Taken: Neat in a Glencairn glass, rested for about 15 minutes.
Distillery: James Beam Distillery.
Proof: 109.
Age: 211 months (17 years, 7 months).
Mash bill(s): 75% Corn/13% Rye/12% Malted Barley & 63% Corn/27% Rye/10% Malted Barley.
Price: $169.99.
Appearance: Golden caramel.
Nose
The nose leads with sweet and rich caramel flavors of crème brûlée and brown sugar, butterscotch, with peanut brittle and chocolate. Next is stone fruit jam, red berries, vanilla extract, orange peel, and herbal flavors of black tea, dill, cloves, molasses, cedar, and cinnamon spice. The caramel flavors are sweet and incredible, with a noticeable Beam signature peanut note mixed with much more fruit than I expected. The flavors and balance in this batch are complex and fantastic.
Palate
With a creamy mouthfeel, the palate features crème brûlée, caramelized brown sugar, peanuts, molasses, apricots, berries, dates, sage and cloves, vanilla bean, and rich oak. A more than moderate but well-balanced cinnamon spice kicks in mid-sip, covering the whole palate. The ultra-aged oak-influenced caramel flavors are excellent, with no hint of being over-oaked. The inclusion, complexity, and balance of all other fruit and herbaceous flavors are equally incredible. I also happen to love its 109-proof point, which contributes to an excellent sipping experience while maintaining a very flavorful profile.
Finish
Cinnamon spice and toasted oak continue to linger with apricots, berries, peanuts, tea, cloves, chocolate, and vanilla bean. More time brings subtle leather and pipe tobacco, allspice, and peanuts still hanging on for a very long oak-forward finish with no bitterness.
Conclusion
The first thing that came to mind was the influence of the Old Grand-Dad 114 flavor profile in this release. Specifically, the sweeter toffee, butterscotch, and herbal flavors, but all amped to “11”. The signature Old Grand-Dad 114 cinnamon spice note is there as well, blended with a balance of flavors that are done to perfection. This made me wonder if we’ll ever see an ultra-aged Hardin’s Creek release solely using the high-rye mash bill. I’d love to try that. Incidentally, Freddy Noe included an 18-year high rye bourbon mash bill in a blend of six other Beam whiskeys in the latest Little Book Chapter 8: Path Not Taken. Using the 200 ml Hardin’s Creek Kentucky Series Trio set, I compared Hardin’s Creek Clermont (17 years, 110 proof, 75/13/12 mash bill) and found that Jacob’s Well Batch 2 has a more complex profile with extra cinnamon spice, stone fruit, and herbaceous flavors. In Clermont, the oak flavors are darker, bringing out more chocolate, and the signature Beam peanut note is more upfront. Both are excellent in their own way, but in comparing the two side by side, I preferred Jacob’s Well Batch 2. I look forward to comparing Hardin’s Creek Frankfort & Boston to Jacob’s Well Batch 2 next.
Earlier this year, I was surprised to learn of this release (that seemed to come out of nowhere) and was glad to see an older age statement and a bit higher proof than the first. When looking for more information, I couldn’t find Jacob’s Well Batch 2 on Beam’s websites or socials. Instead, the Hardin’s Creek line focuses on the Kentucky Series. I was surprised again to see Jacob’s Well Batch 2 show up on the shelves of three local stores recently, one selling it at retail and another close to it. This wasn’t the case for the first Jacob’s Well release. All these ultra-aged Hardin’s Creek releases (and Knob Creek 18) make me wonder how many 17+ year stocks Beam has left. I guess we’ll find out sooner or later. Speaking of more Hardin’s Creek, Beam just announced its 11-year, 106-proof Hardin’s Creek Golden Origins Corn Whiskey will finally be released on June 19th. I’m curious to see where this release will be distributed.
Jacob’s Well Batch 2 has exceeded my expectations, and that’s saying a lot because I had high hopes for this release. At first, I wondered if it would be better at a higher proof, but at no time was Jacob’s Well Batch 2 lacking in flavor. So, I told my inner proof hound to shut up and enjoy this incredible, perfectly balanced bourbon. It’s not often that I spend $170 on a bottle, but all things considered, I think Jacob’s Well Batch 2 is (well) worth it. It also helps if you’re a big Beam fan. This release has everything I love about a well-aged Kentucky bourbon and has become my favorite Beam release (so far).
Rating: 10/10.
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite.
10 | Perfect | Perfect.
