Jim Beam — America's No.1 Bourbon, Over 225 Years in the Making
Jim Beam is the world's best-selling bourbon whiskey — an American icon with a history stretching back to 1795 and a legacy of craftsmanship, family tradition, and Kentucky heritage that is unmatched in the spirits world. For more than seven generations, the Beam family has been distilling bourbon in the limestone-rich hills of Kentucky, producing a whiskey of consistent quality, genuine character, and unmistakable flavour that has made Jim Beam synonymous with American whiskey around the globe.
History & Heritage
The story of Jim Beam begins in 1795, when Jacob Beam — a farmer of German descent who had settled in Kentucky — sold his first barrel of Old Jake Beam Sour Mash whiskey. Jacob's son David continued the tradition, followed by his son David M. Beam, who moved the distillery to Nelson County, Kentucky, to be closer to the railway. It was David M.'s son James Beauregard Beam — known to all as Jim — who would give the brand its enduring name and its most defining chapter.
When Prohibition ended in 1933, Jim Beam was 70 years old. Undeterred, he rebuilt the distillery in just 120 days and resumed production, determined to restore the family legacy. The bourbon he produced was so exceptional that it quickly reclaimed its place as one of America's most beloved spirits. Jim Beam passed away in 1947, but the family tradition he embodied has continued unbroken through his son Jeremiah, his grandson Booker Noe — one of the most celebrated master distillers in bourbon history — and Booker's son Fred Noe, who serves as master distiller today. Seven generations. One family. One bourbon.
The Region: Clermont, Kentucky, USA
Jim Beam is distilled at the historic Beam distillery in Clermont, Kentucky — in the heart of the Bluegrass State, the undisputed home of American bourbon. Kentucky's unique combination of natural advantages makes it the ideal environment for bourbon production: the state's abundant limestone-filtered water is naturally iron-free and rich in calcium and magnesium, providing the perfect mineral profile for fermentation and distillation. The limestone acts as a natural filter, removing impurities and imparting a characteristic softness and clarity to the water that is central to bourbon's flavour.
Kentucky's climate is equally important. The state's hot, humid summers and cold winters create dramatic seasonal temperature variation that drives the whiskey deep into the charred American white oak barrels during summer and draws it back out during winter, extracting colour, flavour, and complexity with each passing cycle. This process — repeated over years of patient maturation in the distillery's rickhouses — is what transforms raw new make spirit into the rich, complex, and deeply satisfying bourbon that Jim Beam is celebrated for.
By law, bourbon must be produced in the United States, made from a grain mash of at least 51% corn, aged in new charred American white oak barrels, and distilled and barrelled at specific proof levels. Jim Beam's mash bill — a proprietary blend of corn, rye, and malted barley — has remained essentially unchanged since Jacob Beam's first barrel in 1795, a testament to the enduring wisdom of the family's original recipe.
Awards & Recognition
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Silver Medal — San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2020 (Jim Beam White Label)
- Consistently rated among the world's top-value bourbons by leading spirits publications including Whisky Advocate, The Spirits Business, and Jim Murray's Whisky Bible
- The world's best-selling bourbon whiskey, distributed in over 100 countries
- Seven generations of the Beam family — the most celebrated dynasty in American whiskey history
- Booker Noe, grandson of Jim Beam, was inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame and is widely regarded as one of the founding fathers of the small-batch bourbon movement
Our Range
Jim Beam White Label Bourbon Whiskey — Available in 700mL and 1,000mL formats. The original and iconic expression — the bourbon that started it all and remains the world's best-selling bourbon to this day. Medium-bodied with delicate notes of vanilla, caramel, and a hint of spice on the nose. Good body on the palate with toasty oak, sweet fruit, and char. Clean, smooth, and endlessly versatile. Silver Medal, San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2020.
Jim Beam Black Extra Aged Bourbon 700mL — Extra years of ageing in American white oak barrels give Jim Beam Black a full-bodied, richer, and more complex character than the White Label. Smooth caramel and warm oak on the palate, with greater depth and a longer, more satisfying finish. The natural choice for those who want more from their bourbon — outstanding neat or over a single large ice cube.
The Jim Beam range also includes a selection of ready-to-drink expressions — Jim Beam White Bourbon & Cola, Jim Beam White Bourbon & Cola Zero Sugar, Jim Beam Black & Cola Double Serve, and Jim Beam White & Cola Double Serve — all expertly crafted to deliver the signature Jim Beam bourbon character in a convenient, ready-to-enjoy format. Enquire for current availability.
How to Enjoy Jim Beam
Jim Beam White Label is the ultimate all-rounder — smooth enough to sip neat or over ice, and versatile enough to shine in any cocktail. A Jim Beam & Cola is one of the world's great simple serves; a Jim Beam Sour — two parts White Label, one part fresh lemon juice, half a part sugar syrup, shaken and served over ice — is a classic that never fails. Jim Beam Black is best appreciated neat or over a large ice cube, allowing its extra-aged complexity to reveal itself slowly. For the full Kentucky experience, try a Jim Beam Old Fashioned: bourbon, a sugar cube, Angostura bitters, and an orange twist — simple, timeless, and deeply satisfying.
Explore our full Jim Beam range below and discover why this Kentucky bourbon has been America's favourite whiskey for over 225 years.
