For American drinkers of any era (after the 1910s), the word “repeal” should be a magical thing because it was a clarion call, a signal that alerted the masses that Prohibition — that devil of a time when alcohol was illegal — was over. Done-zo. Kaput.
Repeal Day, the day that Prohibition officially came to an end, was December 5, 1933, and has been celebrated on that day every year since. If you want to really get in the mood, you should certainly check out the Repeal Day Conference, which takes place in Tampa annually.
Jim Beam is helping us all get ready for Repeal Day 2018 (the 85th anniversary) with the release of its newest bourbon, Repeal Batch, inspired by the liquid that the Beam family created following the end of Prohibition. The offering is also a celebration of the fact that James A. Beam was able to rebuild his distillery in only 120 days following the repeal. The label is illustrative of what labels would’ve looked like then and an homage to Beam’s hard work and determination.
Repeal Batch, which will be a limited-edition offering, is an 86-proof Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey. The bourbon has been aged for four years (as the normal Jim Beam is) but it is non-chill filtered, giving the whiskey a much fuller body on the palate. The oak, caramel, and char flavors come through in bigger waves than in your everyday Jim Beam bottle. You’ll find bigger spice and vanilla notes on the nose as well.
“For the 85th anniversary of Repeal Day, we wanted to release a bourbon inspired by our heritage and dedicated to the hard work my great-grandfather put into rebuilding our family business after Prohibition,” Fred Noe, Jim Beam’s seventh generation master distiller, said in a statement. “Jim Beam Repeal Batch pays tribute to all the generations of Beams that came before me.”
Jim Beam Repeal Batch will be available nationwide and will retail for around $17.99. While great neat or with a rock, the brand suggests also trying Jim Beam Repeal Batch in a whiskey punch cocktail, a drink reminiscent of the cocktails that the bourbon drinkers of the 1930s might have enjoyed.
Whiskey Punch Cocktail
- 1.5 parts Jim Beam Repeal Batch
- .5 parts Italian vermouth
- .5 parts pineapple syrup
- .5 parts lemon juice
Method: Shake with ice and serve.
