Jim Beam 8 Year Pin Bottle (2025) Review
In-Depth Review
The bourbon world loves a good whisky anniversary. And the folks in the Beam family are no exception. To celebrate its distillery’s remarkable 230th anniversary, Jim Beam has released a very special run of Pin Bottles to mark the occasion. Based on the famous Pin Bottle decanter series released from the 1940s-1990’s, Jim Beam has brought back the iconic bottle design to celebrate the moment.
Limited to just 3,000 bottles, and filled with 8-year straight bourbon whisky, these beautiful decanters were released on August 23rd, 2025, exclusively at the distillery in Clermont, Kentucky. The whisky inside was aged in the same 9 story warehouses as the original releases and is designed to bring back some of the nostalgia with its 86.8 proof and a flavor profile inspired the original release. But at $99 a bottle, is the whisky inside worthy of the occasion, or is this just another fancy bottle playing into the yesteryears of bourbon? I picked up my bottle this past week at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival to find out.
Age: 8 Years
ABV: 43.4%
Cask: New American Oak
MSRP: $99
Distillery Name: James B. Beam Distillery (Jim Beam)
Review Date: 9/11/25
Color: Solid Amber
Nose: The nose starts off with a familiar Beam nuttiness mixed with a warm dusty oak note that almost becomes a bit funky and reminiscent or those old Pin Bottles. There’s more oak on the front than 8 years would lead you to believe but it rounds itself out nicely with flashes of cornmeal, sour apple, and a touch of smoke. The nose is very restrained with low heat and notes that feel very aligned with a traditional Beam profile.
Palate: The palate has a very gentle upfront character with soft waves of butterscotch, oak, and fresh baked bread. Some of the nuttiness found on the nose pokes through but is lost against the almost watery and thin mouthfeel. As it transitions into the finish, the back of the palate features notes of sawdust and stale peanut brittle.
Finish: Short to medium finish with dried baking spice, more dusty oak, and a slight astringency that lingers between sips.
Final Thoughts: Let’s face it – you’re not considering buying Jim Beam’s 8 Year Pin-Bottle Decanter because of the whisky inside. The bottle is stunning, the mechanism to pour is great, and the nostalgia is real. But after you get past all of that, it’s not too far off to say that this feels like closer to a normal Jim Beam release than any of their fantastic Small Batch Collection or recent limited-edition expressions. While there are traces of that old nostalgic funk, the watered-down mouthfeel makes it difficult to compare to the original 1970’s Pin Bottles that this is based on. The nose carries most of the appeal throughout the experience while the palate struggles to gain much traction. And while it might feel like harsh criticism for a whisky that I actually find to taste fine, its $99 price point is what makes this a struggle. If this was closer to $40, I would regard this as an easy sipping, balanced whisky for those who want their pours compliment, rather than challenge them. But it’s easy to imagine that Jim Beam probably had to shell out a lot of money for the bottle design and might have had to skimp a bit on the whisky inside. So, if you decide to purchase, make sure you refill it with something more worthy of such a great shelf piece.
