So there was not a more surprised person on the planet than I when JD's single barrel products turned to be......drinkable. I'm not sure how I feel about a world in which I'd consider purchasing a Jack Daniel's product. But, I'm pretty sure Jack Daniel's 10 year old (not single barrel) has sold out already, so I'll give it a try without worry!
Brand: Jack Daniel's
Ownership: Brown-Forman Corporation
Region: Lynchburg, TN
Ownership: Brown-Forman Corporation
Region: Lynchburg, TN
Mashbill: 80% corn, 12% malted barley, 8% rye
Age: at least 10 years old
Age: at least 10 years old
NOTES
The nose begins with bags of cherry lollipops and plenty of barrel char to spare. The cherry note moves quickly to the fore, and a pretty floral note builds with time. Smaller of notes of Tabasco and mustard linger in the background. A berry gummy bear note appears after more than 20 minutes.
Gentle wood smoke, tart oranges and a lot of black pepper register first in the palate. Then the nose's cherries and flowers appear in the background, along with mildly tart apples. It never takes on any generic tannic nor barrel char notes, but the texture is very thin even at this strength.
It finishes with a mix of black pepper and sweet citrus. It's never too sugary, nor too oaky.
WORDS WORDS WORDS
Despite what other reviewers have found, my senses picked up no banana notes, which is a very big plus, pushing this to the fore of JD whiskies. The pepperiness showed through in the old fashioned that I, er, fashioned with half of this sample, and I kinda liked it. What holds this whiskey back is that watery texture. It's so thin in the mouth, and limits any expansion or development. So one is left with a light, pretty bourbon. I know I'm speaking to the ether here, but I'd be interested in this whiskey at half its suggested retail price (or 1/10th of its secondary market price).
Availability - Not at its suggested retail price
Pricing - Not its suggested retail price
Rating - 83 ← the highest score I'll probably ever give a Jack Daniel's whiskey
Pricing - Not its suggested retail price
Rating - 83 ← the highest score I'll probably ever give a Jack Daniel's whiskey