BARD Friday: Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof, 65.65%abv batch

Though I am aware that many of these Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof barrel barrels have approached, and occasionally exceeded, 140 US proof, I have very little interest in that level of abuse. Plus I couldn't source any them.

Instead, this 131.3 proof bottling will be my ethanol apex this week. Like Monday's meh barrel barrel and Wednesday's nicely nicely barrel barrel, I'm going to try this JDSBBP at four alcohol levels to see what develops with increasing dilution. So far the quality and style variance has been very broad. Will that continue here?

Brand: Jack Daniel's
Ownership: Brown-Forman Corporation
Region: Lynchburg, TN

Mashbill: 80% corn, 12% malted barley, 8% rye
Age: ?

Outturn: ???
Alcohol by Volume: 65.65%
(from a bottle split)

Full Strength 65.65%abv	Diluted to 50%abv	Diluted to 46%abv	Diluted to 43%abv
On one level the nose shows Luxardo cherries, orange peel, milk chocolate and caramel chews. But there's also plenty of nail polish remover and perfume present. It trends towards vanilla and banana peel after some time in the glass.	A big shift in the nose. Think pear-infused mead up front, vanilla and Luxardo cherries in the middle, and cologne in the background.	The nose has simplified and focused on vanilla frosting, caramel chews, and menthol.	Hmmm. Wet cardboard, sawdust, perfume in the nose's foreground. Vanilla, bananas, and black cherry soda in the back.
The palate is really hot, nearly unapproachably so. Barrel char, salt, vanilla syrup, limes, and tannins remain behind the fire.	Nice. The palate is loaded with oranges and coated with honey. A little bit of vanilla here, some cracked pepper there.	Like the nose, the palate has simplified. It's sweet and salty, with a menthol rinse and some drying tannins.	The palate is sweet, very oaky, with minor notes of pineapple and bitterness.
Once the burn subsides, one may find barrel char and peppercorns in the finish. Some savory smoke too, though that may be a cooked palate.	It finishes very sweetly, with a little bit of lemon and barrel char.	It finishes sweet, salty, and tannic.	The sweet and tannic finish doesn't last long.
Summary: Not a fan. Reminds me of the early batches of Stagg Junior, with two dimensions (raw ethyl and raw oak) destroying everything else.	Summary: What a change! I'd be happy to drink this again, at 50%abv. The honey + fruit is a nice combo.	Summary: I appreciate this spartan style. It ain't deep, but it is drinkable.	Summary: Again, the whiskey fell apart at this strength, collapsing into a thin mush.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

One can see via Wednesday's and today's barrel barrels why the standard 40%abv JD bottling is so disappointing. It's a drowning of potentially interesting and characterful whiskey. Though it could be argued that may be a flaw in the whiskey itself, I'm not sure what's to blame. In scotch, aggressive chillfiltration can be such a culprit, so perhaps the Lincoln County process could play a role?

These three JDSBBPs were never boring, and never sunk as low as the aforementioned Old No. 7. But due to the varying qualities between the JDSBBPs, I'm not going to buy one blindly. Also, these whiskies run VERY hot at full strength, so perhaps JD's Bonded whiskey may fit my palate best. I will report back if I buy a bottle.

Availability - Many batches/barrels around
Pricing - $55 - $85
Rating - 81 (carefully diluted)

BARD Wednesday: Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof, 65.45%abv batch

Monday's post may have come across a bit harsh. Mondays gotta Monday. So I'll try to soften it:

It has come to my attention that I also enjoyed the 2021 batch of Jack Daniel's 10-year-old, so that makes two Brown-Forman products that didn't cause my palate to jump out of my mouth. Also, the 76-point score I gave to Monday's JDSBBP barrel is a hell of a lot higher than I'd give to the current Old No. 7 (which would get something between a 36 and 56).

Does that provide some perspective? No? Okay, I kinda tried.

It's Wednesday now, and I'm trying another one of Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof barrel barrels. It's a teensy bit stronger, and I think it's a more recent release.

Brand: Jack Daniel's
Ownership: Brown-Forman Corporation
Region: Lynchburg, TN

Mashbill: 80% corn, 12% malted barley, 8% rye
Age: ?

