Jack Daniel's Bonded Rye

I'm a rye fan. I love a rye sidecar neat with a hot cup of good black coffee on those special brunch mornings. For the last few years my rye of choice was the bog standard 86 proof Jack Daniels Straight Rye. It's a good tasting, soft whiskey that fit this use perfectly and I typically keep a bottle in the cabinet for just such an occasion. Unfortunately it seems that bottle, which was readily available in my market for under $20, seems to be no more. In its place we have 100 proof bottled-in-bond rye. Let's take a taste. For this tasting I'm neat side-by-side with the 90 proof JD Single Barrel rye. On the nose the two are very, very similar as to be expected. The BiB has a hotter ethanol note accompanied by a slightly more intense caramel sweetness note. On the palate the single barrel is sweet and nicely complex, with a very slight peppery finish and a modest fade. It's a nice sipper, better than the original Straight Rye in every way. There's a definite wood and barrel foundation and the liquid also offers up slight dill, apple pie crust, and a ghost of limey citrus on the back of the tongue. In comparison the BiB Rye is drier. Much drier in fact, with more prominent oak and barrel elements. The fruitiness is reticent, the vanillins and sugars from the wood are pushed a bit forward. There's a slight brineyness that I didn't get with the single barrel. It's hotter in the finish and doesn't strike me as being quite as well integrated as the single barrel. In a Manhattan(2:1:2) I think the choice of vermouth is going to make or break the cocktail. The JDBiB doesn't like my Cnia Mata Spanish vermouth, is happier with Cocchi di Torino or with Martini Rossi sweet. Those later vermouths are more intensely flavored and possibly sweeter than the Cnia. This is a good rye, but it's not really my jam. I'd rather mix with Wild Turkey 101 Rye or sip neat with Russel's Reserve 6 or one of the Sagamore expressions. Or the Jack Daniels Single Barrel for that matter. This is a fine rye whiskey and a good extension for the Jack Daniel's line-up. That said, it's unlikely I'll replace this bottle in my regular rotation. It's a bit too expensive for a casual mixer and not quite good enough to satisfy as a solo act. A good effort, but maybe not as impressive at the Triple Mash for the same kind of money.

2023 bottling of JD rye in their "Bonded Series," 700ml bottle. Tasted neat. Rosy brown, light in color, and thin legs in the glass. Dried fruit, cherry, sweet grain, and grassy rye on the nose. In the mouth, slight ethanol rush, but the light/thin mouthfeel holds that in check. Sweet vanilla and tannic oak, cherry fruit, and simple syrup. Spice comes on later in the mouth, but it's worth the wait. Bang! Great spicy and lip-tingling mint finish is long--keeps building and building--sweet, and clean. No sour taste here. The finish is the best part of this whiskey for me as a rye fan. An ice cube kinda ploughs under that finishing spicy tingle. Its overall lightness makes me wonder how this will mix. BreakingBourbon.com rated this 2023 bottling one of their Top Five Rye Whiskeys of 2023. The finish alone would convince me of that, but... seems kinda thin in the mouth. As always, will revisit my rating as I try this over time.

JD BONDED RYE *NOSE: Brown Sugar, Banana, Dry Oak, Juicy Fruit Gum, Dill, Leather, and a Slightly Earthy note. *NEAT: Down the center of the tongue are the Banana and Juicy Fruit. Herbal Notes (Dill, Clove, Star-Anise) on the Sides and Back of the tongue. There is a hint of plastic/chemical on the Finish with a decent TNHug. Medium to Heavy Mouthfeel results in an Oaky and Herbal Coating that layers the palate. *SPLASH: The Sweetness now dominates the palate with even more Banana. It also brings out a Black Pepper tingle. *VERDICT: Definitely the third ranked in the JD Bonded Series. It's been a while since I've had standard issue JD Rye, but if memory serves, I liked it a little better than this. It's definitely a better buy, even with the lower proof thanks to this being in the smaller 700ml bottle. I'll save the $10-$15 and buy it instead

Nose: milk chocolate, wood smoke, and ethanol. With time fresh cherry. With water strong maple comes on Palate: pine, caramel candy, citrus rind Finish: menthol, citrus, char, strawberry cream candy This is different, but every bit as good (maybe better flavor but not as smooth) as Rittenhouse (and mixes as good as Rittenhouse in a Manhattan or Old Fashioned). In fact, it reminds me of a less refined Rare Breed rye (which I love). For $29 a bottle this along with Rittenhouse will now have a place in my regular rotation as my go-to mixer for rye cocktails. Update: after this bottle is opened and oxidizes for about a week it really mellows and softens. Takes on a strong vanilla maple character. Delicous and smooth at 100 proof. Upping to 4.25 stars

Nose is interesting with lemon, brown sugar, banana, honey, hay, white pepper, oak, and just a hint of rye spice. Palate is much different from the nose opening with mint, apple, maple, charcoal, pumpernickel, green tea, cola, and nutmeg. Flavors punch above their weight with richness and complexity. Finish is medium length and features pepper, oak, burnt sugar, cinnamon, stewed pear, and clove. Mouthfeel is a nice medium bodied and very oily which serves this offering well. Complexity and uniqueness for days. A very untraditional rye that is hard to rate. As a rye? Meh. As a whiskey? Pretty darn good, especially given the price of $36. Maybe the new budget king. Easy rebuy earns this a 4.0.

Nose: light aromas on the nose and it has a delicate candied apple and pear scent. Pleasant and not overpowering woth ethanol at all. Palate: burnt oaky and sweet rye flavors Finish: Is relatively short with vanilla pudding and banana cream pie making an entrance. Over thos is a pretty soft and gentle rye considering the hogh rigjt content and the 50% abv. Noce choice for the proce when it comes to making cocktails.