As any serious whiskey drinker knows, the barrel, location, and years it ages are almost as important as the distillate that goes in at the beginning of the process. While we’re not huge fans of the basic offerings that come from the James B. Beam Distilling Co.–except when it comes to wedding mixers (yes, we’re talking about basic Jim Beam)–the special edition whiskeys are the kind of magical juice country music songs are written about. Which brings us to the newest additions to Beam’s limited Hardin’s Creek label.
This year will see the release of three separate Hardin’s Creek labels starting with the currently available Clermont version, a 17yr old Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey column distilled, then double distilled before being bottled at 55% (110 proof) that highlights the terroir of Beam’s Clermont campus. James B. Beam Hardin’s Creek Clermont Kentucky Straight Bourbon is available now in select markets with an MSRP of $170 with the Frankfort and Boston releases scheduled for later this year.