Bottled: 2022

Barrel Barrel #: 22-04344

Outturn: ???
Alcohol by Volume: 65.45%
(from a bottle split)

Again, I tried this at four strengths:

Full Strength 65.45%abv	Diluted to 50%abv	Diluted to 46%abv	Diluted to 43%abv
The bourbony nose is loaded with cherries and caramels. Some raspberry jam, red bean paste, and a hint of brine as well. Not hot!	A desserty nose: butterscotch budino, pound cake, and dried blueberries.	The nose changes with each dilution. Now it has plum wine, blueberry pie, and a just a whiff of butterscotch.	Pretty nose. Stewed and baked berries, orange peel, and caramel up top, basic barrel char underneath.
The palate is hot, of course, but it doesn't hide the sweet cherries, candy corn, mild peppery tannins, and a slight umami note.	Ah, the bitter oak appears here in the palate. It's met by sweet oranges, mint leaf, and a hint of ginger. It gets pepperier with time.	Bitter oak is replaced by more palatable peppery tannins. Tart fresh cranberries + sweetened dried cranberries. Raspberries and ginger.	Not much left of the palate. It's lightly bitter, sweet, and peppery.
It finishes with sweet cherries and wood spice.	Bitter oak, tangy chiles, and little bit of sweetness in the finish.	It finishes with plum jam, ginger, and pepper.	Quiet finish made of pepper and salt.
Summary: Though it's big and oaky, I like it. Can imagine it as a hearty colder weather pour.	Summary: Delightful nose, less-than-delightful palate. The bitterness taints it.	Summary: Its parts are most in tune with each other at this strength. And its bitterness has vanished.	Summary: The whiskey ran out of steam here, with too much dilution being the culprit. It still smells great though.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

The new Brown-Forman king has been crowned! (Yes, I know it's American, but a significant portion of Americans want a king.) Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof barrel barrel 22-04344 is something I would buy and drink. 46%abv may be its sweet spot, but the whiskey works at full power. Bitter oak jumps out here and there, so be careful when adding water. Though really, how many people consuming JDSBBP are going to bust out the eyedropper? Please enjoy responsibly.

Availability - Many batches/barrels around
Pricing - $55 - $85
Rating - 85

BARD Monday: Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof, 64.9%abv batch

Once upon a time, circa 2015, Brown-Forman announced a new product called Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof (yes, more barrels in the name than in the whiskey). I saw the announcement on Twitter, and retweeted it with my always insightful analysis. I can't find the tweet, but I'm pretty sure it was:

#barf.

Some Twitter followers took umbrage to my observation and replied with similarly honed reflections along the lines of:

Y U mad bro.

There were three reasons Y I mad bro.

1. The quality of Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 is an embarrassment to all Americans, no matter one's political leanings.
2. I had never liked any American whiskey produced by JD's owners.
3. Everything Brown-Forman touches turns to brown.

Notice the "had", not "have", in point 2. That is because in 2019, I tried B-F's Old Forester Rye and found it to be waaaaaaaaay too good for its price point, a price point that has occasionally dropped here in Ohio.

Because I enjoy that completely unrelated product, that is a different whiskey type, from a different distillery, I have to decided to try THREE barrels of JDSBBP. Four years separated my brilliant JDSBBP tweet and my first sip of Old Forester Rye, and four years have now passed since that sip. So please figuratively join in me in three pours of JDSBBP this week, starting with the barrel with the wimpiest ABV:

Brand: Jack Daniel's
Ownership: Brown-Forman Corporation
Region: Lynchburg, TN

Mashbill: 80% corn, 12% malted barley, 8% rye
Age: ?

Bottled: ????
Outturn: ???
Alcohol by Volume: 64.9%
(from a bottle split)

I tried this Tennessee nectar at four strengths. Here's how it played out:

