Hardin's Creek Colonel James B. Beam

I don't understand how anyone can justify charging $85 for a 2-year-old bourbon. Perhaps it's a sign of the times, inflation, or the world gone mad? In short, I'm not sure I could knowingly pay that much again. But I can, and did, pay approximately that without knowing. This is one of two bottles that arrived at my doorstep in a large, fancy box from Clermont, KY. The Beam family's Barreled and Boxed program is exceptional because it bypasses the allocated bourbon lines and instead delivers bottles, along with a very large box, directly to your home. The presentation is lovely, and the convenience is unbeatable. However, overpaying for a 2-year-old bourbon to get my hands on a 15-year-old bourbon not sourced from Barton seemed like a reasonable idea at the time. The concept behind this bottle – essentially what I've repeatedly requested – is appealing. Lower proof off the still. The fermentation period being extended to 5 days is interesting and could go either way: more ethanol, less fermented sugar, or more fermentation byproducts that could taste spent or fantastic. It has a light golden color and a somewhat viscous appearance. The nose strongly resembles Old Granddad 114 – loads of vanilla, red hot cinnamon candies, corn cookies, apple pie, and a hint of cola. There's also a touch of alcohol burn. The surprising aspect is that it lacks the grainy cereal notes found in some other craft bourbons bottled at 4 years or less, and I would have guessed it was 6 years old if I didn't know its age. There's a bit of oak to balance the sweetness, but that's all. A bit hot and thin, but bursting with cinnamon, vanilla, and more oak than the nose suggested. There are some black tea notes, but also tobacco and corn grain mid-way to the finish. The finish is short and spicy with hints of caraway, pepper, and sorghum. It's genuinely quite good. I'm surprised, much like Castle & Key's bourbon (batch 2) and Willett's 4-year rye, that it packs an unexpected amount of flavor in such a short time. I feel the same way about their pricing: they have some marketing flair that drives up the cost in a way that feels awkward. Is it more complex than OGD 114 but with a very similar profile? Yes. Does it justify the additional ~$50? Absolutely not. It aligns with my preferences, but I wouldn't purchase it standalone unless the price was closer to $45-50 maximum. I could see giving it as high as a 4 in my rating, but considering the price, I can't justify more than a 3.5. Frankly, I could rate it as low as 3.25 and for now, I'll stick with that score as long as OGD 114 remains available.

The nose begins with a blend of peach cobbler, vanilla ice cream, and a light oak spice, then moves to cocoa nibs, candied peanuts, and butterscotch candy. This is followed by Granny Smith apple peel, maraschino cherries, and tangerine orange zest, transitioning to light spearmint, cloves, ginger, and mild black tea with a medium ethanol burn. The taste has a thin to medium mouthfeel, starting with creamy orchard fruit, butterscotch pudding, and a light woody spice. It then presents blonde roast espresso, candied peanuts, and freshly lit pipe tobacco, followed by sautéed apples, cherry candy, and mandarin oranges, transitioning to light spearmint, cloves, ginger, and mild black tea with a medium ethanol burn. The finish is short, featuring sautéed cinnamon apples, butterscotch candy, caramelized peaches, light spearmint, black pepper, and mild black tea. I'm quite impressed with how well this tastes for only being two years old, and I believe it could easily surpass some of the five to six-year-old bourbons I've sampled over the years. It's not groundbreaking, but it's a well-balanced, easy-sipping bourbon that I'd love to try again at five to six years old to see how age has affected the flavors. At $85, I find the price a bit too high; it could shed the fancy packaging to allow for a more reasonable price around the $50 mark, which is where I think it belongs. Thanks to for the generous sample.

It has vanilla and caramel notes, similar to butterscotch. It finishes hot but is somewhat sweet on the palate. The light body also contributes to the hot finish.

Apples with all the best baking spices on the nose. This profile carries over to the palate as well, with a lingering cinnamon finish.

Not bad for a two-year-old, with complex flavors. Acquired at the distillery on October 21, 2022, and sampled again on November 8, 2022.

Enjoyable and flavorful for its age. Notes of peanut brittle and salted pretzels.