There's an old axiom that claims "Two heads are better than one". Can that theory be transferred to whiskey barrels? Jim Beam's Double Oak might answer that question. You see, they initially mature this bourbon in freshly charred American oak barrels, and then move the whiskey over to a fresh set of freshly charred American oak barrels for the second part of its maturation!
A worthy replacement for the now discontinued Jim Beam Black.
Try in a Peach Smash:
Add the ingredients above to a shaker with cubed ice and shake hard for 4 seconds. Strain over crushed ice in a rocks glass and garnish with a sprig of mint and a lemon wedge.
Full-bodied vanilla, old oak, milk chocolate and a kick of cardamom.
Subtly peppery/oak-y at first. Soon enough, waves and waves of vanilla ice cream bring balance to the palate. A few touches of fruity malt.
Charred oak toastiness lingers long on the finish.
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A little bit disappointed with this one. I wasn't overly impressed with the Woodford Reserve Double Oaked and thought the double ageing might work better with a bourbon like Jim Beam, but the flavour is nothing but oak, with nothing else especially pleasant about it. It's perfectly drinkable, but nothing special. Jim Beam white label, while nothing special, is in my opinion far better value than this one is.
Was a bit sceptical with this being Jim Beam but was quite impressed. It's smooth with good character. A bit like Bulleit but slightly more complex, a good addition at an affordable price point.
This has exactly the flavour you would expect it to have as a premium Beam product but sits very nicely in the current range. It's spicy with a lengthy enough finish that it's clearly the middle child between Beam and Knob Creek. As long as the price point sits there too, it's worth having a bottle to hand.
Outside of regular white Jim Beam, the brand has a reputation for some of its spinoffs being a bit gimmicky (Honey, Red Stag, Maple, Apple etc.). I'm pleased to announce that this double oak stuff is nothing of the sort, and has a richness and maturity to it that takes regular Jim Beam to the next level. Unsurprisingly you're met with a big, bold hit of oak, but it's not overpowering, and it benefits from a smoothness not as pronounced in regular Jim Beam. It's still got those lovely corn and sweet rye notes of traditional JB, but with a more rounded, grown-up finish compared to its little brother. Well worth a try.
