Jack Daniel’s is the best-selling whiskey brand in the world. Jim Beam is the best-selling bourbon whiskey brand in the world. But who can leave it at that? Certainly not me. I had to know which of the two is better.
Overall, Jack Daniel’s whiskeys are better than Jim Beam whiskeys. Although when it comes to flavor, they’re similar, and Jim Beam whiskeys are better when it comes to price, Jack Daniel’s produce more complex and smoother whiskeys which is what gives them the edge when deciding which of the two are better.
The rest of this article will look at these four factors (flavor, complexity, smoothness and price) in more detail and I’ll show you how I decided for each of them whether Jack Daniel’s or Jim Beam whiskeys are better.
Flavor
The point of drinking whiskey is (usually) to taste lots of delicious flavors so obviously this was the first factor I used to determine whether Jack Daniel’s or Jim Beam whiskeys are better.
With the help of some friends (and by friends, I mean anyone who would help me) I created a list of the flavors in the current whiskeys of both brands. The earlier a flavor appears in the coming lists, the more people detected it and all the flavors listed were detected by at least two people.
The flavors we found in Jack Daniel’s whiskeys are:
| Whiskey | Flavors |
|---|---|
| Old No. 7 | Vanilla, mint, corn sour, caramel, oak, wood, green apple, charcoal, honey, banana, cinnamon, maple, nuts, pepper |
| Tennessee Rye | Banana, vanilla, honey, spices, alcohol, anise, rye spice, rye bread, oak, pepper, nuts, barrel char |
| Tennessee Honey | Honey, cinnamon, oak, milk chocolate, spices, vanilla, bitter, maple syrup, barrel char |
| Tennessee Fire | Cinnamon, sweet, spicy, nutmeg |
| Tennessee Apple | Green apple, cinnamon, caramel, honey |
| Gentleman Jack | Caramel, vanilla, oak, corn, banana, char, pepper, maple, spices, fruit |
| Sinatra Select | Vanilla, oak, caramel, banana, orange, leather, cinnamon, fruit, butterscotch, oak spice, honey, tobacco, clove, cream, nuts |
| Single Barrel Select | Vanilla, oak, corn, spices, milk chocolate, caramel, cinnamon, banana, brown sugar, banana bread, pepper |
| Single Barrel Rye | Caramel, banana, rye spice, oak, creamy, vanilla, honey, spices, fruit |
| Single Barrel Barrel Proof | Cinnamon, banana, vanilla, oak, spices, pepper, cloves, honey, menthol, raisins, maple syrup, licorice, brown sugar, wood, smoke, coconut, fruit |
The flavors we found in Jim Beam whiskeys are:
| Whiskey | Flavors |
|---|---|
| White Label | Corn, oak, peanuts, vanilla, ethanol, brown sugar, caramel, cinnamon, nuttiness |
| Rye | Rye, caramel, vanilla, toffee, spices, fruit |
| Apple | Apple, bourbon, honey |
| Honey | Honey, vanilla, oak |
| Fire | Cinnamon, bourbon, vanilla |
| Red Stag | Cherry |
| Vanilla | Vanilla |
| Peach | Peach, bourbon, vanilla, oak |
| Orange | Orange, vanilla, oak |
| Black Extra-Aged | Oak, vanilla, caramel, spices, corn, alcohol, honey |
| Devil’s Cut | Vanilla, caramel, wood, tannic, corn, char, oak, cinnamon, nutmeg, leather |
| Double Oak | Oak, vanilla, caramel, corn, peanuts, toffee, fruit, spices, maple |
| Single Barrel | Vanilla, nuttiness, oak, caramel, peanuts, corn, alcohol, citrus, toffee, fruit |
(For a more in-depth look at both these whiskeys, see the article I wrote about Jack Daniel’s whiskeys here and the article I wrote about Jim Beam whiskeys here.)
Although we found lots of flavors as a group, each of us individually only found four or five of them. This means that the whiskeys are not very complex (more on that in a minute) and also that a summary of the most common flavors in these whiskeys would be useful:
The most common flavors we found in Jack Daniel’s whiskeys are:
Vanilla, oak, banana, honey, pepper, caramel and cinnamon
The most common flavors we found in Jim Beam whiskeys are:
Caramel, vanilla, corn, oak, toffee, spices and peanuts
As you can see, there’s a lot of similarity between the most common flavors of the whiskeys in both brands. This is not surprising as they have very similar mash bills and aging process.
Jack Daniel’s (except the Tennessee Rye) is made from 80% corn, 8% rye and 12% malted barley and Jim Beam uses the same grains just in different and unknown ratios that (except for the Rye whiskey) must be at least 51% corn. And both brands age their whiskeys for four years in new, charred, American white oak barrels.
