Jack Daniel’s

Weekly Whiskey News Roundup 8/12/16

Welcome to our inaugural weekly news roundup.  Every week or so, I’ll share any whisky news that hits my inbox in a short post.  It’s something I’ve been thinking about adding to the blog for a while.  With dental surgery curbing my whisky tasting for a few days, I figured now is as good a time as any to start.

  • New expressions of Glen Grant are hitting the U.S. market.  Glen Grant released a 12-year-old expression this past June, and an 18-year-old single malt is expected to hit shelves this October.  SRP for the latter is $119.99.  This announcement comes as their Master Distiller, Dennis Malcolm, was appointed “Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire” by Queen Elizabeth.
  • Glenmorangie brings their Legends Collection to the U.S (sort of).  Starting August 10th and lasting for three months, Glenmo fans can taste and buy Duthac, Tayne and the most recent release Tarlogan at the International Shoppes Duty Free store at JFK Airport in NYC.
  • Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel program get a personal touch.  Dubbed the “Personal Collection,” Jack Daniel’s expansion of their Single Barrel program now allows customers to pick out their own barrel of the Tennessee Whiskey.  The new program is similar to the single barrel selections of other distilleries wherein the customer can come in and pick from a selection of barrels chosen by Master Distiller Jeff Arnett.  Can’t make the trip to Lynchburg, TN?  Jack Daniel’s distillery will ships samples to the customer to choose from.
  • The Cooper’s Croze: a new expression of Jameson soon arrives in the U.S.  The Cooper’s Croze is the first in a series of three whiskies that pay homage to different aspects of whiskey-making.  Created by Midleton Distillery Head Cooper Ger Buckley,  the new Irish whiskey is named after the tool used to make the groove where the head of the barrel is positioned in order to seal the barrel.  The new expression hits shelves this August for an SRP of $69.99.

Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Rye Whiskey Review
Photo courtesy of Jack Daniel's.

Photo courtesy of Jack Daniel’s.

During the summer of 2014, I had a chance to talk to Jeff Arnett, the Master Distiller of Jack Daniel’s.  Towards the end of the brief interview he mentioned the upcoming rye whiskey release.  Fast forward a year and a half to March 2016, and Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Rye (JDSBR) begins hitting shelves.

This rye expression is the distillery’s first new mashbill in 100 years.  Like Arnett stated in that interview, the mashbill is broken down to 70% rye, 18% corn and 12% malted barley.  The high percentage of rye grain should show up in the nose and palate.  Considering their traditional mash bill is 80% corn, 12% malted barley and 8% rye, it’s apparent the company wants to showcase a big rye note in the final product.

JDSBR is bottled at 94 proof and is the newest addition to the Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel lineup.  It offers no age statement, which is consistent with every other offering from the distillery.  Arnett says, “You never want to over-barrel a rye whiskey so it was important for us to stay true to the style of grain forward character rather than barrel character while still allowing our barrels to interplay with the whiskey.”

There has been some talk online about wide barrel variation for Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Barrel Proof, the company’s last release.   Some folks claim their whiskey was not of quality, whereas I tasted whiskey from two different barrels and found both to be delicious.  I’m curious to see how this new offering will fare.

Although the mashbill has changed, the nose is unmistakably a member of the Jack Daniel’s family.  Rye grain leads off the nose, followed by familiar JD notes of sweet caramel, banana, and a little oak.  The entry is a mixture of sweet and spicy.  Rye grain is showcased nicely, providing that spiciness and a bit of sharpness.  Caramel and that JD banana note add sweetness and some richness.  The oak note comes in close to the medium-length finish, which is a touch astringent and leaves behind a sweet note.

You know, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Rye is pretty darn good, especially for the suggested price of $49.99.  It’s pretty much what I expected from a JD rye whiskey.  It keeps the JD characteristics, but focuses on the rye grain.  Arnett and his team have not allowed the barrel influence to dominate the whiskey.  Assuming the whiskey makers are picking great barrels, I have a feeling this will be a hit for the company.

Give this one a chance.  I think you’ll like what you taste.

8/10
(Note: A small review sample was provided by Jack Daniel’s.)

Gentleman Jack Tennessee Whiskey Review

Next up in our series is Gentleman Jack.  Jack Daniel’s was the first whiskey I drank.  When I wanted to upgrade, I went to their Single Barrel.  Then it was off to bourbon.  In all these years, I never had the chance to try Gentleman Jack… until recently.  My buddy Rich nearly finished off a bottle and gave me the last couple of pours.

IMG_2370

Gentleman Jack gets the normal “Jack Daniel’s” charcoal filtration before aging in barrels.  Unlike Old No. 7, this also gets a second charcoal filtration after maturation.  It’s designed to be super-mellow.

I drank it neat in a glencairn glass, and it concentrated those classic Jack Daniel’s sweet vanilla and caramel aromas right up to my nose.  Sadly, it’s all downhill from here.  When I tasted it, I got what I can best describe as a thin, almost watered down Jack Daniels.  There’s no bite on this whatsoever.  The finish was quick and bittersweet.

IMG_2371

All my gripes about Gentleman Jack go against what the brand sees as it’s positives.  I tend to lean towards the richness in my whiskey.  I like a little bite, when it’s done right.  This particular whiskey is supposed to be super-mellow.  I know a lot of people who want just that.  Gentleman Jack has none of what I’m looking for in whiskey, but that’s a matter of personal taste.  I’d rather reach for a bottle of their Old No. 7 or their single barrel.

Smooth.  Maybe too smooth.

6.0/10