Jim Beam Signature Craft Quarter Cask Finish

Given that the signature series bottles are quite expensive, I'm hoping to get the whole collection before they're gone. Nose: The description of sweet sherry wine is spot on, with notes of red berries, brown sugar, and warm cinnamon. Palate: Sweet wine sugars greet you first, followed by lighter bourbon sugars and oak. Sadly, it has too much of that thin, standard Beam character in the body, and the richness promised on the nose doesn't truly emerge in the taste. The finish remains thin, with only mild spice warmth and weak sweetness. My curiosity about this bottle wasn't rewarded; it falls far short of its advertised potential. While it has some interesting aspects, at this price, it's not a "buy recommend." Sample a friend's bottle or find it at a bar first. This bourbon just isn't good enough for an upper-shelf Beam release. It's a miss for a "finished" style bourbon that can't even stack up against better lower-tier Beam options like the Double Oak or Distiller's Cut. It's a shame to give a Beam product a negative rating, but that's how it is. Enjoy!

I can't believe I got this 750ml bottle for just $33! Given the ex-bourbon and sherry cask finishing, I'm quite enthusiastic, as I really appreciated the PX Sherry finished Distiller's Masterpiece. Nose: Sweet vanilla and brown sugar alongside dried cherry and fig. It has the typical Jim Beam boiled peanuts, but with a somewhat dusty character that mingles with a bit of funk, ultimately resembling hazelnut. Flavor: It's immediately very bourbon-like with vanilla and dark sugars, but quickly followed by more dark fruit and a slight sherry funk. There's also a bit of spice and considerable oak. Finish: Additional rye spice and dark fruit transition into a heavily drying, oaky finish. It's quite long and persistent, with more drying oak, presumably from the contact with the smaller casks. This is outstanding! The sherry isn't overwhelmingly prominent, contributing more as background dark fruit notes, but I enjoy how the sherry character interacts with the heavy oak from the quarter casks, all while being overshadowed by the traditional Jim Beam bourbon characteristics.

Nose: Dense caramel and heavy red apple, brown sugar, peanut butter, light oak and a bit of smoke. Taste: Heavy oak with peanut butter and red apple. Brown sugar and vanilla with a spicy rye aftertaste. Almost a pear note in there. There is also a faint hint of banana. It goes down easily, almost watery.

This Jim Beam is my top choice to date. The aroma presents the expected corn, vanilla, and peanuts, though less intense, alongside a gentle merlot note. It enters the creamy, smooth palate with mild sweetness, and the medium-length finish leaves me feeling cozy and satisfied, like a snugly infant.

Sweet aroma with a subtle oak presence. Flavor profile includes dark fruit with oak notes. The finish is nutty and oaky, with a lingering taste of dark fruit and alcohol. I recommend this to anyone seeking an oak-forward bourbon with rich dark fruit undertones.

The aroma has notes of wood and earthy mushrooms, along with some cinnamon and caramel. The palate offers more wood and a slight astringency. It feels thin but smooth. The finish is mildly bitter. It is light. Tasted on 11/16/18.