The tax stamp on this glass decanter of Bonded Beam is missing. I know that it is a legitimate bottle because it was part of a collection of old bottles Rosemary received from a friend and the bottle was given to her by her husband years ago. The whiskey is still clear and the fill level is fairly high, but the cork is loose and it needs to be consumed before it goes bad.
Jim Beam is famous for the large number of decanter bottles they released starting in the 1960s through the 1980s. This is a cut-glass decanter, allowing me to see the whiskey and fill level. I much prefer this type of decanter to the ceramic decanters because they do allow you to see the whiskey and judge its condition. I am pleased to say that this whiskey is very drinkable.
Bonded Beam Bourbon Decanter
Proof: 100
Age: 8 Years Old
Date: circa 1970
Nose: Vanilla and marshmallows with a bit of fruit – cherries and berries, tobacco and leather with sweet oak wood.
Taste: Fruit-forward with berries and cherries in a French vanilla cream with a hint of tobacco and oak. There is just a whisper of white pepper spice before the finish. When tasted with a dried cranberry, the spice jumps to the front with white pepper and nutmeg. When tasted with a pecan, the berry flavor becomes tart.
Finish: Starts sweet with vanilla and fruit, but quickly dries out with oak and pepper spice. The cranberry shortened the finish and made it very peppery. The pecan made the finish very dry with lots of oak but less pepper.
I am pairing this Bourbon with a La Boheme Poeta toro cigar. The smoke has sweet caramel notes with some earthy flavors of hay and tobacco. The Bourbon brought forward the sweeter notes of vanilla and caramel with a hint of sweet spice. The smoke brought out an interesting citrus note of lemon zest that lingered into the finish. It was a very good pairing.

Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller
January 3, 2020 at 3:42 pm
Mike, do these particular bottlings become collectible? If so, any idea on the $$ value, if any?
January 3, 2020 at 6:38 pm
Some value but not huge as far as the decanter is concerned. The value is in the whiskey itself.
January 9, 2020 at 7:46 pm
They have some value. The best place to find the current value is to contact Jack Rose Dining Saloon. They actively purchase bottles for the bar and have the best idea of current market value.
January 4, 2020 at 1:28 am
Love these old bottling’s. I think they have a different flavor profile (in general) than anything bottled after the mid 1980’s. My collection has slowly been taken over by the 60’s and 70’s. Just like my stereo equipment…nutton’ after 1980! Keep ’em coming Mike.
January 6, 2020 at 12:34 am
My plan is to post tasting note from old bottles on the first Friday of the month.
January 9, 2020 at 7:44 pm
I am glad you like the review. The first Friday of every month will be a review of an old bottle – flashback Fridays for me.