Nice on the rocks

I've tried a lot of the non-single barrel bourbons this month courtesy of some friends with expense accounts (!). On my desk I have: Woodford Reserve Distiller's Select, Buffalo Trace, Knob Creek, Jack Daniel's Gentleman Jack (yes I know but including for sake of supermarket sweepness) and Maker's Mark. Woodford is bloody vile. Its bottled at 43% and boy can you taste that extra 3%. Too much booze kills the normally sweet mouthfeel and leaves you reaching for ice. Which then does a JWB and it falls apart completely on the rocks. Astringent, wood but new wood not pleasant at all. Overpriced shyte! Buffalo Trace is great on the rocks but I feel again its too full blown. Too much of everything (very American I guess). Its nice enough but not something you want to drink just the one double. Knob Creek was just a huge disappointment. Granted its the entry level one. But still. Almost undrinkable. Booze, booze and more booze. Nothing much else. Maker's Mark was far more enjoyable; loads of oak and corn sweetness and plenty of 'spice'. Now this was a huge surprise to me too but Jim Beam White Label. On ice (4 smallish cubes) + three fingers. A minute to settle. Its just the best of the bunch. A perfect balance between sweet, booze, oak and a yeasty freakiness that just hits all the right bits of your tongue. I can't understand why a £15 bottle of mass produced 'filth' is the best 'cheap' bourbon you can pick up from Asda or the ilk. But it is. If you like to be blown away a-la-mouthwash then get some Trace. But if you like a sweet/sour/oaky apperatif of an evening then Jim Beam is a great product. Unpretentious and highly affordable. 10 from me.