Jim Beam and Jack Daniel’s are two of the most renowned names in American whiskey, beloved by countless spirit enthusiasts both in the States and abroad. Their widespread acclaim certainly ties them together, yet behind the public image and sales figures, they bear several marked disparities. One represents Kentucky whiskey, while the other originates from Tennessee. Furthermore, one presents itself as bourbon, the other refrains from using such terminology.

This overview explores these distinctions in detail, using personal experience with the brand products to dissect every aspect of what sets Jim Beam and Jack Daniel’s apart. In-depth knowledge on their constitution, production methods, aging processes, the full breadth of their offerings, and more. Ultimately, we intend to provide an answer to the primary question: which distillery churns out the superior whiskey.

Find out more: The 25 Best Bourbon Brands, Ranked

The history of Jim Beam goes back over 200 years, rendering it nearly as old as the United States itself. In the year 1795, a farmer and grain mill operative named Jacob Beam made the choice to sell the bourbon he crafted from his cultivated corn. The thriving of the distillery persisted, driven by local affection, and by 1820, his son David Beam furthered the enterprise’s expansion. The production of bourbon acquired a more formal, standardized character, involving column stills and charred barrels. Moreover, David Beam capitalized on the budding railroad system to facilitate nationwide whiskey distribution.

Over the next century, the whiskey known as Old Tub grew in popularity, becoming one of the first nationally recognized bourbon brands. The distillery was taken over in 1884 by James “Jim” Beam. Unfortunately, in the 1920s, prohibition had a severe impact on the industry. However, after it was repealed in 1933, Jim Beam quickly rebuilt his distillery and began selling his product as Colonel James B. Beam Bourbon. His son, T. Jeremiah, took charge of the distillery in 1935 and renamed it the Jim B. Beam Distilling Company in honor of his father. By shipping to American troops overseas and focusing on small-batch bourbon, the company played a key role in promoting bourbon globally.

The history of Jack Daniel’s, although starting nearly 70 years later, is equally fascinating. Jasper Newton “Jack” Daniel was adopted by a preacher and distiller named Dan Call. He learned the craft of whiskey-making from Call and a slave named Nathan “Nearest” Green. Daniel established his distillery while still quite young, with the now-free Nearest as his Head Distiller. After suffering from sepsis for several years, Daniel passed away in 1911, and his nephew Lem Motlow inherited the distillery.

Soon after Motlow took control, prohibition forced the distillery to close. Another closure was brought on by World War II. However, following the war’s end, Jack Daniel’s distillery quickly thrived and gained global recognition, particularly after being endorsed by Frank Sinatra in 1956. The distillery began an association with music that persists today, and has expanded its iconic No. 7 whiskey into several other varieties that have increased its international popularity.

The production process of Jim Beam is meticulous, contributing to its unique flavor profile. It begins with a blend of high-quality ingredients. They are then cooked in Kentucky’s renowned limestone-filtered water, imparting a slightly sweet taste. Jim Beam uses its distinctive yeast strain to ferment the mash bill and begin creating the exquisite spirit. After fermentation, the mixture proceeds to its column stills for distillation.

This method enables an unbroken and steady production mechanism. At approximately 200 degrees Fahrenheit, the vapor parts from the fundamental ingredients, creating the initial indications of a potable liquid. Subsequently, this liquid proceeds into the doubler for a secondary distillation before it finally surfaces just below 160 proof for barreling. Essentially, there’s nothing particularly distinctive about Jim Beam’s whiskey production process. Instead, it dedicates itself to polishing the age-old process to yield a bourbon that can be trusted.

Similar to Jim Beam, the water incorporated into Jack Daniel’s production has significantly been shaped by limestone. In Jack Daniel’s case, it’s sourced from a limestone spring water located within a two-mile deep cavern. The brand purchased the cave along with the surrounding land, primarily because the water contained within was tremendously pure, devoid of any sediment or contaminants. Its distillation process mirrors that of Jim Beam’s, with the exception of one major difference — Jack Daniel’s involves a large copper still, undertaking a single distillation to achieve the final product.

However, the singular aspect of Jack Daniel’s procedure emerges after distillation. Typically termed as the “Lincoln Country Process,” the distillery dispatches its freshly-distilled whiskey through 10 feet of custom-designed charcoal, made from whiskey-soaked sugar maple. Powered by gravity, this method spans 3-5 days and significantly contributes to the mellowing and smoothness characteristic to Jack Daniel’s. Its use of exclusive water and charcoal results in a whiskey that’s unrepeatable.

