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 @jonwilkinson7309 for the generous sample!

When my bourbon journey began back in 2020, these Beam Signature Crafts were on my very first lists of bottles to find and try. But I could never find any of them anywhere... until tonight when I had dinner right next door to a Liquor Store (I rhymed!). TBH, I was hoping to locate the 12 Year Bourbon tonight. But they had the Brown Rice 11 Year, and the High Rye 11 Year. I opted for the former... Nose: sweet with old leather-bound book mustiness (that's a good thing). Palate: (drank with one small cube) Very strong oak presence right off the bat. Sweet and spicy... and something that I can't quite pin-point hits at the back on the first sip. Buttery pound cake? Man, what is it? Maybe it's more like a cherry-nougat truffle from a box of chocolates? Whatever it is, this is very good in a very different way. Cheers, Jim Beam! Finish: Very minimal burn, fairly long with lingering tingle and oakiness. Good stuff. I know they have more of this where I got it. I'm probably going to grab another before they're gone for good. The price might be considered high for a 375 ml bottle. But the quality and the relative scarcity of these Signature Crafts make it worthwhile, IMO.

The nose is a great mix of brown sugar, toasted marshmallows, honey and hints of vanilla and dried fruits. The brown sugar caries over nicely across the palate which is rich, with a balanced mix of oak, as vanilla and black pepper round it out as peanut butter and molasses make an appearance at the end. The finish is surprisingly long, as the spiciness fades to reveal a lingering caramel.

Drammers Club pour. My favorite of the beam experiments. Nose: Toffee, Chocolate, Maple Syrup, Vanilla, Cinnamon, Cloves, Brown Rice, Oranges, Cherries, Pineapples, Baking Spices Palate: Brown Sugar, Orange, Chocolate, Toffee, Raisins, Flowers, Cherries, Mint, Cinnamon, Pecans, Walnuts Finish: Caramel, Chocolate, Vanilla, Cherries, Oranges, Apricots, Peaches, Maple Syrup, Citrus

I am really enjoying this, especially at $13 for a 375ml. Complex and subtle, with a softness that I suspect is due to the use of rice. Lots of southern sweet tea notes with hints of marshmallow, tannin, woodsy spice, and burnt orange peel. The nose is so unexpectedly soft, but the finish is medium-long and pleasant.

Gets a perfect rating due to its unique smell and taste. On the nose it has a pleasant earthy tone. Sweet, nutty, and oily going down. A tad overpriced for the size of the bottle, but if you're looking for something different to try this is highly recommended.