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18 Best Jim Beam Bourbons Ranked (2024 Updated)

Best Jim Beam Bourbon 

Jim Beam is one of the most favored bourbon whiskeys. It’s still not a monolith, though, even with something as commonplace and recognized as a white-label bottle of Jim Beam bourbon. 

So if you want to explore Jim Beam’s spirits, we ranked the best Jim Beam Bourbon you need to try now.  

Top 18 Jim Beam Bourbon Flavors (Most Voted On Blind Tastings)

18. Jim Beam Maple

Average Price: around $15.99 /750ml (MSRP)

Alcohol Content: 35% ABV

Why We Like It: This bottle is a very similar conclusion to the Knob Creek Smoked Maple Whiskey

Though the taste is less fascinating and complex, it’s a good spirit, especially for those who love sweets. 

A surge of flavors resembling maple syrup dominates the palate after a very sweet introduction of caramelized sugar, maple, and char.

17. Jim Beam Vanilla Bourbon Whiskey

Bottle of Jim Beam Vanilla Straight Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey

Average Price: around $15.99 /750ml (MSRP)

Alcohol Content: 35% ABV 

Why We Like It: This bottle is a successful release. Despite the strong vanilla undertones, it isn’t too sweet. 

You’ll get a rich vanilla taste enhanced by a significant amount of wood and caramel. 

What’s special about this spirit is that Madagascar vanilla is reportedly used, which explains why it doesn’t taste artificial. 

You can enjoy it in a cold rocks glass or combined with coke for a fun and classic bourbon twist. Check out some bourbons with vanilla notes here.

16. Jim Beam Repeal Batch

Jim Beam Repeal Batch Bottle and a Glass on a wooden table

Average Price: around $16 /750ml (MSRP)

Alcohol Content: 43% ABV

Why We Like It: Thanks to the slight increase in proof, this is a great improvement above the White Label standard. 

We’re getting closer to the clean sipping zone, but there’s still a lot of dried fruit and spice at play that would make for a nice cocktail or highball basis.

A malted barley [1], topped with a cherry and a light spray of toffee, draws you in next to a foster of bananas with lots of toffee, butter, and brown sugar. 

The taste combines a woodsy impression with a bit of banana at the finish and a woodsy blend of spices. 

Read: Our Favorite Jim Beam Alternatives

15. Old Tub – Unfiltered

Bottle of Old Tub - Unfiltered

Average Price: around $22.99 /750ml (MSRP)

Alcohol Content: 50% ABV 

Why We Like It: Old Tub mixes vanilla beans, eggnog, cherry bark, raw honey, Saigon cinnamon, and milled yellow maize with a little butterscotch.

There’s also a faint scent of sawdust on the nose. 

The caramel corn flavors are followed by toffees, Almond Joys, black cherry tobacco, and earthy broom bristles. 

More dry sawdust and spicy cherry tobacco are there at the finish, along with a bit of burned orange and dry lawn furniture.

Bottled at 100-proof, it’s perfect for mixing cocktails, and it tastes good on the rocks with a dash of bitters or fizzy water.

14. Jim Beam Apple Bourbon Whiskey

close up shot of Jim Beam Apple Flavored Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey bottle

Average Price: around $19.99 /750ml (MSRP)

Alcohol Content: 35% ABV 

Why We Like It: This is a good option if you’re looking for a tasty cocktail mixer or a lively shot of bourbon and luscious apple.

Although this bourbon isn’t particularly unique, you’ll be surprised by how it combines green apple flavor with a good bourbon. 

It’s a delightful little mix of apple liqueur and bourbon that makes everyone in love.

It doesn’t aim to appeal to ardent bourbon connoisseurs or overwhelm your palate with complex flavors. It’s simply good.

It also makes a fantastic mixer – enjoy it as a shot, mixed with club soda, tonic water, or combined with lemon-flavored sodas. 

