Beam's "Distillers Tree" Is a Major Contribution to Whiskey History.

The Beams are the Kennedys of American whiskey. Members of the Beam family have worked at dozens of different distilleries. Virtually every major brand on the market today can find a Beam somewhere in its history.

This heritage, of course, reflects most proudly on Jim Beam Bourbon itself, which is why they have produced the interactive Distillers Tree. Naturally they highlight those family members in Jim Beam's direct line, but they don't short the others, with one exception.

In addition to David M. and Joseph B., David Beam had a third distiller son, John, better known as Jack, who started a Nelson County distillery called Early Times. That brand is owned today by arch rival Brown-Forman, which also owns Jack Daniel's.

But I won't let that blemish spoil my enjoyment of this wonderful contribution to the preservation and dissemination of American whiskey's true history.