" An Irishman, A Kentucky Colonel, and A Japanese Samurai enter a bar ... Whiskey Party!"

County Louth Cooley distillery which makes some of Ireland's best-known whiskey has been bought by the US-based Beam Inc. Cooley distillery owns and produces the Kilbeggan, Connemara, Tyrconnell and Greenore brands. Beam Inc. is one of the world's leading premium spirits companies owning brands such as Jim Beam, Maker's Mark and Canadian Club. The leading markets for Irish whiskey, according to Impact, the popular spirits, beer, and wine publication of M. Shanken Communications, Inc. are the United States, Ireland, the United Kingdom, France, South Africa and Germany.

Japanese family-owned Suntory is to buy the US Beam, the company behind the Jim Bean bourbon brand. It will make Suntory the world's third largest maker of distilled drinks. The two companies have a previous partnership whereby they distribute each other's brands in different markets. Beam's brands also include Maker's Mark bourbon, Sauza tequila, and Courvoisier cognac. Suntory is best-known for the Japanese whisky brands Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Midori liqueur and Bowmore Scotch whisky. In 2013, UK's GlaxoSmithKline sold its Lucozade and Ribena brands to Suntory.

Jim Beam Jacob's Ghost White Whiskey

Frankly, I have not had many opprotunities to taste white whiskeys. In Texas and though out the South, I have read about how moon shine and white dogs are popular; but I don't like the corn taste of bourbon. Bourbon was Dad's favorite whiskey: corn mash and sweet favour was not my tastes. However, Tennessee rye has always been a unique favor treat. And this week at a private screening of Capturing Oswald here in Dallas,Texas, they were serving Jim Beam Jacob's Ghost White Whiskey. I liked it.

I have been told that Jacob's Ghost (named after 18th century Jacob Beam, the patriarch of the Beam clan) is the standard Jim Beam bourbon, made with their typical mash and distilling methods; however, this light ghost gets less than a year in charred oak barrels,and then filtered to remove both coloration and harshness. So, I found it to be an easy-drinking, young whiskey.

You still taste the sweet corn with a hint of vanilla and just a whisper of wood. On the palate, the corn sweetness continues combined with a surprisingly robust body. There's just a touch of smoke, and what some might call barrel spices on the finish.

It's definitely smoother and does not have the traditional bourbon favor of Jim Beam and Jack Daniel. I see why Jim Beam is promoting this white whiskey as a cocktail mixer like other clear spirits like gin white rum and blanco tequila. At the screening it was offered with traditional Southern Sweet Tea, a classic mixer for Boubon.

Jim Beam was only $19.99 at retail and under $15 at SPECS. If you want to try a mild, smooth, inexpensive white whiskey, this should be on your list.