After over 200 years of bourbon-making expertise, it’s no surprise that each of Jim Beam’s subsidiary brands has become a mainstay in the liquor world in its own right. From Knob Creek to Basil Hayden’s, these labels display a dedication to craft and quality that ranks among the best in the industry. And now, joining their ranks is Hardin’s Creek, a new premium brand from James B. Beam Distilling Company.
Coming out of the gate about a week ago with Jacob’s Well, Hardin’s Creek is already garnering a lot of interest. Named after Beam’s forefather, Jacob Beam, and the well of water from which the earliest batches of whiskeys were made during the tail end of the 18th century, Jacob’s Well is a straight bourbon that marries two different batches: one traditional bourbon aged 16 years and one high-rye aged 15 years. The bouquet of vanilla and caramel on the nose leads into oak and stone fruit on the palate, giving way to a smooth vanilla finish.
The second bottle, which was unveiled today, is the Colonel James B. Beam Straight Whiskey, whose namesake took the helm of the company back when Prohibition was first repealed. It took Colonel Beam 120 days to get Clermont Distillery up and running again, essentially building up the brand from scratch. This expression has been aged for 2 years, but has characteristics of more mature liquors due to a quicker distillation period and gathering most of its complexities from the fermentation itself. This spirit possesses vanilla, oak, and nutty notes with a long finish.
This limited release coincides with the launch of Fred B. Noe Distillery, run by Master Distiller Freddie Noe, a seventh-generation distiller for Beam and the one who hand-selected the barrels for these bottles.
Both releases will be available from retailers and bars this July, with Colonel B. James retailing for $80 and Jacob’s Well for $150.