13. Jim Beam Kentucky Fire Bourbon

Jim Beam Kentucky Fire Bottle and Glass with Black Background

Average Price: around $15.99 /750ml (MSRP)

Alcohol Content: 35% ABV 

Why We Like It: This perfectly combines cinnamon and traditional bourbon flavors. It is one of Jim Beam’s tastiest flavored spirits. 

It has a strong flavor profile that’s subtly balanced by being laced with a ton of spice and cinnamon. 

Bottled at Jim Beam ABV (70-proof), this is a great mashup of hot cinnamon liqueur and their signature spirit that tastes amazing in a single shot or your favorite rocks glass.

Although bourbon purists might find this blend’s excessive sugar content a touch off-putting, the strong cinnamon and spicy flavor more than makes up for it. 

The texture is perfect, never syrupy, and ends with bold but skillful black pepper notes.

12. Jim Beam Honey Whiskey

Jim Beam Honey Lemonade

Average Price: around $19.99 /750ml (MSRP)

Alcohol Content: 35% ABV 

Why We Like It: This can be the perfect bourbon for you if you prefer yours, sassy and sweet. But beware—this spirit’s sugary flavor is no joke. 

It’s a honey-heavy bourbon – somewhat tricky, battering you with extreme sweetness.

This is a highly palatable whiskey, great for enhancing iced tea or lemonade. If you want something new, you’ll like the unusual relishes of this whiskey.

Expect your entire sip to be flavored with honey with a fair amount of vanilla, plus wood. Also, a large, sweet explosion at the finish lingers long after swallowing your drink.

11. Jim Beam Peach Bourbon Whiskey

Bottle of Jim Beam Peach

Average Price: around $19.99 /750ml (MSRP)

Alcohol Content: 32.5% ABV 

Why We Like It: A juicy twist on your classic bourbon, this is a summer-sipping bourbon. 

Like many flavored mixes from the Beam Suntory, this one combines peach liqueur together with the steadfast traditional bourbon creating a fruity drink.

The playful pairing of peach with the intensely charred oak is more delectable than other flavors. This is a nice addition to your summer or spring bar collection. 

10. Jim Beam Bonded

Close Up Shot of Jim Beam Bonded Bottle Label

Average Price: around $19 /750ml (MSRP)

Alcohol Content: 50% ABV 

Why We Like It: This bonded spirit is dominated by corn from the nose, palate, and finish — with quite a bit of allspice, wood, toffee, and Sarsaparilla. 

This ultimately proves to be a reasonable compromise between the White and Black (8 years), and it’s a decent value for the price. 

Although we can’t say it’s an excellent spirit, it is rather comfortable. Overall, this spirit grows better as the proof increases. 

If you like the Jim Beam ABV 100-proof spirit like Old Grand-Dad, you will also like this one.  

9. Jim Beam Bourbon Cream

Jim Beam Bourbon Cream and Cream Hot Chocolate Drink

Average Price: around $19.99 /750ml (MSRP)

Alcohol Content: 15% ABV 

Why We Like It: You will enjoy the holiday season with this special limited-edition delicacy that’s especially festive. 

It’s smooth and sweet, making it a great substitute for traditional holiday favorites like Baileys or Basil Hayden’s, and the real taste of bourbon is still very much present. 

This works as a mixer for a boozy milkshake or hot chocolate-infused cocktails. It also works well when served plain or over rocks.

This is extremely sugary, but not the only flavor you taste, and it is one of the pivotal factors that elevate it to other elite spirits.

You’ll taste distinct vanilla and caramel ribbons as you sip.

8. Jim Beam Single Barrel

Close Up Shot of Jim Beam Single Barrel Bottle

Average Price: around $34.99 /750ml (MSRP)

Alcohol Content: 47.5% ABV 

Why We Like It: According to master distillers of Beam (including Fred Noe), this bottle is taken from the so-called “single barrel,” with the perfect balance of flavor, texture, and drinkability. 

So, this makes Jim Beam Single Barrel bourbon whiskey a remarkable spirit at a mind-bogglingly low price. 

