Jim Beam Signature Craft Brown Rice Bourbon 11 Year

Nose - toffee, vanilla cream, brown sugar, peanut butter, marshmallow, black pepper, chocolate cake, cinnamon bun, tobacco, black cherry, plum, raisin bread, rich oak, mild to moderate ethanol burn. Taste - dark chocolate, brown sugar, hazelnut, peanut butter, caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, leather, sour oak, tobacco, bitter herbal notes, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium length with caramel, dark chocolate, and sour oak flavors. For the next couple days, I’ll be digging through my Santa-sized sack of samples and pulling out some one-offs that I’ve been wanting to try for a long time, but don’t fit cleanly into a review series. This was high on the list. An 11 year old brown rice bourbon. The only other brown rice whiskey I’ve tasted is the Little Book Chapter 4, and I really enjoyed that one. I’m thinking this won’t be as good, but let’s find out. The nose is dark and sweet. There’s dark chocolate and fruit, marshmallow, and a really nice yeasty, cakey aroma. The palate is similarly dark and rich, but a slightly tart, bitterness emerges. I can’t quite place whether it’s a citrusy or herbal off note, or just a youthful, underproofed quality, but it’s unwelcome and dampens an otherwise great experience. The mouthfeel and finish are also a bit thin and lacking. Overall, this is good bourbon that could have been excellent with a few minor improvements to the palate. A huge thank you to a friend for the generous sample!

When I started exploring bourbon in 2020, these Beam Signature Crafts were high on my list of bottles to find. However, I could never locate any until tonight, when I had dinner near a liquor store (I made that rhyme!). Honestly, I was hoping to find the 12 Year Bourbon. Instead, I found the 11 Year Brown Rice and the 11 Year High Rye. I chose the former... Nose: Sweet, with a mustiness reminiscent of old leather-bound books (which is a positive trait). Palate: (consumed with one small ice cube) A strong oak presence is immediate. It's sweet and spicy, with an unidentifiable note at the back on the first sip. Is it buttery pound cake? What could it be? Perhaps more like a cherry-nougat confection from a box of chocolates? Regardless, it's very good, in a very distinct way. Cheers to Jim Beam! Finish: Very little burn, quite long with a lingering tingle and oakiness. This is good stuff. I know there's more available where I purchased it. I'll likely buy another before they disappear entirely. The price might seem high for a 375 ml bottle, but the quality and relative rarity of these Signature Crafts make it worthwhile, in my opinion.

The nose is a delightful blend of brown sugar, toasted marshmallows, honey, with hints of vanilla and dried fruits. The brown sugar flavor carries well onto the palate, which is rich and features a balanced mix of oak, vanilla, and black pepper, concluding with notes of peanut butter and molasses. The finish is surprisingly lengthy, with the spice gradually giving way to a lingering caramel.

This was poured at a club gathering. It stands out as the best of the distillery's experimental releases. Smell: Caramel candy, cocoa, sugary tree sap, vanilla bean, spice bark, allspice, uncooked grain, tangerines, dark cherries, tropical fruit, warm spices Taste: Dark sugar, citrus fruit, cocoa, caramel candy, dried grapes, floral notes, dark cherries, spearmint, spice bark, English walnuts, hickory nuts Aftertaste: Burnt sugar, cocoa, vanilla bean, dark cherries, tangerines, nectarines, fuzz peaches, sugary tree sap, lemon-lime

I'm truly appreciating this, particularly for its value at $13 for a 375ml. It's complex and delicate, with a smoothness I attribute to the inclusion of rice. Notes of sweet tea, marshmallow, tannin, woodsy spice, and burnt orange peel are abundant. The nose is remarkably gentle, and the finish is a pleasant, medium-long duration.

Earns top marks for its distinctive aroma and flavor. The nose presents a pleasing earthy quality. Sweet, nutty, and oily as it goes down. A bit pricey for the amount, but if you seek an unusual drink, this comes highly recommended.