What does stand out is that Jack Daniels has a relatively prominent banana flavor in its profile and Jim Beam a relatively prominent peanut flavor in its profile. As this is the main difference between the two brands when it comes to flavor, we can use it to determine which is better for this factor.
The result for which whiskeys have better flavors:
- If like me, you prefer a banana flavor then the brand with better flavors is Jack Daniels.
- If you prefer a peanut flavor, then the brand with better flavors is Jim Beam.
- If you have no preference, then in terms of flavor, it will be a draw.
Complexity
While all Jack Daniel’s and Jim Beam whiskeys have some flavors, they don’t have anywhere near the same number of flavors as other more complex whiskeys. That’s why many experienced whiskey drinkers find the expressions in both brands boring and one dimensional, but the simplicity is intentional as it allows these whiskeys to appeal to a wider audience, which being the two of the best-selling whiskey brands in the world, they clearly do.
That being said, both brands also produce more complex and flavorful versions of their standard expression. It’s true that they’re still not as complex as many other sipping whiskeys but they are complex enough to be the second factor I used to determine whether Jack Daniel’s or Jim Beam whiskeys are better.
More complex flavors come as a result of one or more of the following:
- More time aging – since most of a whiskey’s flavors comes from the barrel it’s aged in, the longer it spends aging the more flavors it will have
- Barrel characteristics – differences in the barrel itself or how it’s stored will affect how much flavor a whiskey picks up
- ABV – alcohol carries flavor compounds, so whiskeys with a higher ABV will have more intense and concentrated flavors than whiskeys with a lower ABV.
The following table shows how long the more complex Jack Daniel’s whiskeys spend aging, any additional barrel characteristics, and their ABVs.
| Whiskey | Years | Barrel | ABV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sinatra Select | 4 – 7 | deep grooves carved into their staves | 45% |
| Single Barrel Select | 4 -7 | stored in the uppermost part of the warehouse | 47% & 45% |
| Single Barrel Rye | 4 -7 | stored in the uppermost part of the warehouse | 45% |
| Single Barrel Barrel Proof | 4 -7 | stored in the uppermost part of the warehouse | 62.5% – 70% |
As you can see the more complex Jack Daniel’s whiskeys are aged for longer than the standard expressions (exactly how much longer is unknown), they have unique barrel characteristics and higher ABVs.
The Sinatra Select is aged in barrels with deep grooves carved into their staves so that the whiskey has more exposure to the oak and can acquire more flavors, and the single barrel expressions come from barrels stored in the uppermost part of the Jack Daniel’s warehouse, where increased changes in temperature cause the whiskey’s flavors to become more intense.
We found the Single Barrel Barrel Proof to be the most complex and flavorful Jack Daniel’s whiskey, which being aged the longest, coming from the best barrels and having the highest ABV, is no surprise.
The following table shows how long the more complex Jim Beam whiskeys spend aging, any additional barrel characteristics, and their ABVs.
| Whiskey | Years | Barrel | ABV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Extra-Aged | 4+ | 43% | |
| Devil’s Cut | 4+ | contains whiskey extracted from deep inside the barrel walls | 45% |
| Double Oak | 4+ | aged in two barrels | 43% |
| Single Barrel | 4+ | from the best barrels | 47.5% – 54% |
As you can see the more complex Jim Beam whiskeys are aged for longer than the standard expressions (exactly how much longer is unknown), they have unique barrel characteristics (with the exception of the Black Extra-Aged), and they have higher ABVs.
The Devil’s Cut is a blend of Black Extra-Aged and whiskey extracted from deep inside the barrel walls. The Double Oak is first aged in new, charred, American white oak barrels for four years as usual but is then transferred to a second freshly charred, white oak barrel. The Single Barrel expressions come from barrels that due to various circumstantial factors such as placement in the rack house, the intensity of the season and length of aging, produce a more flavorful whiskey.
The Single Barrel was the most flavorful Jim Beam whiskey we tasted but not having a cask-strength version means that the most complex Jim Beam whiskey was not quite as flavorful as the most complex Jack Daniel’s whiskey.
The result for which whiskeys have more complexity: Jack Daniel’s – but only just
Smoothness
The third factor I used to determine whether Jack Daniel’s or Jim Beam whiskeys are better, is how smooth they are. Several things contribute to making a whiskey smooth.
High Quality Grain
High quality grain means it’s clean and without any foreign materials or cracks for something unpleasant to enter the kernel and contaminate it. Both Jack Daniels and Jim Beam use high quality grain.
