Hardin's Creek Kentucky Series - Clermont

Jim Beam is among my most preferred distilleries, and the announcement of three distinct 17-year-old bourbons from various sources filled me with excitement and the hope of finding one at a fair price. After months of searching, my optimism waned, and I started contemplating paying an inflated secondary market price. Fortunately, my patience and good fortune paid off when my local shop received a small shipment, and I was lucky enough to obtain a bottle. Now, let's explore if the wait was justified. The aroma is robust and rich, beginning with a blend of powdered sugar-coated pecan rolls, anise, and aged leather-bound books, followed by dark chocolate espresso beans and sweet potato pastry, then blackberry preserves, cherry pastry, and blood orange, transitioning to subtle spearmint, cloves, and polished antique wood, with a moderate alcohol presence. The taste presents a thick, syrupy mouthfeel, starting with butterscotch custard, cinnamon-sugar dusted fried dough, and spicy dark chocolate filling, then worn leather, before a mild rye spice quickly yielding to fresh pipe tobacco, followed by blackberry jam, glazed peaches atop vanilla ice cream, and blood orange, transitioning to gentle baking spices, spearmint, and varnished antique wood furniture, with a moderate alcohol presence. The finish is lengthy, commencing with worn leather and mild rye notes, slowly fading to butterscotch crème brûlée, glazed peaches, blackberry pie, dark chocolate covered pretzels, crystallized ginger, and polished antique wood. Indeed, the wait was absolutely worthwhile!!! Upon opening the bottle, I sensed its special nature, offering a deep, aged bourbon profile with added berry notes that is nearly perfect in every aspect, avoiding the high tannic bitterness that could have easily resulted from extended maturation. For fellow Beam enthusiasts, this is one to seek out, and at $175, it's a steal for a 17-year-old bourbon that can rival many sought-after and overpriced offerings available today.

This spent 204 months maturing in wood. That's 17 years, people. The presentation is completely awful. The 15-year version came in a real metal container with a snap lid, a beautiful display. Now this is just painted cardboard. Look at the creases in the packaging. What a joke! So, for $190, you get childish packaging. Okay, the liquid itself is tasty. If you enjoy vanilla, oak, and brown sugar that's incredibly easy to drink, this is for you. At 110 proof, it's a remarkably smooth sipper with no harshness. You could easily finish this bottle with friends. Considering Jim Beam has aged stock and launched this 15 and 17-year Harden's Creek line, I am impressed. Also, the 2-year Harden's Creek expression is likely the finest 2-year whiskey I've ever had. However, it costs $80 for two years, which is a shame because at $40, it would be a must-buy. Anyway, I'm getting sidetracked. Thank goodness it's Friday, and cheers.

Lightly sweet, full of high notes, woody, somewhat aggressive, with a darkening profile of autumnal character.

the final taste