Introduction
Today, we are checking out Jim Beam Straight Bourbon Whiskey, also known as Jim Beam White Label. This is one of the best-selling bourbons in the world, if not the best-selling. It clocks in at 80 proof and is a bottom-shelf staple. Now, when we say bottom shelf, we don't necessarily mean bottom-tier quality, but it is an affordable bourbon that people have used for decades as a mixer and neat.
The mash bill on Jim Beam is 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% malted barley, so almost an equivalent amount of rye and barley. This is a non-age-stated bourbon. To not have an age statement on the label, a bourbon has to be aged for a minimum of four years, meaning that the youngest bourbon in this blend has to be four years or older. Otherwise, it has to be age-stated.
This is our fifth week of low-cost Jim Beam bourbon reviews. Check out our reviews for Jim Beam Black Label, Jim Beam Single Barrel, Jim Beam Devil's Cut, and Jim Beam Double Oak.
The following review is taken from our episode "Avengers: Endgame / Jim Beam Straight Bourbon Whiskey." Click the link to listen to this review in audio format.
Nose
Brad: The Jim Beam comes across with, like, "dust of peanut." There's a bit of caramel. It reminds me of a fizzy water that you can't place what flavor it is. There's something effervescent about it, but there's not a ton of notes here. I'm going to be generous and give it a 6/10 on the nose.
Bob: Last week with the Black Label and this week, I've found the noses much more pleasant, and I think it's just because they're leaning much sweeter. This smells like cracking open a bag of peanuts at a baseball game, but if they were doused in caramel and honey. You get peanut butter, brown sugar, and maple on this. It’s by far the most pleasant smelling of all five of these Jim Beams. I'm going to give it a 7.5/10 on the nose.
Taste
Brad: I love that you called out maple because that, for me, was the thing that bumped my taste score up. There's caramel, there's vanilla, and there's a bit of a peanut note, but for me, it was a rich maple syrup on the front of the tongue that brought the score up. I'm giving it a 7/10 on the taste.
Bob: I feel like Beam's solution to come up with a higher-end version of their regular bourbon is more years in the barrel, more oakiness, double oaking, and it has really thrown the balance off, tipping it into almost bitterness. By contrast, this has a lot of oak, and I can sense the rye and the barley here as well, but it is syrupy sweet. I love this, and for an 80-proof bourbon, it has so much going on on the palate that I don't notice how thin it is, like I did last week with the Black Label. I think this is a significant step up from the Black Label, and I’m giving it a 7.5/10 on the palate.
Finish
Brad: The finish falls back down to earth for what this whiskey could be. It gets corn-heavy on the end, the vanilla comes through, and it just has a generic sweetness to it, almost like a simple syrup. There’s not enough classic peppery oak notes to get me excited about the finish, so I'm back down to a 6/10.
Bob: I'm with you on all of those notes, but this is the first time where it hasn't been coupled with an intense bitterness. It’s definitely an 80-proof bourbon, but it tastes like an 80-proof bourbon that they could charge more money for. Basil Hayden's, another Jim Beam product, is $40. I don't know that I'd be able to immediately tell the difference between the two if you put them in front of me, because they've been so diluted. This just has a nice, well-rounded flavor profile. The finish feels like it could stand up in a lower-ABV cocktail. I like the oakiness of it, I like the spice, and that maple-caramel comes back a bit on the back of the palate. So, I'm going to give it a 7/10 on the finish.
Balance
Brad: I think the flavors they're going for, they hit. There’s just not any real variance of the notes here to make me excited about it. I’m giving it a 7/10 on balance.
Bob: On the last three categories, I said 7.5, 7.5, 7. That means this is a pretty well-balanced whiskey. Is it the greatest whiskey we've ever had? Absolutely not, but for a cheap, blended bourbon with no age statement that most people will pass by on shelves, I’m actually pretty blown away. I think I'm going to give it an 8.5/10 on balance.
Value
Brad: This bottle of whiskey is going to set you back $17 in the state of Ohio.
Bob: This is a 10/10 value. I'm staking my claim here. I'm putting my stake in the ground, Brad. This is the first one that I've had in this series of five whiskeys, including the single barrel, which cost $30-something, that helps me understand why people like the Jim Beam palate.
We've had Booker's. We understand what it's like on the high end, but for people who go out and just buy Jim Beam products, this is the flagship product, and if they don’t nail this, then why would I want everything else in their lineup? And I think the fact that we ended with this one is really important, because this is the first time I've understood why people enjoy Jim Beam. For $17, this is a steal.
Brad: I'll give it a 7.5/10. It's $17, it's a decent pour. I think you can get a few other better pours for just a few bucks more. Good value. They’ve produced a solid whiskey, and they know what they’re making.
Final Scores
Brad: I’m coming out to a 33.5/50.
Bob: I am significantly higher than you on this one, Brad. I'm at a 40.5/50.
This is definitely skewed by my 10/10 value score, but I gave it a 30.5/40 on just the tasting elements. I think it's a "7.5" whiskey across the board, but when you put that at a $17 price point, this is cheaper than any whiskey we've ever done on the show except for maybe Benchmark. If you have $17 in your pocket and want to spend all your money on whiskey, what else can I steer you to besides this? It’s really good.
Brad: I came to a 26/40 on the tasting parts of the review, which would equate to a 65/100 if we don't account for the price at all. I'm just a little softer than you on it, and that's totally okay. I am happy that you have something to rejoice in this episode of Film & Whiskey.
Conclusion
Our scores averaged to a 37/50.
In summary, Jim Beam Straight Bourbon Whiskey is an affordable and solid choice, especially at a price point of $17. While it may not be the most complex bourbon, it delivers a pleasant experience that stands up well among its peers. We typically recommend trying or buying a bottle when it scores 35/50. For context, a 40/50 is considered great, and a 45/50 is excellent. Jim Beam Straight Bourbon Whiskey earns its place as a staple, especially for those new to bourbon or seeking a dependable mixer.
