The James B. Beam Distilling Co., the home of Jim Beam bourbon, just announced the relaunch of its top-shelf brand Hardin’s Creek as a trio of 11-year-old whiskeys aged in single warehouses. The whiskey is very good and is certainly worth checking out, but the brand’s mission seems a bit unfocused, which raises the question—will it resonate with consumers?

Hardin’s Creek is the brainchild of eighth-generation master distiller Freddie Noe, who originally launched the brand in 2022 as a pair of bourbons—Jacob’s Well, a blend of 15 and 16-year-old liquid, and Colonel James B. Beam, a very young two-year-old whiskey—to show the contrasts that maturation bring to whiskey. Following that, the brand pivoted to a trio of 17-year-olds, each of which was distilled at the same time and from the same mashbill, but matured at different production sites that are part of the greater James B. Beam Distilling Co.

The relaunch is sort of a riff on that concept. The first release is another trio of bourbons, each aged for 11 years and bottled at 110 proof, but matured in a specific warehouse to showcase how different aging locations affect flavor. The three whiskeys are as follows—Mushroom was aged on a single floor in Warehouse R, which has no windows to allow in sunlight; Beaver was aged in Warehouse W, a five-floor warehouse that the brand says is generally humid; and Owl was aged in Warehouse G, a nine-story warehouse that is one of the few remaining that is that tall. Each bottle has a newly designed label featuring a representation of its name, part of what the brand is calling the creation of a new “world” for Hardin’s Creek.

All three whiskeys are quite good, with variances in flavor ranging from rich caramel notes in Mushroom, to a bright citrus tone that defines Beaver, and a oaky maple undercurrent in Owl. The thing is, future releases may or may not follow suit—and that is why, despite these whiskeys being good, it’s hard to say what Hardin’s Creek actually is. All three bottles are being released at the same time at $150 apiece, but people are not likely to buy them as a set—and without tasting them side by side, it might be hard to understand the effects of single warehouse maturation.

This is not a new concept, either. Russell’s Reserve has its Single Rickhouse series, but these are released once a year as individual bottles, something that has worked well for that brand. And, in a way, this seems kind of like a different version of a whiskey that Jim Beam already makes—Booker’s. That brand differs in that it’s a barrel-strength bourbon released at a younger age (usually between six and seven years old), along with some other variations in production details. But each release specifies exactly which warehouse and even which floors the barrels for a particular batch were matured, which is similar to Hardin’s Creek.

It would make sense if Hardin’s Creek was being relaunched as a single warehouse release, but apparently that’s not the case… or maybe it is, as the brand reps are tight-lipped about what’s coming next. It seems more like this is a chance for Freddie Noe to play around with other production factors, which he also already does with his Little Book series (although those are blended whiskeys). All this being said, the new Hardin’s Creek bottles are pretty tasty, so if you’re a diehard Beam fan—or just a curious bourbon drinker—give them a try. All three expressions are available at liquor stores in limited numbers around the country starting this month.