Title:
Hardin’s Creek: Jacobs Well
Description:
Classification: Straight Bourbon
Company: Beam Suntory
Distillery: Fred B. Noe Distillery
Release Date: July 2022
Proof: 108
Age: 15 Years, 4 Months
Mashbill: Undisclosed
Color: Amber
MSRP: $150 (2022)
Hardin’s Creek is a new brand extension in the Beam Suntory family of products. It is being distilled at the new Fred B. Noe Distillery that is being led by master distiller Freddie Noe. According to the press release, “Hardin’s Creek is an ongoing series of annual releases, featuring some of James B. Beam Distilling Co.’s rarest and most unique liquids and grounded in the rich experience and distilling expertise of James B. Beam Distilling Co. Each set of releases will showcase the breadth and depth of the James B. Beam Distilling Co’s whiskey-making credentials inclusive of age, blending, mash bill, distillation, barrels, rackhouse locations, and more.”
The brand consists of two bottles for its inaugural release, one low aged and one high aged. Jacob’s Well is a blend of a 15 year old high rye bourbon and 16 year old traditional bourbon. The company states that “this edition pays tribute to the first family distiller, Jacob Beam, and the well he built in 1795.”
NOSE:
A cornucopia of rich scents introduces the bourbon. Sweet caramel, cinnamon sticks, light nutmeg, baking spice, and rye spice are all present. Adding additional depth are notes of aged oak,light dried tobacco and cigar box. The scents play off each other perfectly forming an inviting aroma that draws you in. These are classic aged bourbon scents that provide a great opening to the sip.
PALATE:
The palate continues the journey of classic bourbon notes with a focus more on aged flavors. Aged oak, dried raisins, light dried leather, and spicy rye flavors burst onto the scene. These are joined with a light undertone of syrup and a hint of spice cake. These simple yet classic aged Kentucky bourbon notes prove to be a fantastic midpoint of the sip.
FINISH:
Syrup soaked raisins rise to the top to start things off. From there the finish quickly transitions to drier and spicier notes, with dry oak, rye spice, and heat taking over. As these linger, a slight hint of the more traditional Jim Beam nuttiness kicks in on the very back end. In line with the rest of the sip, the finish falls just short of the height reached by the nose and palate, yet still delivers a solid ending to the sip overall.
UNIQUENESS:
The inaugural batches of Hardin’s Creek releases represent a contrast in ages. While the much lower aged Colonel James B. Beam drinks surprisingly well for such a low aged bourbon, Jacob’s Well reaches the heights you would hope for when it comes to high aged Kentucky bourbon. When thinking about this bourbon, I was struck with the thought that while there isn’t anything inherently unique about it, at the same time, it’s also rare to find 15 year old Kentucky bourbon that drinks as well as this does.
Jacob’s Well flirts with being over-oaked, tap-dancing its way around never quite crossing that line. Instead, it uses its age to its advantage, as rich notes deliver a nice balance of aged dried flavors that intermingle with spicier and appropriately placed sweet notes. Most amazing to me is the fact that until you get to the finish you’d be hard pressed to place this as a bourbon coming from a Beam brand due to the lack of nuttiness found throughout the sip. For some this will be a miss, as this is a characteristic that Beam lovers seek out, however, for others it will come as a welcome relief.
Company: Beam Suntory
Distillery: Fred B. Noe Distillery
Release Date: July 2022
Proof: 108
Age: 15 Years, 4 Months
Mashbill: Undisclosed
Color: Amber
MSRP: $150 (2022)
Hardin’s Creek is a new brand extension in the Beam Suntory family of products. It is being distilled at the new Fred B. Noe Distillery that is being led by master distiller Freddie Noe. According to the press release, “Hardin’s Creek is an ongoing series of annual releases, featuring some of James B. Beam Distilling Co.’s rarest and most unique liquids and grounded in the rich experience and distilling expertise of James B. Beam Distilling Co. Each set of releases will showcase the breadth and depth of the James B. Beam Distilling Co’s whiskey-making credentials inclusive of age, blending, mash bill, distillation, barrels, rackhouse locations, and more.”
The brand consists of two bottles for its inaugural release, one low aged and one high aged. Jacob’s Well is a blend of a 15 year old high rye bourbon and 16 year old traditional bourbon. The company states that “this edition pays tribute to the first family distiller, Jacob Beam, and the well he built in 1795.”
NOSE:
A cornucopia of rich scents introduces the bourbon. Sweet caramel, cinnamon sticks, light nutmeg, baking spice, and rye spice are all present. Adding additional depth are notes of aged oak,light dried tobacco and cigar box. The scents play off each other perfectly forming an inviting aroma that draws you in. These are classic aged bourbon scents that provide a great opening to the sip.
PALATE:
The palate continues the journey of classic bourbon notes with a focus more on aged flavors. Aged oak, dried raisins, light dried leather, and spicy rye flavors burst onto the scene. These are joined with a light undertone of syrup and a hint of spice cake. These simple yet classic aged Kentucky bourbon notes prove to be a fantastic midpoint of the sip.
FINISH:
Syrup soaked raisins rise to the top to start things off. From there the finish quickly transitions to drier and spicier notes, with dry oak, rye spice, and heat taking over. As these linger, a slight hint of the more traditional Jim Beam nuttiness kicks in on the very back end. In line with the rest of the sip, the finish falls just short of the height reached by the nose and palate, yet still delivers a solid ending to the sip overall.
UNIQUENESS:
The inaugural batches of Hardin’s Creek releases represent a contrast in ages. While the much lower aged Colonel James B. Beam drinks surprisingly well for such a low aged bourbon, Jacob’s Well reaches the heights you would hope for when it comes to high aged Kentucky bourbon. When thinking about this bourbon, I was struck with the thought that while there isn’t anything inherently unique about it, at the same time, it’s also rare to find 15 year old Kentucky bourbon that drinks as well as this does.
Jacob’s Well flirts with being over-oaked, tap-dancing its way around never quite crossing that line. Instead, it uses its age to its advantage, as rich notes deliver a nice balance of aged dried flavors that intermingle with spicier and appropriately placed sweet notes. Most amazing to me is the fact that until you get to the finish you’d be hard pressed to place this as a bourbon coming from a Beam brand due to the lack of nuttiness found throughout the sip. For some this will be a miss, as this is a characteristic that Beam lovers seek out, however, for others it will come as a welcome relief.
Brewery or Distillery:
Fred B. Noe Distillery
Size:
750 mL
Alcohol Percent:
54
Type of Alcohol:
Bourbon
Year:
2022
Date Added:
2022-12-10 21:46:42
Date Added:
2022-12-10 21:46:42
