Question about jim beam white/black label, and JD

[jackbauer1984]

Im looking for a whiskey or whiskey/ bourbon to drink after dinner in the evening where i can relax and just take the edge off. I have had white label an liked it but i had a few questions for awhile now.

whats the difference between whiskey and bourbon/whiskey.
what is the diff between white label and black label JB
in your opinions which is the easiest on stomach out of the jim beam wht blck and jack daniels options, and which one tastes better, especially mixed with soda or on the rocks. Thanks guys.

[Deactivated Member]

Bourbon is American whiskey made to specific legal standards. Someone else here can get more technical if you are interested, but I would think that, to a casual consumer such as you seem to be, the difference may not be very important.

I don't drink bourbon, so don't have an opinion on the choices you mention. Certainly many here will. But why not simply try them and decide for yourself? For most of us, it's the exploration that is the most fun. And if you ask any five of us what we think, you will doubtless get ten different opinions. Yours is just as good--for you, better.

[jackbauer1984]

Good point. Thanks!

[Virginia Gentleman]

Im looking for a whiskey or whiskey/ bourbon to drink after dinner in the evening where i can relax and just take the edge off. I have had white label an liked it but i had a few questions for awhile now.

whats the difference between whiskey and bourbon/whiskey.
what is the diff between white label and black label JB
in your opinions which is the easiest on stomach out of the jim beam wht blck and jack daniels options, and which one tastes better, especially mixed with soda or on the rocks. Thanks guys.

JB White label is aged four years and Black label is aged eight years. Of these two I would pick the Black label but there are certainly many other bourbons I would rather drink than these.

[Deactivated Member]

Bourbon is American whiskey made to specific legal standards. Someone else here can get more technical if you are interested, but I would think that, to a casual consumer such as you seem to be, the difference may not be very important...

All bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey (obviously) is bourbon. More specifically, bourbon must be:

• distilled from a mash of not less than 51% corn (in practice, it's generally 68-80% corn, with the remainder either rye or wheat, and malted barley)
• leave the still upon final distillation at no more than 80% abv (160 proof)
• enter the barrel at no more than 62.5% abv (125 proof)
• aged in new, charred oak barrels at least two years; an age statement MUST be made on the label only if under 4 years old at bottling (most state an age anyway as a marketing point, but any without the age will be at least 4 years old anyway)

Additionally, though bourbon can be made in any U.S. state, the only state name which can appear on the 'straight bourbon whiskey' line on the label is Kentucky, if it has aged at least 2 years in-state.
Nothing except water (to reduce proof) can be added before bottling, which must be at 40% abv (80 proof) or above.

Jim Beam Black-Label 8yo is a very nice under-$20 bourbon. To me, anything else with the Jim Beam label is usable only as a mixer.

[Frodo]

whats the difference between whiskey and bourbon/whiskey.
what is the diff between white label and black label JB
in your opinions which is the easiest on stomach out of the jim beam wht blck and jack daniels options, and which one tastes better, especially mixed with soda or on the rocks. Thanks guys.

Hi Jackbauer:

Here's my stab at your questions...

1) TNbourbon basicly answered your question about whisky/bourbon. My take is that bourbon has a mashbill that MUST contain 51% corn whereas other kinds of whisky may be less restricted. I think something labaled "straight" whisky must contain 51% or the appropriate grain (wheat for wheat whisky, rye for rye whisky, etc). I'm not sure what you can put in a bottle of blended american whisky - what the standards are.

2) White and Black Beam. The difference here is 4 vs 8 yrs in a cask (as per Virginia Gent), and the results that white is a decent drinkable whisky that not everyone likes but is cheap enough to mix. The black is usually drunk without mixing as it is more...complex. I do like the black, but alot of other folks would buy something else at Black's price point.

3) If you are going to mix with (club) soda I would suggest you consider carefully about buying something "premium". If mixing with cola, I would definatly recommend getting the cheap stuff (like beam white) as the nuances and subtlties of a premium bottling would get lost in the cola.

