This is not the sort of thing producers announce but Beam Suntory has confirmed rumors that Jim Beam Black Label -- which the company has long touted as 'double-aged' because it is 8-years-old compared to white label's 4 -- will soon be NAS (no age statement). No word on exactly when the change will occur but the NAS product is probably in the pipeline now.
The website appears to be in transition. The copy reveals the new positioning even though the bottle cut still shows the age statement. No doubt that's deliberate. Beam leaves nothing to chance.
Obviously, a producer doesn't drop an age statement without intending to use whiskey that is younger than the abandoned age but what will this change really mean in the case of Jim Beam Black, which has long been the best value in the Beam lineup; a rich, flavorful, mature whiskey for a very good price?
The nature of Beam's production factors into this.
Beam has two big distilleries at Clermont and Boston. They make all of their whiskeys there except Maker's Mark. Boston (Booker Noe) pretty much makes white label exclusively while Clermont makes everything else, but white label is the biggest part of its production too. White label is so huge compared to everything else that for 50 minutes of every hour, that's what they make.
This is where the difference between age and maturity comes into play.
Although a little bit of older whiskey gets into white label batches to match the flavor profile, it is basically 4-years-old and a day. The flavored stuff and Devil's Cut comes out of that pool too. What's left? Old Crow is younger liquid that's also less mature. Although Booker's and Baker's are age-stated, they are very low volume. Knob, at 9-years, is much larger. That gives Beam a lot of whiskey to play with between 4 and 9 years old.
We all know some barrels mature faster than others, based on their warehouse location. These, presumably, are the barrels they'll use for black label. That's where NAS works. They can keep the flavor profile close (which is their top priority) by selecting these younger but more mature barrels. That way, they're putting that extra maturity to good use. Dropping the age statement won't hurt sales if they are successful at maintaining the flavor profile. Regular buyers of black label may not even notice the label change, but they'll definitely notice a flavor change if there is one. Avoiding that is the goal. Maintaining the flavor profile is more important than the age statement.
With the immense volume of whiskey Beam produces, they should be able to keep the black label as the rich and flavorful product it is now, and keep it a good value too. If they're successful, NAS won't be such a bad thing.
Howdy!
ReplyDeleteDo you know if they are also going to be dropping the age statement on the international version (which is currently 6 years)?
I don't know.
ReplyDeleteHowdy!
ReplyDeleteThanks.
I bet they scrap 'aged...years,' leave the 8 and make it FAT (fake age trick.)
ReplyDeleteFreddy said on WhiskyCast they are trying to bring the international and US versions together, so whether or not they drop the international age statement, I'd expect both to contain mostly 6-7 yr old juice.
ReplyDeleteWe better not see the number 8 anywhere on the new label or they'll be catching HELL from me.
ReplyDeleteSigned, Satan
All ready doomed to eternal damnation - Very Old Barton 6 and Charter 8.
If keeping the flavor profile close is their "top priority", why strip the age statement? That is a sarcastic question.
ReplyDeleteLoL Anon thats exactly what anyone with common sense says. If they intended to keep the profile the same, Its just fine right now how it is with the 8 Yr statement on it. I don't for a second buy all this extra matured barrels that are just tasting FANTASTIC at 6 years old and would improve the supply and taste of Beam Black...but if only Beam could use those instead of waiting for 8 years and a day. RIIIIGHHHHHTTTT. Guess what if its tasting fantastic at 6yrs and a day, it would taste even more fantastic at 8 years and a day. This is all the whiskey baron hogwash we're seeing more of every single freaking day. Dropping age statements is never a good thing for consumers, especially for consumers who loved the product just the way it is. RIP Beam Black, now onto Heaven Hill. The last company that hasn't pissed me off and made me say goodbye. I'm sure they'll do something soon (hint hint dropping EC12's age statement. Please don't thats only a joke!)
ReplyDeleteChuck,
ReplyDeleteCould they not use the same logic on all their products? Why not do away with age statements altogether as long as the flavor profiles match?
Michael
I assume they have the barrels they need to age/move the fastest on the top floors of their warehouses (rickhouses), no?
ReplyDeleteWhen rotation occurs it usually involves moving barrels from high floors and ricks close to exterior walls to lower floors and ricks in the interior, and vice-versa.
ReplyDeleteYou state that we will notice a flavor change. Won't that mean they will have failed in terms of consistent flavor profile? I think it's a typo? Though I would argue that regular black label drinkers will notice both label and flavor changes (if they exist).
ReplyDeleteGrabbed a bottle hastily because they deceptively left the label and name virtually unchanged. They even highlighted a double-B on the neck to imitate an 8. We knew immediately that something had changed and not for the better. I'll still drink it if it's free but I won't be buying it.
DeleteIt was correct as written, but could have been clearer. It is now. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteBought 3 bottles with the age statement, just bought the first one without, I notice a difference. Not huge, but there is a difference.
ReplyDeleteI found a stash of dusty 8 year old 1.5l bottles in a little store in Oakland, MD. They didn't know what they had and I bought all four. I tired the "extra-aged" abomination and will not be buying any more.
ReplyDelete