Review #485 - Jim Beam Black 7 Year Bourbon

Early in 2024, Jim Beam released a new age-stated budget bourbon: a 7 year old Black version, bottled at 45% ABV (90 proof). There was already a black-labeled Jim Beam, one without an age statement, which was labeled as 'Extra Aged' - instead of the 4 years or so that the entry level Jim Beam bourbon was aged for, this old Black label was rumored to be around 6 years old. Now, it's nice to officially have a statement of 7 years on the modern version.

Jim Beam Black 7 Year Bourbon

USA - Bourbon

Price Paid: USD 25 (2024)

Current Locally Available Price: USD 27 (2025)

Age Statement: 7 Years

Strength: 45% ABV

Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 7 months; bottles 100%, 40%, and 30% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes

Nose: Quite nutty up front - salted peanuts, a bit dry, with some dusty grains. There's a decent toasted oak note, too, as well as baking notes of cinnamon, caramel, and bread crust; at one point, we found soft fruit undertones like orange.

Palate: A medium thickness mouthfeel, and oak is stronger to start the palate - oak spice, white pepper, but also sweeter notes like brown sugar and cinnamon. Salted peanuts, butter, and almonds come next, and overall, this leans a little bit dry.

Finish: Cinnamon, creamy vanilla, almond butter, and honey roasted peanuts - lots of baking notes. It grows a little bit sweeter, and it begins to mellow out, but we still get an oaky tannin in the aftertaste; at times, there's also corn grain and caramel. It's a medium length finish.

Final Note: This is showing lots of classic Jim Beam character - full of peanuts, almonds, and baking spice flavors. A decent balance of sweet and dry overall, and while the oak is noticeable with that extra aging time, it isn't overly tannic or dry. Texture is okay for the bottling strength, and a nice step up from the White Label.

Value is great - a 7 year age statement at this price point is a refreshing to see from a big heritage distillery, and while it's a slightly simple bourbon, it's also a solid one.

Our Average Rating: 5.9 / 10

In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.

Value Rating: 7.85

About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.