I would recommend Beam white, or if you wanted to try a premium in club soda, perhaps Gentleman Jack 12yr old. Tried it a couple of times and it's REALLY smooth (charcol-filtered twice I believe). I would not get Beam Black unless you wanted to try it with some water.

Just my two cents worth.

[bamber]

JB white and black are 2 of my least favourite whiskies. In fact JB white is quite literally, the last whisk(e)y I would choose to drink.

A lot of people rave about JB black, but personally there is just something in the flavour profile - 'vegetal licorice' that really puts me off.

I do, however, like all Jack Daniel's, especially the Silver Select. Additionally, if you are looking for one of the smoothest, sweetest whiskies the world has to offer, Gentelman Jack is it, IMO and experience. Pretty sickly after a while though.

I've not noticed any of them (JB or JD) to be particularly hard on the stomach.

If you're in America, there are just so many better Bourbons availabe to you and even if your in the UK, you could pick up a bottle of Buffalo Trace, from most big Sainsbury's or Elijah Craig 12yo from Oddbins.

Not sure how all of this translates to mixers as I don't use them.

[Deactivated Member]

...I think something labaled "straight" whisky must contain 51% or the appropriate grain (wheat for wheat whisky, rye for rye whisky, etc). I'm not sure what you can put in a bottle of blended american whisky - what the standards are.

Correct, Frodo, regarding 'straight'. Also, must be aged in new oak at least two years.
Here's a link to U.S. whiskey/spirits law:
http://www.distill.com/specs/USA10.html

...White and Black Beam. The difference here is 4 vs 8 yrs in a cask ...

There also is a 7yo white label sold in a few markets, including here in TN. The 8yo is noticeably better -- funny the difference a year makes.

... try a premium in club soda, perhaps Gentleman Jack 12yr old...

Gentleman Jack is the same age as all other Jack Daniel's whiskeys -- that is, 4-5 years old when bottled (the Single Barrel is 6 to 7 years old). The only difference in GJ is the double filtering (once before barreling, again at unbarreling). I'm not a fan of JD products in any case, but their price vis-a-vis age is one of the highest -- probably THE highest -- among American whiskeys. I can't think of another 4- or 5yo which tops $20. Maker's Mark is closest at around 6 years old in the $22-$23 range per 750ml.
None of the numbers on the Tennessee whiskeys indicates age. They are simply part of the name -- e.g., JD #7, George Dickel #8 and #12. None of them has a specific age, but rather a taste profile met when marrying barrels. The Dickel #12 is the oldest, but only about 6-8 years old (although it may be older at the moment because of the 4-year hiatus in distilling of Dickel from 1999 to 2003 -- the oldest of the 'new' whiskey is still too young for that label, but the youngest of the 'old' whiskey is now 7 years old).

[duncan36]

FYI the 4 year white label Jim Beam won bronze medal at a spirits contest judged by experts the 8 year black label got a consolitation prize. I.e. The white label was judged to be superior to the black label.
For some reason people cant believe the original Jim Beam is a quality product and therefore the market creates new products and ritzier packaging and charges more money for aging, etc. People dont know a quality bourbon from a hole in the ground and get sucked in.
I'm not complaining regular Jim Beam would be more expensive if not for this phenomena. So yuppies and numbskulls keep buying the fru fru stuff and keep the prices on the solid booze low.

[Deactivated Member]

If you are not going to mix this with anything, you could try some Maker's Mark, Woodford Reserve or Blanton's.
MT

[hilliamash]

Around the same age is Ancient Ancient Age 10 Star---also a very nice bourbon that will come in under $15/bottle. Virginia Gentleman is also a nice middle-of-the-road whiskey as well.

I think personally Dickel is a better value than JD--either the #8 or the #12 are quite good---the #8 is a bit sweeter, but the #12 is more complex. If you are buying for mixing--#8---> if with cola, then would go with Cascade Hollow variety.

The Cascade Hollow variety is a bit too young still, but I think compares fairly favoratively to JB--White Label.