Review #724 - Hardin's Creek Frankfort 204 Months Aged
Jim Beam's 'Hardin's Creek' series is a collection of premium bourbons that explores the effects of maturation micro-climates on small batches of whisky. There have been several releases in the series: different warehouses campuses (Clermont, Frankfort, and Boston), different warehouses (warehouses G, R, and W at the Clermont campus), and more.
Here we have the Frankfort batch from 2023, which was aged for a minimum of 204 months, or 17 years. This campus endures a humid climate, and according to the brand, the warehouses do not have much ventilation, leading to an intense maturation that brings strong aged notes to the bourbon. An age of 17 years should lead to some strong oak flavors; we also get a bottling strength of 55% ABV (110 proof), meaning those flavors should be delivered with good intensity.
Hardin's Creek Frankfort 204 Months Aged
USA - Bourbon
MSRP: USD 170 (2023)
Available Price: USD 235 (2025, based on recent auction results)
Age Statement: 17 Years
Strength: 55% ABV
Details: Bottled 2023
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 3 months from a sample. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Almonds and caramel, orange peel, and then a strong oak kick - leather, tannins, a little hint of tobacco. The oak also contributes sweeter vanilla notes and a bit of sweet perfume, and time brings cinnamon, cardamom, just a hint of cherry and linen. Later, the tobacco scents grow much stronger.
Palate: The mouthfeel is medium-thick; oak leads the way with pepper notes, tobacco or cigars. Peanut butter and a hint of almond bring that nutty Beam side back, but we also get stronger sweet notes like creamy vanilla bean, molasses, a just a hint of red fruit. Cardamom, fizzy cola, and coffee flavors round out the profile.
Finish: Cream soda, pecans and almond butter, brown sugar, and plentiful oak: tannins, pepper, more tobacco. There's a soft herbal side from the rye, and we get cola and cloying clove in the aftertaste. The finish is medium-long with nice texture.
Final Note: This is a good example of well-aged Jim Beam bourbon - it shows some of those classic nutty notes that we expect from the distillery, but it also has a great oak presence. Lots of pepper, tannins, and tobacco, but while this is heavily-oaked, that dry side isn't overwhelming, as there is sweetness from baking spices and a hint of fruit to balance it out. Very good bourbon, one we would be happy to have on the shelf.
Value at MSRP is a little below average, but not bad; these days, the auction prices seem to be about 30% to 40% higher than that, though. Still not a bad purchase, especially for the age statement, but there are other bourbons that give you strong oak like this for a bit less money.
Our Rating: 8.2 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating (MSRP): 5.90
Value Rating (Available Price): 5.29
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
