Tag: Jack Daniels

Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Barrel Proof

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Maker: Jack Daniel’s, Lynchburg, Tennessee, USA. (Brown-Forman)

Style: Tennessee Whiskey.

Age: NAS

Barrel information: 19-02550, rick L-27.

Proof: 127.9 (63.95% ABV)

Michigan state minimum: $65

Appearance: Reddish copper.

Nose: Roasted corn, maple sugar, leather, anise.

Palate: Full bodied and hot. Some sweetness, then evaporates off the tongue. With water, less heat but more caramel and dry oak.

Finish: Big peppermint. Still hot with water, but more dry oak.

Parting words: Long time readers will know that I, generally, hate Jack Daniel’s whiskeys. Out of the three JDs I’ve reviewed over the years, I’ve only given one a positive review. That was the rye. The most disappointing was the Single Barrel Select, which was expensive trash. The standard JD was just regular trash.

So why did I buy this? I don’t know. Maybe optimism, maybe self-loathing, maybe both. Surprisingly, though, I don’t regret this purchase too much. It’s not too expensive for a big distillery single barrel barrel proof offering, and it doesn’t taste terrible. Its only real flaw is that it’s a little boring compared to its high proof single barrel competitors like those from Four Roses, and Wild Turkey.

It’s a low bar to be sure, but Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Barrel Proof is the best JD expression on the market right now. So I do in fact have to hand it to them in this instance. This whiskey is recommended.

Jack Daniels Rye

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Maker: Jack Daniels, Lynchburg, Tennesee, USA (Brown-Forman)

Style: High rye (70%) straight rye whiskey

Age: NAS (at least 4 y/o)

Proof: 90 (45% ABV)

Michigan state minimum: $25

Appearance: Medium copper.

Nose: Potpurri, leather, tarragon.

Palate: Full-bodied and medium sweet. Spearmint, cinnamon disks.

Finish: Shamrock Shake.

Mixed: Performed adequately in a Manhattan, Old Fashioned and in a highball.

Parting words: Long time readers will know that, generally speaking, I don’t like anything with Jack Daniels on the label. Despite that fact, perhaps in an effort to punish myself or as a service to you, dear readers.

Despite my poor expectations, this rye isn’t bad. It’s much better than the George Dickel rye, which was slapped together by running aged MGP rye through a large vat of charcoal. The result was a confused, maple-flavored mess. Brown-Forman took their time putting this rye whiskey together and it shows. Not that it’s great, but it’s a perfectly servicable rye, on par with Jim Beam or Rittenhouse rye at about the same price. For once I gotta hand it to JD. Jack Daniels Rye is recommended.

Jack Daniels Single Barrel Select

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Maker: Jack Daniels, Lynchburg, Tennessee, USA20160930_180620.jpg

Style: Tennesee Whiskey

Age: NAS

Proof: 94 (47% ABV)

Michigan state minimum: $52

Parting words: Single Barrel select was the first premium line extension to Jack Daniels. It was introduced in 1997 and had a fairly good reputation whiskey enthusiasts as the most (or only) drinkable JD iteration, at least after the standard JD was lowered to 80 proof. JD Single Barrel has now turned into its own line. There is now also a 100 proof bottled in bond (originally a travel retail selection), barrel strength and a single barrel rye (the last two released this year).

I haven’t had any of the new ones, and I’ve never been impressed with the SB Select in the past, but this bottle was even worse than I remember. It strikes a balance between boring and unpleasant as only JD can. Other than the proof and the price, this is indistinguishable from the last glass of standard JD I had. The price is not as outlandish as the Frank Sinatra Editions ($170 and $450 respectively) but still dumb money. Individual barrels may vary, of course, but overall Jack Daniels Single Barrel Select is not recommended.

Jack Daniels Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey

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Maker: Jack Daniels, Lynchburg, Tennessee, USA (Brown-Forman)

Age: NAS

Proof: 80 (40% ABV)

Appearance: light copper.

Nose: Light banana scent, corn syrup, papaya, nail polish, touch of wood..

On the palate: Light and sharp. Nail polish, clove, maple sugar, bit of anise.

Finish: Hot and harsh. Bitter clove, acetone, not much else.

Parting words: Jack Daniels is the best-selling brand of whiskey in the world. I have trouble figuring out why. It is fairly easy-drinking with some spice and sweetness. There is not much else going on here, but what is going on is pretty unpleasant. The special charcoal mellowing process Jack (and George Dickel) goes through is supposed to remove many of the harsher congeners found in bourbons of the same age, but there were still plenty left over.

I didn’t bother to try it in a manhattan or anything like that, but I did try it in its most popular applications: Jack and Coke and Jack and Ginger Ale. It does very well in both these drinks. The cola smoothes out the rough edges, but there is enough there to (barely) taste the whiskey inside. The ginger ale complements the spice and fruit notes, and covers up the embarrassing nail polish ones.

As a bargain brand, it doesn’t stand up too well to the competition. It’s well over $20 here in Michigan. Not good value for something of this quality at 80 proof. There are seasonal editions of Jack Daniels Old No. 7 that come out at a variety of proofs and one dedicated to salesman Angelo Lucchesi at 90 proof, replicating the proof of Jack when he started working at the company in the 1950s when Brown-Forman purchased it. That one is only a couple dollars more and probably a better bargain if you enjoy Jack Daniels.

At any rate, I’ve had worse, but not at this price. Jack Daniels Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey is not recommended.