Iron-Free Water
Iron in the water used to make whiskey is a problem because it reacts with alcohol turning it black and bitter – the very opposite of smooth. Limestone filters out iron which is why the water used for Jack Daniel’s whiskeys comes from a two-mile deep limestone cave on the distillery’s site. Kentucky sits on a natural limestone shelf, so the water used for Jim Beam whiskeys also has no iron.
Copper Stills
Most distilleries use copper stills to distill their whiskeys because it helps strip spirits of certain unwanted flavor and aroma compounds that would make it unpleasant to drink. The copper reacts with the sulfur that comes from fermenting yeast and neutralizes its bitter taste, keeping it smooth.
Distilling Twice
The more times a whiskey is distilled the smoother it will be. That’s because you concentrate certain aroma and flavor compounds and remove others that are unwanted. Jim Beam whiskeys are distilled twice but Jack Daniel’s whiskeys are only distilled once.
Charcoal Filtration
All Tennessee whiskeys are filtered through charcoal before aging which eliminates impurities and mellows the flavor. Jim Beam whiskeys are bourbons, so they’re not filtered through charcoal, but Jack Daniel’s are Tennessee whiskeys, and they pay special attention to this process, filtering their whiskeys through 10-feet of sugar maple charcoal over three to five days.
Jack Daniel’s Gentleman Jack is charcoal filtered twice, both before going into the barrels like the others, and after being matured before bottling. This removes any remaining impurities and further mellows the whiskey, making it even smoother than the smoothness of the other Jack Daniel’s expressions.
The following table is a summary of what each brand does to ensure their whiskeys are smooth:
| Jack Daniel’s | Jim Beam | |
| High quality grain | Yes | Yes |
| Iron-free water | Yes | Yes |
| Copper stills | Yes | Yes |
| Distilling twice | No | Yes |
| Charcoal filtration | Yes | No |
The charcoal filtration is probably the most effective of all these which is why Jack Daniel’s is known for being smooth and Jim Beam isn’t.
The result for which whiskeys are smoother: Jack Daniel’s
Price
The last factor I used to determine whether Jack Daniel’s or Jim Beam whiskeys are better is price.
The following table shows the approximate price for 750ml bottles (unless otherwise indicated) of Jack Daniel’s and Jim Beam whiskeys:
| Jack Daniel’s | Jim Beam | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Old No. 7 | $25.99 | White Label | $23.99 (1L) |
| Tennessee Rye | $26.88 | Rye | $22.99 |
| Tennessee Honey | $37.99 | Apple | $17.99 |
| Tennessee Fire | $24.99 | Honey | $23.09 (1L) |
| Tennessee Apple | $25.29 | Fire | $17.99 |
| Gentleman Jack | $33.99 | Red Stag | $18.69 |
| Sinatra Select | $172.99 (1L) | Vanilla | $17.84 |
| Single Barrel Select | $54.99 | Peach | $17.99 |
| Single Barrel Rye | $54.99 | Orange | $16.99 |
| Single Barrel Barrel Proof | $62.99 | Black Extra-Aged | $23.73 |
| Devil’s Cut | $23.09 | ||
| Double Oak | $22.99 | ||
| Single Barrel | $39.19 |
As you can see, Jim Beam whiskeys are clearly cheaper than Jack Daniel’s whiskeys. Even a 1L bottle of the standard Jim Beam expression is cheaper than a 750ml bottle of the standard Jack Daniel’s expression! And when it comes to the higher quality single barrel expressions Jim Beam is still the cheaper of the two.
And it’s not because Jack Daniel’s whiskeys are better quality, in that regard the two are about the same. It’s just that Jack Daniel’s is better at marketing their whiskeys. I mean look at the Jack Daniel’s Sinatra Select. $172.99 is certainly not a reflection of the quality of the whiskey. It’s a reflection of the great marketing of a whiskey commemorating Frank Sinatra.
The result for which whiskeys have a better price: Jim Beam – by a lot
Key Takeaways
To decide which whiskeys are better, Jack Daniel’s or Jim Beam, I looked at four factors and found the following:
- The brand that’s better in terms of flavor will be a matter of taste
- The brand that’s better in terms of complexity is Jack Daniel’s
- The brand that’s better in terms of smoothness is Jack Daniel’s
- The brand that’s better in terms of price is Jim Beam
If price is the most important factor for you, or you just really hate the flavor of banana, or love the flavor of peanuts even more, then that will be your deciding factor.
Otherwise, the overall result for which whiskeys are better: Jack Daniel’s
You can buy any of these whiskeys at drizly.com here
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