That’s because less than 1% of all barrels in Beam Suntory were used to make this single barrel.

For less than $40, you can get an excellent, single-barrel bourbon that’s extremely drinkable neat, or in a cocktail.  

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7. Jim Beam Red Stag Black Cherry Bourbon

Bottle of Jim Beam Red Stag Black Cherry Bourbon

Average Price: around $17.99 /750ml (MSRP)

Alcohol Content: 40% ABV 

Why We Like It: Red Stag is a lovely tribute to cherry.

This bottle doesn’t particularly stand out compared to some of the other brand’s spirits; you get a bourbon-infused cherry liqueur. 

The flavor of the dark cherries is not for the faint of heart. If you love those tart, ruby-colored fruits, you mind find Red Stag a pleasant sip (close to Old Crow). 

But if you’re looking for a straight-up tasty spirit with traditional relishes, something else might be for you. 

Red Stag’s finish is long-lasting, making it a great bourbon, especially when mixed with coke. Despite some flaws, it’s not a good bottle to keep around.

6. Jim Beam Orange

Jim Beam Orange Bottle and a Glass of Cocktail

Average Price: around $15.99 /750ml (MSRP)

Alcohol Content: 32.5% ABV 

Why We Like It: This is creative with a combination of bourbon and orange liqueur. 

Though the two flavors don’t go well for some, the palate opens with a full dose of vibrant orange with erratic bourbon flavors, which is tasty.

Sippers will completely appreciate each flavor. This balances the orange and the citrus explosion with oaky, smoky tastes of Kentucky’s best. 

Because of this, Jim Beam Orange makes a good mixer for tonic water or club soda. And given its low price point, this bottle is worth considering. 

5. Jim Beam Black

Jim Beam Black bottle with ice and cocktail drink

Average Price: around $23 /750ml (Drizly)

Alcohol Content: 43% ABV 

Why We Like It: Jim Beam Black is a high-octane whiskey enhanced in American White Oak Barrels [2]. 

This well rounded, solid, and 86-proof bourbon, features caramel and many opulent, oaky aromas. 

Despite its heavy-caramel taste, this manages to stay away from being too sweet on the palate. It’s a classy bourbon with a substantial weight that stands out. 

This bourbon is reasonably priced– best for sipping.

It is a consistently wonderful bottle to maintain prominence at any home bar since the flavor profile is approachable and delectable. 

4. Jim Beam Original Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Jim Beam Original Kentucky Straight Bourbon Bottle with 2 glasses

Average Price: around $15 /750ml (MSRP)

Alcohol Content: 40% ABV 

Why We Like It: It has a traditional profile that isn’t excessively steely or sugary. At this price, it doesn’t feel as cheap as many other whiskeys.

The nose has a classic “bourbon” aroma with hints of vanilla, buttered popcorn, apple orchard, and peanut brittle. 

The taste mostly mirrors the aromas, displaying a rich cherry/vanilla flavor alongside dry straw and candy corn on the palate. 

The finish is light and brief, but it has notes of old cherry tobacco and a trace of dry wood, with a sensation of pecan-chocolate clusters. 

It is aged four years before the bourbon barrel is mixed or batch-produced.

The mixture is reduced to 80-proof, with the same Jim Beam ABV for the Old Crow and Jim Beam Rye. 

Read: Top-Rated Cherry Bourbons

3. Jim Beam Black Extra-Aged

Bottle Jim Beam Black with basket of oranges and jigger

Average Price: around $20 /750ml (MSRP)

Alcohol Content: 43% ABV

Why We Like It: We doubt anyone would object if the Beam Suntory charged $30 or $40 for this bottle. 

You can clearly detect pricey vanilla beans next to the smooth wood staves, apple cotton candy, Dr. Brown’s Cherry, and honey-buttered cornbread through the nose. 

The flavor features hints of vanilla pound cake with orange zest and poppy seed, a whisper of anise and clove, and a touch of banana bread and old-fashioned doughnuts. 

