Just over a decade ago, Jim Beam Black was an affordable Kentucky bourbon that carried an eight-year age statement. But in 2014, the brand, now owned by Suntory Global Spirits, dropped the age statement from the bottle and lowered its alcohol by volume from 45 to 43 percent.
At the time, it was almost a necessity. The bourbon boom left distilleries without enough mature barrels to keep up with demand. But now, the whiskey world is focused on premium bottlings, so Jim Beam is releasing a newly formulated bottling of Jim Beam Black.
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The new Jim Beam Black was aged for seven years and is once again 45 percent ABV, adding a bit of punch and roundness to the whiskey. Crafted by the distillery’s seventh and eighth generation master distillers, Fred and Freddie Noe, the bourbon offers deep notes of caramel, vanilla, and rich oak.
"Jim Beam Black is the culmination of our family's dedication to crafting the finest bourbon. With each sip, you're experiencing seven years of careful maturation and a tradition that has been passed down for over two centuries," says Fred Noe. "We've put our heart and soul into creating this bourbon, and we believe it represents the very best of what Jim Beam has to offer. It's a testament to our commitment to quality and craftsmanship."
The reformulation of Jim Beam Black comes at a time of growth in the age statement whiskey category. It gives imbibers a choice above the brand’s flagship white label bourbon.
Jim Beam Black features updated packaging that showcases the age statement front and center. It’s recommended sipped on the rocks or served in a classic old fashioned.
In more good news, the price of the new Jim Beam Black continues to keep itself in the mercifully affordable range, giving fans of the brand the opportunity to try the age statement releases for just $25.
Age statements aren't anything new for Suntory Global’s U.S. releases. After removing Knob Creek’s age statement, the brand famously returned with a variety of mature bottlings, including a 15-year-old in 2020, and an 18-year-old just 2 years ago. The addition of the 7-year-old to the Jim Beam lineup follows in the wake of the brand’s biggest competitor, legend Jack Daniel’s, releasing its own age statement series .
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