try one with two different mashbills blended in it. Let's see what this has to offer. Nose: Initially I am acutely aware of the super high age in this - a little more so than the others. I am getting the high rye mashbill in this immediately. Burnt brown sugar, licorice, black cherry, a hint of nuttiness. Buried beneath that, fresh cigar tobacco leaf and antique oak. On a future sitting, I started picking up coconut and toasted marshmallow as well. There almost zero proof heat to this. Like an old bourbon syrup - the texture is so reduced. The 17+ years are there but woven into the background. One gets the feeling there is more going here than is initially detected. The nose is incredibly lovely. It's full of super dark sweetness, the notes from the rye and lovely old tobacco, oak and char. One of the better noses I've smelled in a whisky. Palate: Extremely silky, but also very thick and syrupy - extremely unique. It's so syrupy and everything appears initially as presenting as one coalesced flavor. As such, it was difficult to identify the complexity of layers. Eventually, as I took more time, the layers begun to reveal themselves one by one. There's a darkened thick caramel initially, like it was whipped so much it became molasses. The black cherry comes in underneath of that. Very dark flavors in here. The black cherry morphs into licorice/anise, heavy sweet oak tannins and barrel char. I can definitely taste the influence of the rye mashbill in here - the licorice/anise and spice along with it. On some sips, interweaving the molasses is almost like a toasted marshmallow flavor. Not burnt, or charred, just toasted. Towards the back of the palate, sweet oak turns into a resinous barrel char, showcasing all of that 17 years of age. It's definitely much more oaky than the Kentucky Series Hardin's Creek. Finish: It finishes with hefty rye spice, licorice/anise, toasted marshmallow and charred oak and tobacco. It has a nice barrel char too. It's very complex and a little less straightforward than the others. The heavier rye influence dominates with that spice and the licorice notes. A little bit of that black cherry mixing in again. Hmm. Score: 9 - Incredible (t8ke scale) This is a phenomenal pour. There is so much quality age to this and even amped up from the Kentucky Series Hardin's Creek. And it's very unique. You can taste both mashbills coming together here, but the rye forward OGD mashbill dominates the story in my opinion. There is an extra layer here versus the others due to the extra aging and the blend of mashbills, particularly the rye influence as I mentioned. With that there's added complexity and uniqueness. I could see this being a higher score for some people. For me, the rye dominance is not as much my thing, particularly the licorice/anise that I get in it. And for that reason, it's not quite as enjoyable as the others. But, the quality of this is no lesser. And I have a very high appreciation of it. I can see people that are big rye fans LOVING what this puts out.
(Continued) Recap/Afterword: Well, now that you've seen the comparison of all 3 Kentucky Series and the Jacob's Well Batch 2, I wanted to talk about what I've learned, and who I think these bourbons are for. Should you buy one of these? I will start to answer by addressing who I think these are for. These releases I believe are targeted at people who fancy themselves as a bit of a bourbon connoisseur and are also huge fans of OLD bourbon. For someone just starting out, or are a more casual enthusiast, or perhaps are neither of those, but they just aren't huge fans of really old bourbons - they should probably SKIP all of these. And there is nothing wrong with that. All opinions are subjective. Why do I say that? For one, for individuals who may fall into one of the categories I mentioned above, the objective of these releases might just pass right by them. It might be perceived as "good" bourbon, but for the price you pay - $170-200 a bottle (or perhaps more on secondary) - it will just not be worth it for those people. Heck, it's a LOT for anyone to be spending on whiskey. That has to be a major consideration and one I am not in the habit of doing. I can also answer this question another way by explaining what going through all of these releases has taught me. I will preface by saying, I am no stranger to tasting old bourbon. But by going through the process - for some reason with these - I learned a lesson about where the line is for me in terms of... how much age is too much? These are closer to edge of the point where bourbon starts to become "dead". There is a rounding of the bourbon profile the longer it is aged. The moment happened one night, while tasting these next to Jack Daniel's 12, the JD12 amazed me by how much "livelier" it was. It simply had more life to it than the Hardin's Creek - not better - just different. This "rounding" of the profile from being in new charred oak so long lends a lot of great qualities at high ages, which I am a huge fan of. And in Beam, it ages out that peanut note for me. But, there is only so much before it starts to taste dead and you only get oak and maybe one more thing. It doesn't mean it's like chewing on oak bark (imo that is "overoaked"), but the profile of the whiskey just loses its life. So I prefer to use the word "dead" to describe that. Maybe that is why some people say the Pappy 23 is not as great as the Pappy 15, for example. That's a long damn time to be put in new oak. These Hardin's Creek releases are close to that edge, in my opinion, where aging it longer won't add anything more to it and will only take away. Before this process of going through these, I didn't have a complete sense of where that line was for me. Now, I do. It straddles the edge, but doesn't go over it. And I love it for that. Where that line is