Description

Baker’s 7 Year Old Single Barrel: A Premium Bourbon from Jim Beam

Baker’s 7 Year Old Single Barrel is a premium bourbon crafted by Jim Beam distillery. It’s a small-batch bourbon that boasts a full-bodied flavor with a concentrated sweetness of vanilla and the richness of roasted nuts. This creates a sweet and fragrant aroma that fills your mouth with each sip.

When you think of premium bourbons from Jim Beam, Booker’s is likely the first name that comes to mind. However, Baker’s is often considered a more refined choice among bourbon enthusiasts due to its drier and spicier profile. Compared to Booker’s, Baker’s excels in terms of price, availability, and overall balance. This makes Baker’s 7 Year Old Single Barrel an excellent starting point for those looking to explore premium bourbons from Jim Beam.

Many Jim Beam brands are named after people associated with the distillery. Baker’s is no exception, taking its name from Baker Beam, the cousin of Booker Noe, the sixth generation master distiller at Jim Beam.

American whiskey distilleries often stack their barrels high in warehouses for aging. Jim Beam follows this practice, with their warehouses reaching nine levels high. The upper levels (8th and 9th) are reserved for single barrel whiskeys and the creation of premium whiskeys.

The higher the barrels are stacked, the higher the temperature and the lower the humidity. This leads to faster aging and a higher alcohol content. As a result, Baker’s tends to have a more intense flavor compared to Booker’s. Baker’s 7 Year Old Single Barrel is aged for over seven years in these prime spots (8th and 9th levels), resulting in a full-bodied bourbon with a concentrated flavor extracted from the barrel. You’re sure to enjoy the rich flavors of nuts and vanilla that have been absorbed from the oak.

While the price of Baker’s 7 Year Old Single Barrel has increased over the years, it remains relatively affordable compared to other premium bourbons, and the taste is sure to satisfy. In 2020, the bottle design was revamped to emphasize the single barrel nature of the whiskey, giving it a more premium look.

Baker’s 7 Year Old Single Barrel Tasting Note

Nose: The aroma is powerful, with notes of burnt wood, sweet and savory almond nuts, caramel, toast, a subtle hint of herbs, and a touch of yeast. The dominant scents are those of well-roasted nuts and carefully toasted oak barrels, amplified by the strong presence of alcohol.

Palate: The initial taste is a concentrated sweetness of vanilla, which quickly transitions to flavors reminiscent of maple syrup, chocolate cookies, nuts, toast, and a slight hint of berries. This is followed by a strong alcoholic kick and a long, sweet aftertaste. Your tongue will be tingling, yet you’ll crave another sip.

Finish: The finish is dry, bittersweet, and spicy, with a lingering sweetness reminiscent of sugar toast.

Overall: Baker’s 7 Year Old Single Barrel, at 107 proof (53.5% alcohol), delivers a powerful experience from the very first sniff. Adding a bit of water not only reduces the harshness and intensity but also broadens the sweetness, significantly improving the overall balance and expanding the range of aromas and flavors. However, this comes at the cost of some of the initial boldness. Compared to the neat pour, adding water introduces a refreshing forest-like aroma with notes of birch and other woody elements. The taste also becomes more wood-forward. On the rocks, a subtle fruitiness, reminiscent of plum, emerges.
Baker’s 7 Year Old Single Barrel offers a versatile and complex tasting experience. Whether you prefer it neat for the full intensity, with a bit of water to unlock a wider range of flavors, or on the rocks to highlight the fruit notes, this bourbon is sure to impress. It’s a testament to the careful selection of barrels and the expertise in aging that goes into crafting this exceptional whiskey.