by gillmang » Fri Feb 03, 2006 8:54 am
Mike, I think that's right, some of the decanters at Gazebo tastings were evidently somewhat spoiled due to leaky containers. There is a typical "metallic" oxidation I found in these including some Michter's decanters. However some were not affected by this. I found a brown sugar-like richness in the best Beam decanters from the 60's/70's and the "rye" notes of the current range seemed absent, clearly there was rye in there but it manifested differently. I wish I still had that quart of 1980 Jim Beam that I found in a Florida relation's house last year, it was really good, one could tell it was a bit younger than the Choice of the era (or whatever the next older up was) but it had a natural, rich bourbon flavour that was tops. The bourbon today that most reminds me of the best Beams of 1980 and before is Elmer T. Lee. And that is no surprise because Elmer Lee is in his mid-80's and his tastes in bourbon would go back to when he started in the industry (around 1950). In my view the top of the range then must have been what he chooses today to bear his name. Of course it wasn't the only type of premium whiskey but it was I think one of the main, most admired types. Old Grandad was similar in that time. Today Beam makes as the closest that reaches this type, Knob Creek. Booker's too although it is a more "elegant" whiskey than what I am talking about. Knob Creek is good but not as good in my view as the best Beam whiskey of the 1970's. Recently our physician contributor from the South, Dave, reported that in a tasting a bottle of a 70's Beam BIB showed up and it was sampled next to Knob Creek and rather trumped KC. Dave I don't know if you have any further thoughts on it.
Gary
N.B. I should add that I can't rule out that 30 years of bottle age improved those 70's Beams (where the containers were sound). Is it possible 1980 Beam White tasted on release exactly like Beam White of today but prolonged, slow oxidation in the bottle turned it into the rich smooth article I found in Florida last year? It is something we'll never know for sure but my sense is the products just tasted better back then.