whisky review

Jack Daniel’s Sinatra Select Tennessee Whiskey Review

In the Jack Daniel’s family, there’s one ultra premium selection:  Jack Daniel’s Sinatra Select Tennessee Whiskey.  It’s their tribune to a long and fruitful relationship with Frank Sinatra.  Before Sinatra, Jack Daniel’s was a small regional brand.  According to the company, Ol’ Blue Eyes held up a bottle of Jack Daniel’s onstage and called it the “nectar of the gods.”  That small Tennessee whiskey company was never the same again.  Sales went through the roof, and to this day it remains the best selling American whiskey in the world.  It’s well known Sinatra loved his Jack Daniels.  He drank it with a couple of ice cubes and a splash of water.  There is even a bottle of Jack Daniel’s buried with him.

Photo courtesy of Jack Daniel's Distillery.

Photo courtesy of Jack Daniel’s Distillery.

Jack Daniel’s Sinatra Select starts off with whiskey aged in special grooved barrels, or Sinatra barrels.  They cut deep grooves in oak barrels, exposing the whiskey to more wood.  When it comes to maturation, these special grooved barrels are mixed with barrels from the upper floors of their warehouses usually reserved for Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel.  The intended result is a whiskey that’s bold and smooth – words usually associated with Frank Sinatra.

(Please note:  the Jack Daniel’s Distillery sent me a review sample.)  On the nose, there’s overwhelming oak and vanilla on top of the traditional Jack Daniel’s sweet nose.  Taste-wise, Jack’s always been a sweet whiskey, but here that sweetness is held in check by the oak.  I don’t find it overly oaky, but if you’re not a fan of oak in your whiskey you’re probably not going to like this one.  Look past the initial sweet oakiness and there’s a little fruit and spice.  The finish is no where near as rough as Old No. 7, but is about as sweet.  How should I describe this whiskey?  It’s almost like putting a tuxedo on Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7.  It’s definitely more refined than their standard black label.  However, it’s not a super-complex whiskey…but  I don’t think they were aiming to make a super-complex whiskey.  That being said, there’s lots more happening here than in a glass of their Old No. 7 black label.

Photo courtesy of Jack Daniel's Distillery.

Photo courtesy of Jack Daniel’s Distillery.

My only gripe is the price.  This 90 proof Sinatra Select will run you about $165 for a liter.  This seems unreasonably high to me.  Maybe you’re paying extra for the packaging (which is pretty classy) or the Sinatra name on the bottle.  I’d be willing to pay $75 or even a $100 if I’m feeling generous to myself, but $165 is hard to swallow.

The price sucks, but the whiskey is fantastic.

8.5/10

Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey Review

You might call Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 the ‘King of American Whiskey.’  It’s the best selling American Whiskey in the world. It’s a staple of just about every bar in the country.  You can’t not know that Jack Daniel’s is everywhere.  The distillery has been around since the mid-1800s, and is stronger (and bigger) than ever.  The distillery puts out several products, but Old No. 7 black label is their bread-and-butter.

Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 was the first whiskey I tasted.  I don’t remember when or where, but it was on the rocks.  Always on the rocks.  In fact, it wasn’t until I really got serious about my whiskey that I drank Jack neat… but I still prefer it on the rocks.  Maybe it’s nostalgia.  So, how is this behemoth in the glass?

IMG_2474

On the nose, Jack Daniel’s has a signature smell.  You could blindfold me and I could spot the Jack Daniel’s in one glass out of a hundred.  I get sweet vanilla, bananas foster (Seriously?  Yeah, a little bit), some caramel, and a little oak.  Taste-wise, there’s caramel, sweet corn, oak and vanilla.  The finish is sweet and short, with a little spiciness.  It’s a little rough around the edges, especially for an 80 proof whiskey.  Not exactly the smooth sippin’ whiskey they market themselves as.

IMG_2472

A bottle of Jack will run you about $20.  A lot of people like what they taste.  Jack Daniel’s is a great “everyday” whiskey.  It’s not the most flavorful or in-your-face, but it’s not the worst either.  There’s a reason this is the biggest American whiskey around.  It’s a reliable go-to.  There’s some comfort in that.

7.0/10

Angel’s Envy Bourbon Review

IMG_2126

I’ve been reading about Angel’s Envy bourbon since it was first released a couple of years ago.  Several weeks ago, I asked the folks at Ro-Bro Marketing for a review sample of Angel’s Envy Rye.  Along with a sample of the rye, they sent a sample of Angel’s Envy Bourbon.   It’s now available in the New Orleans market where I’m based, but it wasn’t a year ago.  On my way back from a road trip to Chicago (I just had to see the Rolling Stones live), I made a detour to Memphis.  The reason, Angel’s Envy was sold in that market.  I picked up a bottle and I’m glad I did:  it quickly became one of my favorite bourbons.

Angel’s Envy is a play on an old distillery term “the angel’s share,” which referred to whiskey that evaporated over time.  If the evaporated whiskey was the angel’s share, what was left in the barrel was their envy.  Angel’s Envy was started by Wes Henderson, whose father Lincoln Henderson was a big name in the American Whiskey industry.  While he worked at Brown-Forman, he helped with the development and launch of Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel and Woodford Reserve – two whiskies I really enjoy.  He came out of retirement to help his son with Angel’s Envy, and I’m glad he did.  They sourced bourbon and finished it in port wine barrels for several months.  Sadly, Lincoln passed away last year.

IMG_2386      IMG_2124

The first thing you’ll notice is the bottle.  Its sexy curves and angel’s wings print make for one of the best looking bottles on the shelf.  There’s a really nice sweet caramel aroma.  When I taste this one, I get sweet caramel and toffee, a little vanilla, and a little spiciness (think cinnamon instead of cayenne pepper).   A little berry too, and that’s probably from the port cask.  It’s lush and velvety, but not syrupy.  The sweet and slightly spicy finish slowly fades away.

The idea of finishing bourbon in port wine barrels intrigued me enough to buy a bottle.  It does add a sweet berry quality to the bourbon, and further refines it.  This bourbon is easily drinkable, and I’ve recommended it to anyone who listens.  It’s 86.6 proof and runs about $45 – $50.

Highly recommended.

9/10