Full Strength 64.9%abv	Diluted to 50%abv	Diluted to 46%abv	Diluted to 43%abv
The nose is approachable! Peanut butter fudge, mint leaf, and carob arrive first, followed by sundae cherries and burnt tree bark.	The nose has more vanilla and pastry. A few dried apricots with a dash of clover honey and a splash of balsamic vinegar.	A straightforward mix of mint, menthol, lemon, and barrel char fills the nose.	Wood spice and a mix of citrus zests in the front, and jasmine blossoms in the back of the nose.
The palate is HOT, surprise! It's also peppery, sweet, and minty, with piles of burnt wood, and a hint of earth.	More approachable, but still very oaky, in fact here's where the bitter oak arrives, in the palate. Some decent tart limes mix with honey and cinnamon.	Like the nose, the palate is more focused: ginger, bitter oak, and sour citrus.	The bitter oak mellows out in the palate, which is now mildly sweet and filled with caramel and mint.
The finish is all hot char, menthol, and lime.	Hot char and limes again in the finish, but with some honey too.	It finishes with sour citrus, heat, and bitter oak.	It finishes tart, bitter, and woody.
Summary: The nose is kinda nice, but the mouth's oak and heat assault overwhelms all else, predictably.	Summary: I'm loving the nose here, and the palate improved...until the bitter oak appeared. The finish remains monolithic.	Summary: The citric acidity and woody bitterness were almost unpalatable. I considered dumping the rest at this point.	Summary: A big improvement over the 46%. The finish remains the weak point, but I could see how this would work for cocktails or casual summer sipping.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Good news first. This was MUCH better than Old No. 7, especially once reduced to 43%abv. Oak often imparts lovely noses at the same time it kills palates, and that's what happens to this whiskey at higher strengths. Overall, this was not as bad as I'd expected.

Now, the bad news. My Jack Daniel's standards are subterranean, so the above compliments all have qualifiers. Of course this is better than Old No. 7. A sinus infection is better than Old No. 7. This particular barrel is so woody there's no way to know if the problem with standard JD is the oak or the spirit.

But if you like hot bitter sour oak, you'll like this more than me.

Availability - Many batches/barrels around
Pricing - $55 - $85
Rating - 76 (heavily diluted only)

Jack Daniel's 10 year old Tennessee Whiskey, 2021 edition

Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 is my least favorite whisk(e)y in the world, and has been for a quarter century. (I can't believe I just wrote those last two words.) Even back when I was just chasing shots with the cheapest beer I could find, JD was just too foul for my face. That combo of the corn, the charcoal and the Brown-Forman appealed less than plastic bottle vodka.

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

Mashbill: 80% corn, 12% malted barley, 8% rye
Age: at least 10 years old

Bottled: 2021
Outturn: around 24,000 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 48.5%
(from a bottle split)

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

NOT Single Malt Report: Two rounds with Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey

I may lose some readers with this one, but here I go.

I do not, Do Not, DO NOT understand why anyone drinks Jack Daniel's Old No. 7.  I am unable to comprehend how it became the second most exported whisk(e)y in the world.  The best explanation I've heard so far is when Scotch and Ice Cream suggested that it's all marketing and culture.  So maybe it's like McDonalds and Bud Light: the name, the image, the familiarity influence consumers so they disregard the actual quality and experience of their purchase.  Is that it?  Because otherwise, I'm missing something.

Old No. 7 Black Label may have a "MANLY" marketing image, but how is it a "MANLY" whiskey?  It's not difficult or burly or challenging.  It just tastes bad.  In fact, since it's kind of weak and watered down in its current state, almost any American whiskey on the shelf could prove to be a more challenging ride.

And, at $15-$25, it's not nearly the cheapest thing on the shelf, so it can't be THE low-cost working man's whiskey.  As a mixer, it's barely better than vodka because it needs to be smothered with a ton of sugar in order to hide its flavor.  The same thing goes with Jack Daniel's sauces and marinades.  The reason why they taste so good is because they taste nothing like Old No. 7.  They taste like brown sugar.

Okay, so maybe, just maybe, people want to get plastered.  So they buy bottles of Jack for shots or to live up to the (sadly) romantic image of their favorite rocker drinking straight from the bottle.  Well that's a FAIL too.  Nothing tastes worse blasting back up than Old No. 7 vomit, aside from maybe Cuervo & Tabasco vomit.
(Note to self: You really have to stop it with the Vomit Taste Offs.)

I spent a bit of time with JD#7 in the late '90s -- until one day I realized it tasted awful -- so I'm coming to this with considerable sense memory.  I'm coming to this as someone who has had many motivations for buying booze.  But when it comes to Old No. 7, there are "manlier" drinks, there are cheaper drinks, there are more blue-collared drinks, there are better mixers, and there are better shots.

So, let's try some Old No. 7!