In reference to the primary ingredients, these two whiskey brands are astonishingly identical. Both employ a mix of corn, rye, and barley in their mash bill. The corn content is significantly high for both, with Jim Beam incorporating 75% corn and Jack Daniel’s 80%. The usage of the other two ingredients by Jim Beam is nearly equal, with rye at 13% and barley at 12%. Fascinatingly, Jack Daniel’s uses the same proportion of barley but owing to the larger corn amount, the rye utilization reduces to just 8%. For a few of its other brands like Old GrandDad and Basil Hayden’s, Jim Beam significantly ups the rye content with a mash bill of 63% corn, 27% rye, and 10% barley.

The core attributes of the two distilleries’ expressions are very alike, making one infer that their whiskeys would have similar flavors. Nevertheless, bourbon’s taste depends on numerous aspects, and as noted, their methods vary widely. These differences result in Jim Beam having a robust, spicy profile, and Jack Daniel’s a calm, sweet one. Even with its substantial corn content, Jack Daniel’s meets the criteria to be termed bourbon. However, it doesn’t appreciate being referred to as one even if it technically is!

The crucial determinant of the final taste of whiskey is the ageing and storage process of the spirit. Both distilleries maintain traditional methods, yet differences in their approaches result in unique characteristics. For Jim Beam, their whiskey is placed into new American White Oak barrels which have undergone a level-4 charring. This level of charring caramelizes the wood sugars, adding a sweeter flavor to the bourbon and reducing the tannin amount, which if not controlled can add an intense oak taste to the final product. The concluding step involves placing the barrels into one of their rackhouses; Beam Suntory, Jim Beam’s owner, boasts an astounding 112 rackhouses in Kentucky.

Similar to Jim Beam, along with most American whiskey brands, Jack Daniel’s also utilizes American White Oak barrels. These barrels too are charred and used once before they get sold. The distillery uses barrelhouses for storing whiskey, with 92 such facilities under their belt. Since the whiskey is stored at different levels, it isn’t kept for a set time but bottled when it meets Master Taster’s quality expectations. These subtle differences in aging methods add distinct flavors to Jim Beam and Jack Daniels’ whiskeys, reflecting the effect of craftsmanship and regional traditions on the final product.

Both brands presently offer a broad variety of expressions, like flavoured whiskey, liqueurs, mature-aged whiskey, and cask-strength products. Nevertheless, their most renowned expressions are iconic signature products. Jim Beam’s most famous expression is its Kentucky Straight Bourbon, fondly known as the “White Label.” It’s recognized for a classic bourbon flavor and serves as an effective introduction to Jim Beam bourbon before sampling more popular expressions like Devil’s Cut and Red Stag.

Jack Daniel’s is additionally recognized for a significantly famed expression. Its Old No. 7 is known around the world. Often referred to as “Black Label,” it is considered the foundation of the brand and emerged as a cultural symbol. This Tennessee whiskey is recognized for its smoothness, achieved due to the distinctive charcoal mellowing procedure. The slightly sugary and mellow outline of Old No. 7 is associated with Jack Daniels. Other versions, such as Gentleman Jack, are hugely popular, but they do not compete with the celebrity status of Old No. 7. While they are not the only ones, Jim Beam White Label and Jack Daniel’s Black Label are ideal to illustrate the disparities between these phenomenal whiskey manufacturers.

A journey into these two brands must begin with their most recognized versions. However, it is notable that James B. Beam Distilling Company also owns several other bourbon brands, like Knob Creek, Basil Hayden, Booker’s, and Old Grand-Dad. Even though they are worth checking out, the focus here is on the types under the Jim Beam brand. A commonality between both Jack Daniel’s and Jim Beam is a wide range of flavored whiskey. For instance, Jim Beam offers apple, vanilla, honey, and black cherry flavors (the latter known as Red Stag). In contrast, Jack Daniel’s offers honey and apple. Both brands even produce a “Fire” whiskey for cinnamon enthusiasts.

