Jim Beam's "Clermont Steep" American Single Malt Whiskey Review & Tasting Notes

It has been 228 years since Jim Beam whiskey first hit the market. Oh, it wasn’t called that initially; that didn’t happen until 1947. James Beauregard Beam became “Jim Beam” because he was responsible for reviving the distillery once Prohibition ended.

 

Johannes “Jacob” Beam was the founder and family patriarch. He sold Old Jake Beam Sour Mash using a Bourbon recipe his father passed him. In 1820, his son, David Beam, took over the company when he was only 18. David begat David M. Beam, who started commercially bottling Old Tub in 1880. And David M. begat James, who saw the distillery close down and then rebuilt in Clermont, Kentucky, after Prohibition. Then, in 1943, Old Tub was renamed Jim Beam.

 

James begat T. Jeremiah “Jere” Beam, who introduced Jim Beam Bourbon overseas. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on your view, Jere had no children. But, he did have a nephew named Frederick “Booker” Noe II. Booker begat Frederick “Fred” Booker Noe III, who happens to be the current master distiller for Jim Beam. Fred has a son, Frederick “Freddie” Booker Noe IV,

 

If you do the math, eight generations of Beamfolk have been distilling the same Bourbon recipe for over 200 years!

 

But today, we’re not drinking Bourbon. Instead, we’re sipping the first American Single Malt Whiskey in Jim Beam's history: Clermont Steep.

 

While American Single Malt Whiskey is not yet legally defined (we’re close), there aren’t any rules. Most distilleries producing it are abiding by the proposed regulations. The most significant component of that proposed rule is using only malted barley in the mash.

 

Freddie is the one responsible for Clermont Steep. It begins with American malted barley and the classic Heirloom “Jug Yeast” in the fermentation process. It is run through a column still. Instead of using the typical #4 new, charred oak barrels the distillery is known for, he went with toasted #1 charred oak barrels, where the distillate rested for five years. It was then dumped and bottled at 47% ABV (94°). Clermont Steep is non-chill filtered; you can expect to pay $59.99 for a 750ml package.

 

The only other thing you need to know before I #DrinkCurious is that Jim Beam provided me with a sample of Clermont Steep in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Now, let’s get to it!

 

Appearance: I poured this into my Glencairn glass and sipped it neat. Inside was a deep, burnt-umber-colored liquid. A massive rim formed and then released slow, sticky legs.

 

Nose: The first thing to hit my olfactory sense was freshly-hewn oak, followed by barley and pears…

 

I’m going to stop here for a second. I’ve had many American Single Malt Whiskeys because I adore this category. Not one had a nose like Clermont Steep. It was simple but also unique.

 

… and, as I pulled the air into my mouth, I found brown sugar and more fresh oak.

 

Palate: The texture was thick and oily. It coated every nook and cranny of my mouth. Butterscotch exploded and allowed nothing else to permeate the front of my palate. Midway through, I could taste brown sugar, old leather, and malted barley. The back featured toasted oak, apples, and cocoa powder.

 

Finish: The finish was medium-to-long in duration. I found brown sugar, cocoa powder, a hint of barrel char, and apples. There was no evidence of the butterscotch bomb that began this journey, but I did find caramel that seemed glued to my throat.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: While the palate was less than complicated, it was flavorful and well-balanced. One of the things I usually find in American Single Malts is a lot of fruity notes. Clermont Steep is off-profile, but that’s okay. It was fascinating to experience what Jim Beam could come up with in this brand-new category. Freddie did well; he made something decidedly different.

 

If I knew a Bourbon fan who was wary of trying an American Single Malt because they don’t like Scotch or Irish whiskeys, I could easily recommend Clermont Steep. There are enough Bourbonesque qualities to make it an attractive choice, which I bet Freddie was gunning for.

 

Five years in oak is almost ancient for American Single Malts. Many you find are far less (it seems to mature faster than Bourbon or Rye). For Beam to charge only $59.99 is a bargain in my book, and I’m happy to confer a Bottle rating for it. Cheers!

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you do so responsibly.