Spirits aged in barrel slowly evaporate through the wood's pores. The volume sadly lost over the years is wryly called the "angels' share." Some also gets absorbed into the oak, where it remains after the barrel has been emptied. At Jim Beam, they call the wood-trapped bourbon – and there's a surprisingly large amount in there – the devil's cut. I suppose it could also be called a sour point with Kentucky accountants. But when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade, or in this case a brand extension with a clever marketing hook. Bourbon giant Jim Beam developed a proprietary technique that sweats out the spirit from the barrels. Once salvaged, the woody liquid is blended with regular six-year-old Beam bourbon and bottled as Devil's Cut.
The new brand packs a punch, at 45-per-cent alcohol, with nuances of brown sugar, banana and vanilla. The texture is velvety with most of the corn-based sweetness playing out in the first act. Then it becomes distinctly oaky, with rough-edge tannins and a blast of baking spices. It could stand a bit more elegance and complexity, I'd say, but this is entry-priced bourbon. And far be it from me to pick a fight with the devil. On sale in Ontario for $29.95 for a limited time.