Jim Beam Green Label you devious bastard. You got me into this whole whiskey mess. I remember the moment the way most people remember things like first dates or the birth of a child. The details of that moment are permanently etched in my mind and one of the most surprising moments of pure epiphany that I’ve ever experienced.
I was sitting in a friend’s living room and we were talking about the AFI concert we were going to later that evening. COPS was on TV and the November sun was threatening to take cover behind the mountains at any moment. My buddy asked if I wanted some bourbon and began pouring Jim Beam Green Label into glasses as if it was a foregone conclusion. He plunked down two glasses of three to four fingers. I stared at it incredulously before asking “How the hell am I going to shoot that?” to which he simply replied “You don’t. You sip it.”
Overall it’s one of those whiskeys that my palate doesn’t really think is that great, but my brain does. It’s rather unique because of the charcoal filtering process before bottling which gives it a character all it’s own despite being only about a year more matured than it’s white label brother. If I were rating this off of nostalgia it would get a perfect score, but I’m not and I still love it even if I not longer consider it a daily drinker.
Jim Beam Choice (Green Label) Review
ABV: 40%
Price: $20
Distiller: Jim Beam
Age: 5 years
EYE
Caramel with hints of red
NOSE
Typical caramel and vanilla with that Jim Beam spice making itself known. Medicinal undertones mixed with candy corn and a light fruity citrus.
TASTE
Tart caramel and imitation vanilla pair up with Jim Beam spice and candy corn. A slight citrus rolls along with some corn, oak and just a bit of smoky char.
FEEL
Not as smooth as you’d expect but still drinkable.
FINISH
Corn and wood make a big show before fading to a watery caramel on a medium finish.
SCORE: 81/100
Were you in Heber, or Park City? Otherwise that sun was dipping behind the Oquirrh mountains.
It was Lehi, you’re absolutely correct. Cheers Jethro.
Watered down bourbon
This is like drinking bourbon and water without having to add any water.
My father introduced me to Beam’s Choice (green label) a week after I turned legal age –though he always mixed it with “Squirt”. Shortly after he died, kids broke into his house and stole an unopened bottle. I found it empty out in a nearby shed, and I remain angry about it.
I am fairly certain, however, that back in the 1970s green label Beam’s Choice was aged 8 years, and I believe even the white label Beam was aged 6 years — but I may be wrong about the white.
Aw, I’m sorry to hear that. Damn kids.
Beam drinker and of all places I spotted the before unknown green label bottle (to me anyway) in Haifa, Israel. Knew I had to get it and yes, it is absolutely the best!
Doug from Iowa
Ha, hell of a place to find it. Cheers Doug!
Do we know when they stopped producing the green label?
I called around and found a few bottles at different stores.
I am wondering if it is back in production, or if these are old bottles still sitting around.
I’m not sure. A buddy just found a bottle of it here in LA in a little store and it looked like a new bottle, hadn’t been sitting on the shelf long. Maybe they’re still making a bit of it.
Why has J Beam quit producing “Green Label”?? It is fantastic neat.
I dunno, it’s a damn shame.
OK, so I really tried to keep my 1L on the shelf for a week or so. I put it just behind my JB Bonded and between my WT101.
I caved in to the pressure. I cracked that green label open and poured a small glass. I let it sit a minute and stirred it around the glass. Then I sipped. Seriously. Good. Stuff. Such a step up from JB white. Can’t understand why it is not in production. It is a deliciously good, smooth bourbon. For a 5 year product, you can tell the extra year did it a lot of good. Sits light, not harsh on the palate and the finish is rather sweet and inviting. I had it on the rocks, with a 2-finger pour today for Father’s Day. I really am liking the selection of JB products, and look forward to putting a dent into this in the near future. Cheers!
I don’t know why it’s not around nay more either, but wish it was too. Cheers!
Josh,
I must say that I thoroughly enjoy your views and commentary on whiskey. I am particularly intrigued with this Beam Choice. I especially like that is discontinued or sold out everywhere. I located a 1L from a spirits store in Los Angeles. It was $25, so I figured it would be worth it to see what kind of trouble I can get into.
Also interested in JB7. Any experience with that?
Hey Jason,
That’s great you found some, and thank you! I haven’t had any JB7 unfortunately. Cheers!
This is the review I’ve been looking for. What was that gate way pour for you? I had a similar expirance with Bulleit. Thanksgiving week in a farm shop in Wisconsin, deer hunting, beer, cheese, wine, and everything in between including bourbon. My cousin says try it. Being strictly a beer drinker I was a bit apprehensive, so I took a pull from the bottle and have never looked back. The whiskey jug has only furthered my new found passion
Thank you and cheers
This was my gateway pour :)
Josh, I was cleaning out an elderly lady’s house, and as a part of payment, I could keep the stuff I found. I found over 60 dusty bottles of booze ranging from Hennessy to the Beam’s choice bottle that I have a question about. This particular bottle is very old and has the “tax-strips” saying that it is bonded; it is 6 years old and has the green Beam’s Choice label. I’ve found plenty with the same label design, but they are all 5 years old. Do I have a ludicrously expensive bottle of Jim?
Hey Ethan,
That’s one heck of a find, but unfortunately no you don’t have a ludicrously expensive bottle of Jim on your hands. I’ve seen those go for as little as $60 to as much as $100. They’re not that in-demand or collectible except for Beam Fans. I’d be happy to take a better look at what you found. Use the email in the contacts section and if you send some clear photos of the front label, back label, bottom of the bottle, and all 3 sides of the tax strip.
Cheers!
I am commenting on this, because I was looking up the reviews on Google+ and came across this.
I live in Kentucky and was told by a knowledgeable store owner that the Jim Beam (Green Label) is only being distributed and sold within the confines of the state of Kentucky since the end of 2014. That may be why some of you are having trouble finding it at your local stores. I’m sure a store owner could acquire some through the distribution chain, but as I stated, it isn’t being distributed outside Kentucky at this time.
I don’t doubt that at all. I used to get it all the time and then it disappeared, but they’re definitely still making it so it has to be a distro thing. Cheers!
I fell in love with this bourbon the first time I tasted it.
It’s hard to describe the effect it has. The initial taste is like any other bourbon, but quickly after, it turns to caramel and… you want more.
For those of you looking to get your hands on some, get in contact with a local bar/liquor store near you. Ask if you can buy some through them. I did it with a few local liquor stores here in Maryland and had no problems. The only issue I had was convincing the store owners that green label actually exists.
This right here started my love affair with bourbon sadly we haven’t been able to get it in Pennsylvania for over 12 years
Me too man. It’s the one that started me down this path of whiskey appreciation, but, much like you, I haven’t seen it in a long time. It disappeared from UT liquor stores about 2 years before I moved to CA and I’ve never seen it here. So it’s been about 7 years since I’ve seen it. This review came from the last “bunker bottle” of it I had which I killed off last year. :/
Just bought two 1L bottles of it at a BevMo in the San Jose area of California. The salesman told me its the last of the Jim Beam Choice in the entire Bay Area. expensive but nice for nostalgia. almost 30 bucks for each bottle.
Oh man that’s great. I’ve been looking around LA for a bottle for the same reason, nostalgia, but haven’t found one yet. Hopefully one day I’ll see one on a liquor store shelf.
Cheers!