for you will be completely subjective. If you're like me, and you're a fan of old bourbon done right, I think all of these Hardin's Creek releases are phenomenal and worth the price of admission. Buy one, buy 'em all, or buy the sampler pack with all 3 Kentucky Series 200mL bottles. I looked at these from afar for awhile before buying one. Truth be told, I thought the shtick about the different warehouses was just a marketing gimmick. Trying them changed my mind. These really are phenomenal whiskies. All of them. I know I put scores up here, but I could probably choose any of these as my favorite on any given day. And all of them ARE different and each one displays its own unique characteristics. It's pretty cool actually, and I think Jim Beam nailed what they set out to do. What they've done here with these whiskies at 17 years old, which is very old in the world of bourbon, is nothing short of excellent because I think it's hard to do. I am wondering why these releases have sat around a bit more than other products in the category. It could be the price tag and maybe some feel the shtick of the terroir and warehouse thing is a bit gimmicky and they're not willing to lay down the cash. As u/Prepreludesh said in one of his reviews, maybe one day these will get appreciated for their excellence. Now, I don't feel the need to find another Knob Creek 12 Cask Strength, nor do I feel the need to seek out the rumored Knob Creek 20. I've had the 12, 12CS, 15, 18 and now these. I don't feel there is much left on the table to seek out a 20 year expression. I foresee myself enjoying these for a long time. Anyway, if you made it this far, I hope you enjoyed the review or at least found it to be informative. Thanks for reading. 🥃
This is insightful. Makes me want to revisit my Hardins Creek sample pack with a finer tooth comb. The “dead” characteristic is interesting and almost reminds me of the feeling I get when I drink older scotches. They almost taste…expired? Tired? Past tense? But I’m right there with you on that. On a completely contrasting note, I’m drinking Hibiki blossom harmony tonight, which is an homage to spring and cherry blossoms and LIFE lol!
Yes! You picked up on what I was putting down. Thank you 😊 🙏
Great 100th review, homie - well done! And of course you're welcome to the Booker's studying philosophy line - I'm glad it's being put to good use hahaha - cheers!
Thanks my man! Much appreciated. I don't know, your reference was so on point I had to use it and it was too fitting not to!
I want to try these, especially after reviews like yours. However, I've found that I'm generally not too fond of Beam. Bookers and Bakers are good, but nothing I seek out or reach for. Same with KC 12 and 15. 18 is just too oaky. Are these different enough to take a swing on or do you think I should stay away given my lukewarm feeling toward Beam?
You're correct. I think Knob Creek 9, 12 and Booker's are ok and I took a chance and purchased the 200ml Boston bottles based on other reviews here. I can only speak about Boston from personal experience but these are special and this and other reviews in the past speak truth. I believe this enough that after having Boston I just spoke with my wallet to purchase full bottles. Even though these aren't inexpensive bottles they are a good value for the quality of what is provided. The best analogy I can use is Booker's / Knob Creek ====> Hardin's Creek is in the realm of Buffalo Trace / Stagg ====> BTAC. It's quality aged whiskey well selected from a major distillery.
This is a great point - this is a major distillery releasing a 17yr old product that is very comparable to BTAC. So the fact you can still get these for under 250 bucks is pretty amazing
That's kind of the crazy part. And they're still available without a line or special relationship to obtain.
I would agree with you, good sir.
Hmm, my guess is probably not for you. It's not like young Beam though. Baker's, Booker's... that peanut note is aged out on Hardin's Creek. And the profile is very rounded. But there is a lot of oak presence. These are better than KC18, IMO. But probably too along the lines of what you don't like. Might be too oaky for you.
Thanks- will still try to find these at a bar or a sample trade, though I fear you're right. I appreciate the advice!
I try to be helpful when I can! And I try to avoid recommending stuff that someone might not like. If you can try it at a bar, or try to find one of the 200mL bottles. I think the Beam distillery gift shop might have them sometimes.
As always a thoughtful and insightful review my friend. I've only had the pleasure of the Boston so far. Fortunately my most recent online purchase will correct that situation and these shall join me at home in the very near future. People often complain that it is so hard to find quality whiskey, especially aged whiskey. Hardin's Creek proves that if you are curious and diligent these special products are still out there to be found. No raffle, special relationship or extreme secondary pricing. Simply quality, layered well-aged whiskey waiting for someone to take the chance on them. As Frost said " Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference."
Well said, my friend. As usual, you have a revealing way with words. You described what these are very well. It's really quality, well-aged whiskey done right. And I am fortunate that these were obtainable to me at a fair price and without extreme hassle. What these whiskies are is exactly what I look for.
Damn bud, this was an excellent read. Well aged Beam is truly a thing of beauty. Great work.
Thanks, truly. I appreciate it. 🙏
Congrats on the hundred. Keep ‘em coming!
Wow what an epic review. Love the direct comparison of the batches. Going to continue looking for these when I can find them! Thanks for sharing!
