Whisky makers lament the so-called “angel’s share,” which is the alcohol lost to evaporation while the spirit ages in the barrel.
The folks at Jim Beam had an idea: While you can’t stop the angels for taking their portion of the hooch, maybe you can reclaim some of the whisky lost when it soaks into the wood. In other words, Beam wondered: “Can we suck some whisky back out of the barrel?”
In a word, yes. The distiller figured out a “proprietary” method for doing so, and called the bourbon extracted using this secret method the “devil’s cut.” It’s a playful reference to the angel’s share.
When this “devil’s cut” is added to six-year-old bourbon, the result is Jim Beam Devil’s Cut, which Beam promises is its “boldest bourbon yet.” (That’s a hell of a claim to make when you’re the company that makes Booker’s, but OK.)
One thing is certain: Devil’s Cut really tastes like an oak barrel: It has lots of vanilla, spice and (duh) wood flavours. This is instructive stuff for whisky newbies: If you want to know what barrel aging does for a whisky, try Devil’s Cut next to standard Jim Beam White. Aha, right?
It’s affordable, meanwhile. Canadians are looking at about $32-$35 a bottle, and it’s available (or soon will be) in every province. How often does that happen for a new product?
Alas, we know that every one of Satan’s bargains has a downside. The catch with this product is that it is an aggressively sour and grainy — some might even say harsh — bourbon. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it for leisurely sipping.
But many an over-powerful spirit flourishes in the mellowing (i.e., diluting) atmosphere of a mixologist’s glass, and Devil’s Cut is no exception. With this price point and flavour profile, I hereby declare Devil’s Cut a cocktail whisky, and a fine one at that. Is it good enough to replace Bulleit as my standard cocktail bourbon? Probably not, but I’ll report back if that changes.
Meantime, in honour of Jim Beam’s spark of inspiration, I used Devil’s Cut to make a classic (and indeed almost forgotten) cocktail that was too clever an idea for it to be as obscure as it is. The brainstorm is a bit of brilliance: it’s a simple way of adding a nice interplay of sweetness and herbal aroma to your hit of precious whisky. If only we knew whose bright idea it was.
BRAINSTORM
• 1½ oz. bourbon or rye whisky
• ¾ oz. dry vermouth
• ¾ oz. Bénédictine D.O.M. liqueur
• orange twist for garnish
Method: Add all ingredients except garnish to a mixing glass filled a third of the way with ice. Stir until ice cold and strain into chilled cocktail glass. Flame an orange peel above the surface of the drink and drop into the drink.