Both brands have a single-barrel whiskey, further emphasizing their similarities. Jim Beam’s version is bottled at 108 proof, while Jack Daniel’s has four different versions: Select, Rye, Barrel Strength, and 100 Proof. While Jack Daniel’s offers a single-barrel version, both distilleries also manufacture a regular high-rye whiskey. In addition to their current offerings, both distilleries offer a great range of limited editions, such as Jack Daniel’s Master Distiller Series and its age-statement whiskeys. Some excellent offerings from Jim Beam include the twice barreled Double Oak and the extra aged Black. Exploring these options is a fantastic way to understand how whiskey flavors vary with different flavor additions, barreling, and maturation.

Although these two brands offer a wide range of expressions, both have characteristic flavor profiles present in almost all their whiskeys. For example, Jim Beam’s flavor epitomizes its bourbon lineage. The White Label features classic bourbon tasting notes such as vanilla, caramel, and spice. This acts as a benchmark for the brand, and these flavors, combined with its oaky undertones, can be found within all its varieties. The White Label is an excellent starting point for individuals who wish to understand what bourbon should taste like, before expanding to its other varieties.

Jack Daniels, a renowned Tennessee whiskey, boasts a smooth and subtly sweet flavor, accredited to the Lincoln County Process that it undergoes. This imparts the spirit with the balanced mix of sweet corn, charismatic oak, and a splash of fruitiness. The addition of charcoal has a mild accent of smokiness to it. Those willing to delve deeper into these flavor notes, but in a more upscale and meticulously crafted bottle, can opt for the single-barrel offering from both Jack Daniels and Jim Beam. While both are harmonized by distinct notes of vanilla and caramel, a sophistication of subtlety sets the two apart.

American whiskey brands like Jim Beam and Jack Daniel’s enjoy an enviable popularity that many other alcohol brands only dream of. The influence of these giants stretches beyond the whiskey connoisseurs, deeply interwoven with the American spirit. Jim Beam, with its rich heritage dating back to the 18^th century, is eternally synonymous with bourbon tradition. Its impact has been substantial, from marking its presence in country music to linking itself with the Kentucky Derby, Jim Beam is an integral part of American culture.

On the other hand, Jack Daniel’s elevates this aura of cultural influence. Backed by a worldwide following and associating itself with Rock ‘N’ Roll legends with its trademark black label, this brand’s influence has been a staple at concerts and festivals for years. Its logo can commonly be seen adorning stages, merchandise, and especially, clothing. It is beyond doubt that both distilleries have surpassed traditional spirit boundaries, having a profound influence on popular culture. Along with contributing undeniable coolness to whiskey, the brands have positively influenced the whiskey industry as a whole.

When analysing Jim Beam vs Jack Daniel’s, it is clear that the price and accessibility of each brand have greatly attributed to their success. Jim Beam, known for excellent value for money, offers an array of bourbons covering various price points. The affordability of Jim Beam Kentucky Straight Bourbon has brought a piece of Kentucky craftsmanship to every household and bar without stretching their budget. It is fair to claim that finding a better bourbon at the same price point as Jim Beam’s White Label is next to impossible.

In contrast, Jack Daniel’s falls into a slightly higher price bracket than Jim Beam for its entry-level expressions. Crucially though, Jack Daniel’s is still highly affordable and is usually cheaper than many other popular whiskey brands like Wild Turkey, Maker’s Mark, and Woodford Reserve. This means these brands have whiskeys that are low-cost and highly accessible, making both a great place to start if you want to try whiskey. However, if you’re on a low budget and trying to decide between these two brands, Jim Beam is the winner.

The comparison between Jack Daniel’s and Jim Beam often boils down to personal preference. Both are iconic whiskey brands but if you have their expressions side-by-side, you’ll soon see the distinct characteristics that set these two apart. We would say that whiskeys from Jack Daniel’s are better if you want a smooth and mellow flavor. The flagship Old No. 7 is a great example of that, but all of its whiskeys are easy to drink, which helps to make it popular with casual whiskey drinkers. Many people would swear that Jack makes the better whiskey, whether that’s sipping or in cocktails like a whiskey sour.

However, bourbon lovers would heartily disagree. Jim Beam is a quintessential bourbon, and if you crave its rich and robust flavor profile, it could be the drink for you. It’s made traditionally and is a great entry point if you want to start exploring bourbon. Ultimately, having a glass of both is the best way to decide. And once you try the iconic White and Black Label bottles, you can enjoy further exploring the huge range of expressions these two distilleries offer.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.