Old Tub - Last Drop Review

Last Drop Review
A review designed to explore how a bottle changes over the time it’s opened.

Age: At least 4 years

ABV: 50%

Cask: Virgin American White Oak

MSRP: $20

Distillery Name: Jim Beam

Open For:  7 Months

Opinion Through the Bottle: When I grabbed this bottle, I was very excited. Jim Beam had just launched Old Tub to a lot of fanfare by reviving a label that had been dormant for decades and pricing it at 1992 bourbon levels. How could this limited release only be $20 bucks? As the reviews started to come in, I knew I had to find it. It seemed like people were riding high on Old Tub. Some people even called it a “baby Booker’s” with its unfiltered mouthfeel and strong flavor profile. So, when I found this bottle at my local Total Wine, I was more than happy to pay the $20 price tag to give this a whirl.

And when I opened Old Tub, I initially loved it. It was different. Unique. It was oily, weighty and a flavor bomb on the palate. It didn’t feel like any other “bottom shelf” bourbon I had. Old Tub gave a lot of that typical Jim Beam profile – just more concentrated. The nutty notes, sawdust, sweet, toasted caramel. It was good. The mouthfeel punched above its weight. I drank it often in those first few weeks. But as it sat open on my bar my interest quickly waned. The oxidation was not kind to Old Tub. The peanut notes got too strong for me. It no longer had nuance and instead became a brash sipper that dominated my palate and required too much attention to enjoy. Eventually after 5 months I wanted to finish the bottle and began to give it to friends and family who would come by. They all thought it was unique and interesting, but they also never asked for a refill. So that seemed to be the story of Old Tub – a fun weekend fling that lacked long term commitment potential. I’m glad I had it. But I’m also now glad I don’t.

 Score: 85

Will I restock this? If compared against normal Jim Beam White Label (or even Black Label) I would pick this every time. But if I found myself in a well-stocked liquor store and had a choice of Old Tub, Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond and Wild Turkey 101, the choice would be a toss-up between the Evan Williams and Turkey. While I do applaud Jim Beam for making a limited-edition product that was priced aggressively, halfway through the bottle I lost interest. This bottle just felt a little too one note for me, the nutty profile becoming too demanding for my idea of an easy sipper. Ultimately the one note is good – but not good enough for me to run out and grab Old Tub again.