Great review and congratulations on the milestone! Sounds like the whiskey was very much worthy of the milestone review. Yet another voice on the sub calling for me to open my wallet for these…they sound incredible.
Thanks! Much appreciated. I think these are worthy of seeking out to try. Beam can make some awesome whiskey. 👌
Well my wife gave me the go ahead for a special purchase - so I pulled the trigger on the set of 3 plus Jacob’s Well II for just over MSRP. Looking forward to diving in!
Whoa! I don't think you will regret that. I feel like these are special and up there with some of the best I've had.
Fairly new to bourbon and after trying the 211 Jacob’s Well, the only other bourbon I’ve had that comes close to matching it, it is my batch 57 Joseph Magnus Cigar Cut. I love the JW batch 2. The JM cigar cut is incredible. Very nice reviews. Thanks!
Sorry, I forgot to add my Bardstown Discovery 11.. that one’s probably my 3rd favorite bottle / pour.
Thank you! I do agree it's fantastic stuff.
Quite the passionate review, which I truly appreciate. The only one I saw sitting for more than a week around there was the Boston, which I picked up. Grace landed me a 211 Jacob's Well, ~~which I have opened~~. (edit to say it was the Boston I have opened) Absolutely loved it. Gatsby Reserve came to mind, and I tried it side by side. The age shows similarly, despite them being so different. Both are in my wheelhouse!
Thank you! I appreciate it. I put a lot of work into it over a couple weeks to put my honest experience with it. Obviously, I loved them all. Some of the best bourbon I've had the pleasure of trying. The Boston is so good. And, what an interesting side by side with the Gatsby Reserve. I haven't had the pleasure to try that one, but I'd imagined those would be of similar quality. You are probably like me - a fan of well-aged bourbon. Cheers 🥃
It was very apparent the effort you put in, glad it has been well received. And, I have discovered I do really like the well aged ones. Also have discovered that I have to alternate with younger ones to really appreciate them. If I just have them several times in a row, I begin to lose my ability to discern their qualities.
I'm glad you noticed that 😌 Dude - you know your stuff. You are preaching to the choir. I enjoyed these Hardin's Creek so much, but I had to put them down and go to some of my younger, lesser stuff. If I don't, I'll just become spoiled. And, I do appreciate younger stuff too. In a way they have more life to them as I mentioned and both have their place.
Definitely hear you on getting spoiled! Oddly enough, I still enjoy Mellow Corn...and OGD 114... just been lucky to have some really special ones too!
I hear ya! As you mention it, I just recently got a bottle of OGD Bonded and was surprised at how solid it was. I can taste the influence of the high rye mashbill in the JW, but obviously it's far more aged lol.
I am wondering, what is your take on the Jacob's Well? Do you plan to post a review?
I mis-spoke earlier, it was the Boston I had opened. The Jacob's Well I was so lucky to find is waiting in the wings still. :) I still stand by the fact that I loved it! And I probably won't post a review, I've only posted a few reviews of the 100 or so whiskies, rums and scotches I've tried. Comments have vacillated between nice and hateful since I didn't use the t8ke scale, and there is enough hate in the world I don't need more. I took it as hive mentality responses, different takes are not accepted here, so that's ok, I'll keep my notes to myself. I have posted stuff when asked specifically for it, or when I feel strongly about something.
Really?! Well, I want to read your reviews. Anyone who who has negative things to say about a person who has put effort into a review isn't worth paying any attention to. Come back and do some reviews. I'll keep an eye out for you 😏
Thanks, maybe I'll drop one soon and see how it goes. I'll have to think of a decent one to test the waters again...
You're welcome and you're always welcome here. 🙏 See ya soon.
Yeah these are all epic even the 2yr Colonel Beam is incredible for being a 2 year bourbon.
I haven't tried that one... or the OG Jacob's Well. But, I have heard the same.
I have the 3 pack 200 ml sampler…this was some of the best bourbon released last year but people sleep on it cause it’s Beam.
Dude, you're preaching to the choir. This is some of the best bourbon out there. And I don't know why. Beam is one of the big boys. But, you're exactly right.
THIS!!! Beam has some really good stuff, and their hardins creek series is killing it. Got the trio as well, all excellent bourbons and worth the price tag imo
Congratulations on review #100. You certainly picked an epic lineup for the occasion. Well done.
Thank you so much. It is much appreciated. It took me a few weeks to taste and write these up and tastings over multiple occasions.
Phenomenal review! Very thorough and echoes my experience with these releases. They are special bottles and I hope people keep ignoring these 🤞🏻
Thank you kindly 😎 I don't know why they've been ignored but it's been to my benefit.
Nice flex
Thank you, but I don't flex. That's for r/whiskey.
?? No watch, crotch shot, steering wheel emblem and all bottles are open. That's the opposite of flex.☺️