Whiskey Review: Jim Beam Signature Craft Soft Red Wheat

Entry is soft and sweet with deep cherry and almond crescent cookie notes. The wheat is most noticeable in the full, round, custardy mouth feel. The mid-palate is easy and affable, but without much complexity. Finish: The round flavors of the mid-palate are quickly overpowered by the intense oak, segueing into a longish, unpleasant finish. The pastry box notes of cherry and almond give way to a distressing combination of sourness, astringency, and back-of-the-throat bitterness, something like hot machinery, citrus pith, or Treviso stems in maple balsamic dressing. It’s hard to pick out the influences of the mash bill from the aging regime, but 11 years seems to have been too much for this particular whiskey. While still enjoyable, it is difficult to justify the price tag of $50 for a 375 ml bottle. This release seems geared more towards enthusiasts with either deep pockets or a lot of friends interested in doing a vertical tasting of all six. Unfortunately, based on the “Soft Red Wheat,” I would worry that the heavy oak flavors would prevent the unique contribution of each grain from coming through. Score: 82