Distillery

Jim Beam whiskies

Jim Beam is the world’s best-selling bourbon and its main distillery is in Clermont, Kentucky. It belongs to Suntory Global Spirits. The Beam family has been distilling since the end of the 18th century, and the brand’s name pays tribute to James B. Beam, who rebuilt the distillery after Prohibition. Its stills also produce premium brands such as Knob Creek and Basil Hayden, part of a collection of small batch bourbons created by the house.

Founded
1795
Owner
Suntory Global Spirits
Origin
Kentucky, United States
In the catalogue
15 whiskies

History, style and where to startSee it on the world mapJim Beam official website

  • Jim Beam distillery, photo 1 of 3
    Photo: BourbonNerd · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons (cropped and converted)
  • Jim Beam distillery, photo 2 of 3
    Photo: Unknown author Unknown author or not provided · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons (cropped and converted)
  • Jim Beam distillery, photo 3 of 3
    Photo: Shadle · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons (cropped and converted)

15 whiskies

Guide to Jim Beam

History

Jacob Beam, a farmer of German origin, began selling whiskey in Kentucky at the end of the 18th century, and his descendants kept up the trade for generations. Prohibition forced it to close, and when it ended James B. Beam, already seventy years old, built a new distillery in Clermont in a few months. In the 20th century the company grew into a big group. At the beginning of the 1990s one of its master distillers, a grandson of James B. Beam, created a collection of small batch bourbons, including Knob Creek. In 2014 Suntory bought the company.

House style

Jim Beam’s style is sweet and accessible: caramel, vanilla, oak, corn and a touch of spice. The classic recipe has a moderate share of rye, and Basil Hayden uses a higher-rye one, lighter and spicier. Knob Creek goes for more age and strength, with more oak and body. Devil’s Cut adds whiskey extracted from the barrel wood, more intense.

Average flavour profile of its 15 whiskies in the catalogue

Sweet
3.1
Fresh fruit
1.5
Ripe and dried fruit
0.9
Floral and herbal
0.7
Cereal and malt
1.4
Vanilla and creamy
2.5
Oak
2.7
Spicy
2.7
Toasted
2.1
Smoky
0.1
Maritime
0.0
Body and intensity
3.1

Where to start

Jim Beam White Label is the classic way in, designed for mixed drinks. Jim Beam Black has more age and is rounder for drinking neat. If you’re after a bourbon with more character, Knob Creek 9 Year Old is one of the best in its range, and Basil Hayden a smooth, spicy option. Trying White Label and Knob Creek in a row shows how much age and strength change bourbon.

This text was generated and translated by AI and may contain errors. Founding year, owner and official website come partly from Wikidata.

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