These days, when you select a private barrel of whiskey, finding a catchy name that resonates with your customers is almost more important than how the whiskey tastes!!

As we were definitely on the hunt for barrels on that level due to the hotter environment and potential for evaporation/concentration, we decided to call this barrel the “Fifth Floor” because it came from the fifth floor of the rick house. Usually the higher up the barrel, the hotter the temperatures during the summer, which can lead to a more intense flavor profile. 

The first time you nose the whiskey it sends a tangy shiver right up your nostrils, loaded with citrus, wood polish, and a blast of heat from the 57.5% ABV. The second time you smell, it’s all baking spices: cinnamon, clove, anise, with a bit of peppery rye in the background. The palate is exactly what you expect and hope for: lots of herbaceous rye notes dancing around, meandering between the oak spice and the vanilla.

At 6 years of age, it doesn't have the rich or mouth-coating texture you find in older whiskies, but it still holds its own as a straight-sipper. The evolution of flavor from front to back is the highlight of this rye, concentrated from a fifth floor placement within the rick house for a hotter exposure during summer months. It packs an incredible amount of power and complexity into every sip, moving from graham crackers and honey, to rye bread, to toasted barrel notes, and a spicy, explosive finish.

This is exactly the whiskey I want to serve my guests after Thanksgiving dinner, serving up slices of Pumpkin Pie with a spicy glass of high proof Kentucky rye for dessert. Rye is the original American whiskey, and I like to keep my American holidays super traditional! Plus, no other distillery in Kentucky is delivering better bang for the buck value than Jim Beam right now. You get a whole lotta whiskey for your money here.

-David Driscoll