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There have been some significant new releases coming out of the James B. Beam Distilling Co. recently, the home of the best-selling bourbon brand Jim Beam Original. The latest limited-edition whiskey was just announced this week, and it’s a lot older than a bottle of White Label. It’s called Lineage Batch #2, a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, and we have the details.
This is the second release of Lineage, as indicated by the name. Both batches are 15-year-old Kentucky straight bourbons made from the classic Beam mashbill that are bottled at 55.5 percent ABV, or 111 proof, but there are some differences. According to a rep for the brand, Batch 1 was made up of 15-year-old barrels that were aged in Warehouse K at the James B. Beam Distilling Co. site in Clermont, KY. Batch 2, however, is made up of barrels aged between 15 and 20 years (remember, the age statement indicates the youngest whiskey in the blend), most of which were aged at the Booker Noe Plant in Boston, KY, along with a smaller amount of barrels from the Clermont site. This might be a bit in the weeds for the average consumer, but location does play a big part on the flavor of bourbon, particularly when it’s made from the same mashbill and at the same location as other brands at a distillery. Also, these barrels were likely matured on lower floors to assure that they would not become overly oaky, because 15 years old is a pretty advanced age for Kentucky bourbon.
Of course, that age statement is not unprecedented for Beam. The Knob Creek lineup has 15 and 18-year-old expressions, and the Jacob’s Well release in the Hardin’s Creek lineup consists of whiskeys aged for 15 and 17 years. Lineage Batch #2 stands out because it was created by two generations of Beam distillers—seventh-generation family member Fred Noe and his son, eighth-generation family member Freddie Noe, both of whom selected the barrels for this release, according to the brand. It also marks the first time that Freddie’s name has appeared on a bourbon. (His Little Book series doesn’t count because those are blends of bourbon and other types of whiskey.)
We did not get to sample Lineage Batch #2 yet, but the official tasting notes describe creamy toffee, vanilla, and oak on the nose; leather, char, and creme brulee on the palate; and mature oak on the finish. If you want to try it for yourself, you’ll have to head to Kentucky: Lineage is a distillery-only release (SRP $250), although there are some bottles of the previous batch available at secondary market websites. And you can peruse the rest of the Beam lineup at websites like ReserveBar now.
Authors
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Jonah Flicker