Premium Jim Beam

Although US Bourbon is not a mainstream whisky in Hong Kong market, Jim Beam’s Original and Black labels are nevertheless well-known to most connoisseurs. However, most connoisseurs look down upon this whiskey and treat it as an ingredients for cocktails or just “spending” it on the rocks, let alone those “Whisky Hipsters” who do even despise it.

I did taste its Black label previously and thought it being a good bourbon. Perhaps I am nothing more than an ordinary consumer which does not have any burden of hipsters. I can drink what I like drink and I can freely express my true feelings.

Now Back to the Jim Beam topic. In additions to famous Original and Black labels, they have a small batch series which was introduced by late Mr. Booker Noe, the six generation of the Beam family. There are four bottlings in this series and positioned at premium bourbon. They are produced in small batch and have their own characteristic amongst each bottlings. The small batch one I am going to introduce is fairly easily seen in Hong Kong and normally selling for reasonable price.

Knob Creek 9 years, 750 ml, 50%

Knob Creek lies 20 miles south of Jim Beam distillery. This river streams via the childhood residence of US President Abraham Lincoln. This bourbon is aged in barrel for 9 years which can be regarded as oldies in bourbon family. It is bottled at high proof of ABV 50% and packing in good old day favor and claimed to reproduce the style before the Prohibition.

Nose:
Honey, coconut, banana, caramel, marmalade, spicy

Palate:
Coconut, toast, caramel, cinnamon

Aftertaste:
Medium length, coffee, nutty, oaky


Conclusion:
On nose it is condense but not overwhelm, quite aromatic. Thick body, not complex but harmony, a comfortable dram. Fairly balanced bitterness in aftertaste, chewable. It is a big but not heavy whiskey. Conclusively to say, it is of the type of sweetie, easy drinking, thick, balancing with reasonably pricing bourbon, a good whiskey indeed. A true connoisseur should not have any preconception on tasting. Good whiskies should not be labeled by merely the price tag, age statement, rarity or trend (Japanese premium whiskies are now hot in Hong Kong). Open your mind to taste the whiskies from all over the world and judge only by your sensation. You will soon find your territory of whisky world getting bigger and bigger.

Hakushu the Twelve

Hakushu was built in 1973 by Suntory which is her owned second distillery. Hakushu is situated in the fairy forest of Mountain Southern Alps of Yamanashi. Hakushu whiskies are occasionally seen at some specialist liquor shops in Hong Kong and labeled high price tags. I am now going to introduce a Hakushu basic level bottling. Sample was given by a friend of mine, thank you. Sample volume about 50ml, sampled twice.

Hakushu 12 years, 700 ml, 43%, sample ~50 ml

Nose:
Honey, mandarins, dried date, lightly smoky

Palate:
Oily, preserved fruits, coffee, nuts (not me), smoky, mint

Aftertaste:
Medium length, dark coffee, chocolate, roasted wood

Overall:
Good note, fruity and honey paring with little bit smoky in good balance. Oily in mouth, smooth, sweetie preserved fruits accompanying with roasted coffee, amazing. Comfortable aftertaste that little bit chocolate echoes by soft woody bitterness. Although the recent price level of Japanese whiskies has been dropped slightly, those whiskies are not really price justified in my opinion.