jim beam 1795 bourbon

[Ken Gargett]

wondering if anyone knows anything about this bourbon? saw it in the brizzy duty free this morning - at $170, i think. i like good bourbon but that seemed excessive for a spirit that i knew nothing about (went with a couple of ardbeg 10 year old malts that were on special).

since then, checked the internet and it was a very limited release, supposedly. all the info suggests it was only ever to be released at the frankfurt duty free. and then the total run was just 200 bottles. it is 8 years old.

for those that know their bourbon, is 8 years a very long time for bourbon? i know it is very brief for whisky and rum, to a lesser extent, but eons for tequilla.

but tw questions.

1. why would jim beam make a special limited edition just for frankfurt?

2. what the hell was it doing in brizzy?

[edlye]

I'd say that 8 years is no longer uncommon for bourbons I can find in my locality. Aged bourbon left in their original new American oak barrels can sometimes taste too tannic or bitter to the uninitiated, I don't know if that's the case here. I can only share that JB Black is aged 8 years (same age but lower proof), and is an extremely decent bourbon for the price I pay.

[Ryan]

Seems like Beam was doing Frankfurt duty free a favour. It was probably launched there and spread.

There are more and more Travel Retail only products available, Habanos are in on the act with their series of Travel retail. Havana club Barrel Proof was/is duty free only.

Jameson Irish whiskey got in on it too with their signature range.

200 bottles seems very very low for a Beam though. I'd believe it if the bottles were signed and numbered.

Regarding age, I remember reading in relation to aged rum, that spirits age faster in warmer climates. Thus a 7 year old rum is aged while a 7 year old scotch is still quite young.

I'd imagine Bourbon county is generally quite a bit warmer than Scotland.

[marty922]

I can't say that I'm an expert, but I've got a 12 year old Elijah Craig sitting in hand right now. Eagle Rare is 10 years.

Also, can get the 1795 in Dan Murphy's in Ballarat at the moment for $180

[canadianbeaver]

Matthew brought me a bottle of this wonderful bourbon from the Frankfurt Duty Free. He goes there about 6 times a year and always brings me treats:

It comes with a free Jim Beam black bag for your iPad that I use for my cigars.

What can I tell ya, I am a spoiled little beaver.

I have not opened the 1795 yet. I am loving the RZ. But I will try it tonight and report.

CB

[Ken Gargett]

i did see the dan's thing when i checked the internet. available nationally i believe. so i am thinking that 200 bottles may be a stretch.

[canadianbeaver]

Matthew thinks they just released 200 in Frankfurtt to promote the heck out it, and then slowly are bringing it out elsewhere.

[canadianbeaver]

This is the bag that came with it

http://instagr.am/p/PSb-vmi1oc/

[brazoseagle]

I heard from a reputable large distributor that it basically was a new marketing scheme they attempted for the US, and it did not even pass the initial taste screenings for the US market for high end bourbon standards (we know good bourbon, you can't pass off swill in a fancy bottle), so in an effort to recoup their cost and production, they decided to fancy the bottle, description, name, and back story up and try to dish it off and liquidate it in a foreign, (less familiar with real bourbon) market. Apparently it ended up in Frankfurt because the wholesaler that has the retail rights to the airport, among others, was gullible to buy the entire lot, thinking he has something super special. Come to find out, it's not and it's an overpriced, fancied up, marketing scheme, so in the third effort now to try and salvage money, he expanded its availability to other airports he has retail contracts and rights in.

[edlye]

I guess the only way to have a definitive answer is for those who own a bottle of the 1795 to make a taste comparison to JB Black.

[Ken Gargett]

there is also a fair bit of it in the weelington duty free so it is looking fairly widespread. i might pass. david, ta for the info.

[brazoseagle]

Anything for you KG! Here is a good rule of thumb. If you ever come across a true Bourbon that's not even available or sold in the state of Kentucky, much less, anywhere else in the US, be very cautious!

Go Cowboys, Go RG3!

[Ken Gargett]

Anything for you KG! Here is a good rule of thumb. If you ever come across a true Bourbon that's not even available or sold in the state of Kentucky, much less, anywhere else in the US, be very cautious!

Go Cowboys, Go RG3!

and how good was the debut!!