Tart and tangy, this leans into citrus, with lime juice, lemon peel, and grapefruit at the fore. Give it a moment and richer, if a little artificial, notes arrive: chocolate syrup, Swiss Miss, and Yoo-hoo. Those flavors lend themselves to a creamy palate resplendent with hot fudge, orange-infused chocolate, cinnamon spice, vanilla bean, and more citrus. The finish is smooth and long-lasting, and has a touch of menthol at the tail end.

Reviewed by: Julia Higgins (Fall 2022)

A blend of 15 and 16 year old bourbons. There is a lovely berry note on the nose, alongside milk chocolate, orange peel, leather, lilacs, spicy oak, and lemon icing. A lively palate brings cinnamon stick, buttered popcorn, snickerdoodle cookie, and peppery spice. The finish is long but thin, with lots of salinity. There’s nice composition here and a balanced sweetness throughout, with spiced and earthy undertones.

Reviewed by: Ted Simmons (Fall 2022)

More oak, intensity, depth, maturity, and character than the standard Jim Beam white. Darker sugars too, showing more caramel and light toffee, less honeyed corn and vanilla (although those notes are certainly still present). Subtle mint and cinnamon spice, along with soft fruit and light tobacco on the finish round out the flavor profile. A bourbon comfortably positioned between Jim Beam white and the more premium Signature Series releases.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Summer 2014)

Can you say “11 year old Old Grand-Dad”? There’s a snap of hot, happy rye in the nose, sweet corn and cinnamon banging along, but there’s vanilla and oaky dryness. I had a bottle of OGD Bonded handy, and it’s close. It’s like my favorite young bonded strapped in oaky spice, with a more mature, drier finish. I’m told this has even more rye in the mashbill. If you like OGD, get this and see what more age does. Price is per 375 ml.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Summer 2015)

“Extra-aged” bourbon finished in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks. The third Distiller’s Masterpiece release, the previous two being over a decade ago. The PX sherry is certainly evident, with its lush, dark fruit (raisin, prune, ripe plum), marmalade, and layered dark sugars (toffee, molasses, maple syrup). A peppering of spices (cinnamon, allspice, vanilla) and dry, resinous oak round out the palate. Certainly a mood whiskey. Perhaps with a cigar after dinner? (distillery only)

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2013)

Nicely balanced, with interwoven soft vanilla, cinnamon, and citrus, all on a bed of light toffee and caramel. More subtle notes of marzipan, tropical fruit, and soft oak add complexity. Traditional in style, with a friendly demeanour. A good bourbon to have on hand, as it is very versatile. I would have preferred this bottled at 45-50%, but this will do just fine as it is. A new regular bottling.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2013)

Launched in 2015, this is a solid pick for the under-$30 club. Think butterscotch and caramel dripping over popcorn: the cooked sugars first, then corn kernels. Dulled spices, oak, vanilla, hints of saddle leather and earth. This isn’t complex or complicated, but the medium-to-long candy corn finish leaves me wondering about its status with two more years in the barrel. Of course, that would mean the price would go up, too.

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Summer 2016)

Triticale is a rye-wheat hybrid, so I’m expecting a rye-wheater hybrid bourbon. What I get is a screamer: spicy slice of a nose, hot cinnamon and sawn dry oak. Surprisingly light in the mouth, which is putting a smile on my face. Oak races through this, a spine coated with sweet grain, spicy notes, a bit of creaminess, and as the oak wraps up, I realize: no real rye bitterness. Cool stuff, a very good one. Price is per 375 ml.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Winter 2015)

Caramel and vanilla notes, with a peppering of spice (primarily cinnamon, but also evergreen, cocoa, teaberry, and nutmeg) and subtle roasted walnut, finishing dry, gritty, and spicy (from the grains and also the oak). Spicier and not as sweet when compared to its sibling Jim Beam Black, an eight year old. There’s certainly a lot going on here. A very “busy” and intriguing whiskey for exploring and discussing. (Exclusive to Travel Retail.)€30

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2010)

Confectionary goodies all around. Vanilla, caramel with milk and chocolates: dark, Mexican, sweet, and white. Lots of chocolate. It’s soft and gentle, with zero spice, only rich chocolate and caramel with hints of grain and fruit, but this richness cannot be overstated. If you love chocolate and caramel, this is your dream bourbon. It finishes long and strong with a hint of—you guessed it—chocolate. Price is per 375ml

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Winter 2016)

Cornbread and toffee start this alluring whiskey, followed by hints of paprika, fruits, flowers, and caramel. Afterward, it opens up into a bakery with cinnamon rolls, caramel chews, vanilla cupcakes, and ginger. Baking spices and earth appear over a medium finish that offers black licorice. It’s well-suited for mixing.

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Spring 2018)

A delicate nose of golden raisin, Cracker Jack peanuts, pleasing citrus, and hints of clove. The palate is fairly straightforward in its honeyed sweetness and warm cereal notes, with hints of tobacco leaf. Not exciting, but enjoyable in an understated way and a nice leisurely sipper.

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Winter 2018)

Quite the antithesis of the Signature Craft 12 year old, released at the same time. This one is finished in Spanish brandy barrels, so I expect it to be a polarizing whiskey. The brandy influence shows, with sweet fruit (sultana, honeyed tangerine, pineapple, ripe apricot) and spice (vanilla, cinnamon, ginger) interwoven with caramel. No age statement. Youthful, but not immature. A limited edition release.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2013)

The old Beam rye never got a lot of respect from aficionados. It’s been pulled, reformulated, and repackaged. Let’s try it. Smell: sweet grass and pepper. Taste: hot, flashy, sweet on top, with rye oiliness underneath, a tickling bitterness that blends well with oak into the finish. The higher proof plays well, giving this a punch of flavor the old yellow label didn’t have, and at a good price. It’s Manhattan time! Value Pick

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Summer 2015)

Moderately rich, with layered caramel, vanilla, fig cake, and subtle sweet corn. Date, raisin, and a dusting of spice (cinnamon, cocoa, hint of ginger) round out the palate, leading to a gently sweet, soothing finish. A very versatile bourbon — certainly enjoyable enough to drink neat, but you won’t feel guilty if you make a cocktail with it or drink it on the rocks.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2010)

A toasty nose with bright citrus, spice, and oaky vanilla; you can feel the heat. Clearly Beam, but just as clearly different; there’s a flat spread to this, and a dry pull on the tongue and in the finish. Six-row barley has more husk to it, which can add tannins to beer; is there enough here to make a difference? It’s an interesting character, but it’s not all good. Price is per 375 ml.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Winter 2015)

Gently sweet vanilla, corn, and honey on the nose, with background spice and dried citrus. The same sweet notes show on the first half of the palate, with resinous oak, polished leather, and dried spice on the back end; the quarter cask aging is evident. Unfortunately, the sweet flavors and dried oak influence don’t marry very well, with too much sweetness and youthfulness up front, and too much oak bringing up the rear.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2014)

More wood influence than the standard Jim Beam White Label. It’s a bit more robust, bolder, and with more wood spices (especially cinnamon and vanilla) and a curious botanical note. Throw in some corn, caramel, and honey, and this is what you get. Behind all that, I’m detecting a bit of youthfulness — I might like this bourbon with more age and less “devil.”

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Summer 2011)