The finish features a whiff of raisins, bruised peach peels, and a dry oak and tobacco vibe from old cinnamon sticks and spiced apple cider. 

2. Jim Beam Devil’s Cut

Jim Beam Devil's Cut Bottle and a glass

Average Price: around $21 /750ml (MSRP) 

Alcohol Content: 45% ABV 

Why We Like It: Devil’s Cut has a fairly strong spice and cherry throughline with a hint of wood. It’s not very daring, but it’s not pastel, either. 

Simply put, it’s simple to sip and has a satisfying flavor profile overall – best served on the rocks with a splash of bitters. 

On the nose, there is a faint aroma of vanilla cream, poppy seeds, creamed honey, Bing cherries, apple skins, and spicy apple cider, with a hint of charred wood. 

The taste is rich, resembling cream soda with a hint of dry chewing tobacco, cinnamon syrup, apple chips, and ancient wood.

The finish is warming, leaning toward tobacco and woodsy spice. 

1. Jim Beam Double Oak

Jim Beam Double Oak Bottle and Liqour Bottles on the Background

Average Price: around $22 /750ml (MSRP)

Alcohol Content: 43% ABV

Why We Like It: Among other bourbons within the Beam Suntory, this bottle – costing around $22- is impressive.

There’s depth and nuance here, and it’s on the lighter side. 

There’s a mild whiff of toasted oak on the nose, followed by more traditional Beam aromas like cream soda, cherry vanilla, dry apple, buttery caramel, and ancient oak staves. 

Over the palate, there’s a sweet sensation reminiscent of the creamed honey taste, developing into marshmallows and spiced-cherry tobacco with cedar traces. 

The woodsy toffee at the finish contrast nicely with the chocolate spiced with cinnamon and tobacco. 

But despite not being barrel-proof, it’s an easy drink that delivers good flavor notes at a low price.

FAQs

What’s the best Jim Beam bourbon flavor for beginners?

The best Jim Beam flavor for beginners is the vanilla-flavored spirits. The sweetness and spice flavors are balanced with woodsy toffee-like pods at the finish.  

Are Jim Beam bourbon flavors smooth?

Jim Beam bourbons are mostly smooth. The smooth, unique flavor of Jim Beam’s bourbon flavors makes it ideal for drinking neat or as a cocktail mix. 

How do you drink Jim beam bourbons?

You can drink Jim Beam spirits straight, on the rocks, with ginger ale, club soda, or a bit of water.  

Which Jim Beam bourbon is the best?

The best Jim Beam bourbon can vary based on personal preference, but popular options include Jim Beam Black Label, Jim Beam Double Oak, and Jim Beam Signature Craft.

What flavors can I expect from Jim Beam bourbon?

Jim Beam bourbon typically offers flavors of caramel, vanilla, oak, and hints of spice, providing a smooth and enjoyable drinking experience.

Is Jim Beam bourbon suitable for sipping neat?

Yes, many people enjoy sipping Jim Beam bourbon neat to fully appreciate its flavor profile.

Can I use Jim Beam bourbon in cocktails?

Absolutely! Jim Beam bourbon is versatile and can be used in a wide range of cocktails, from classics like the Old Fashioned to modern favorites like the Whiskey Sour.

Where is Jim Beam bourbon produced?

Jim Beam bourbon is produced at the Jim Beam Distillery in Clermont, Kentucky, where it has been crafted for generations.

Is Jim Beam bourbon affordable?

Yes, Jim Beam bourbon is often praised for its affordability, making it accessible to whiskey enthusiasts of all budgets.

Final Thoughts

That’s all for the best Jim Beam bourbons. Are you surprised with our tasting results, or were you expecting other spirits on this list?  

If you’re a beginner at Jim Beam’s spirits, we suggest starting with the Double Oak. Its smoothness, taste, and character are perfect for any novice. 

Also, it’s not crazy expensive like other brand spirits with the same profile.  

References:

  1. https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-malted-barley-beer-brewing-353281 
  2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/oak-barrels 
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