JACK DANIEL'S OLD No. 7 BLACK LABEL (bottled late 1990s)

Distillery: Jack Daniel's
Ownership: Brown-Forman Corporation
Region: Lynchburg, TN
Type: Tennessee Whiskey
Age: four years (I think)
Mashbill: 80% corn, 12% malted barley, 8% rye
Bottled: late 1990s
Alcohol by Volume: 43% (different than current ABV)


NEAT:
Color - Apple juice meets corn syrup
Nose - Leads with varnish and very sweet corn syrup. Follows with Italian salad dressing, dry cheese, and vinegar.
Palate - Goes the quick road from overly sweet to overly bitter.  Corn syrup and sweet cream does a bee line to ammonia.  Per the Lincoln County Process this was filtered through maple charcoal, but it tastes like it was passed through steel wool, Brillo pads, and burnt hair.
Finish - Granulated sugar sprinkled conservatively over a vat of acetate, varnish, deck stain, and ammonia.

WITH WATER:
Nose - Immediately there's tree bark, bleached paper, and horseradish. Then more of the varnish and corn syrup.
Palate - Creamier. Starts with brown sugar then goes bitter.
Finish - Blessedly short. Ammonia.

First thing to note:  My generous sample was taken from a bottle that was purchased in the late '90s.  And, yeah, the ABV was 43% rather than 40%.  I wish I had a proper bottle shot, but I don't know where the bottle went. (Long story, not very interesting.)

Secondly, I have to admit that this version of JD was particularly foul.  The current version is softer with more Nutrasweet corn, but it still has that steel-wool-brillo-pad-burnt-hair note.  There are folks who find a banana note in the current JD, but my nose reads it as banana-candy-meets-paint-fumes.

Thirdly, you may think I'm completely biased against all Jack Daniel's products and am thus a sh***y American.  At least the former isn't true.

Enter:

JACK DANIEL'S SINGLE BARREL SELECT

Distillery: Jack Daniel's
Ownership: Brown-Forman Corporation
Region: Lynchburg, TN
Type: Tennessee Whiskey
Age: four years (I think)
Mashbill: 80% corn, 12% malted barley, 8% rye
Alcohol by Volume: 47%

This tasting was done from the above mini, a gift from my buddy Shannon.  While no barrel number was listed on the mini, the 750mL (and 700mL) bottles do have barrel numbers on them.  But note: the Single Barrel Selects released in Europe have a 45% ABV.

Per the official website, "Single Barrel is matured in the highest reaches of our barrelhouse, where the dramatic changes in temperature cause its color and taste to deepen further."  Let's see how this maturation plays out.

NEAT:
Color - Reddish gold
Nose - At first: hazelnuts and dirty socks and nail varnish.  That steel-wool-brillo-pad-burnt-hair note shows up here.  But give it 15-20 minutes of air and... White bread toast, Cracker Jacks, burnt peppercorns, hay, vanilla extract, and fudgy rum.
Palate - Peanut brittle, sugary grains, vanilla and caramel (almost dulce de leche).  It's sweet, hot, and oaky, but in balanced moderation compared to No. 7.
Finish - Lots of corn whiskey.  There's some boiled vegetables at the start, but with time that note vanishes.  Then there's cayenne pepper, tree bark, vanilla, and caramel.

Because of the aforementioned "bias", I opened the bottle anticipating disaster.  But it's not terrible.  In fact, the Single Barrel Select is very drinkable and balanced once it's had some oxygen.  I like the nutty note as well as the straightforward vanilla and caramel.  Keep in mind, though, different barrels will have different characteristics.  That can work out well ...... or not, thus the charm of single barrel releases.

Again, once it's aired out, the Single Barrel leaves #7 far far behind, which is a shame.  It would be great if one of America's famous exports displayed more skill and craft, something with more strength and stamina, something that displays the better part of the American character.

---

JACK DANIEL'S OLD No. 7 BLACK LABEL (bottled late 1990s)
Availability - Somewhere out there. Current version is EVERYWHERE.
Pricing - Current version: $15-$25
Rating - 60    (late '90s sample only)

JACK DANIEL'S SINGLE BARREL SELECT
Availability - Many liquor retailers worldwide
Pricing - $40-$50
Rating - 80    (needs to breathe, though!)