Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Strength Tennessee Whiskey

Rating: 21/23 It's been months since I opened this, but I'm finally getting around to taking notes. I was pretty underwhelmed by this when I first opened it (perhaps like I was with Wild Turkey Rare Breed). It had a strong flavor, but no depth. I left it alone and came back a few months later though and what a difference that made! Now, it's delicious and complex. I worry that I might have just gotten an especially good barrel because I have never liked any of the other Jack Daniel's offerings all that much, but this particular bottle stands out to me as one of the best bourbons I've ever tasted. Is it as good as George T. Stagg or William Larue Weller? No. Is it surprisingly close for only $55? Yes. It is a more traditional bourbon than Joseph Magnus, Murray Hill Club, or Corsair Grainiac, which are also exceptional bourbons, but definitely have quirks. It's much richer and more powerful than Wild Turkey Jewbilee, so the two occupy opposite ends of the more traditional spectrum, despite being of similar quality. I'm frankly shocked by how much I like this considering how much banana flavor is in it and my prior lack of enthusiasm for Jack Daniel's. N: The nose is disappointingly and surprisingly faint. After a few minutes though, I get banana that isn't overly sweet with a mature wood (light creosote) melded nicely with subtle baking spices and a rounded vanilla. There's a surprising bit of tartness as well off and on - possibly sort of a fermented green banana smell? P: It's a bit harsh, but mostly that's just the alcohol burn from the huge proof. It's rich and viscous with this banana sweetness that blends with the caramel/toffee and vanilla and has a greenness to it that keeps it under control. There are some nice baking spices in here that bring in a woodiness that tastes mature without being aggressive and has some bits of herbal creosote flavor as it continues, getting into leather territory a little bit even. It's a delightfully hedonistic palate that Gradually grows more complex as I sit with it. It's not amazingly complex, but it has a solid amount of complexity and a delightful amount of hedonism. I usually hate banana in my bourbon, but this is fantastic. F: The green banana, toffee and vanilla linger most of all as the woodier elements quickly vanish. The alcohol lingers a bit, but if you've made it through that powerful f=palate, this is nothing. The spices are faintly still present, with cinnamon being more prevalent than before. A very good finish with a lighter, sweeter character that serves as a bit of a reprieve from the powerful palate. A faint hint of banana laffy taffy brings in a hint of mineral, but it works because it is such a minor note. It's been an intense side-by-side, but my Russell's Reserve Single Barrel that has had a year and a half of substantial oxygen is pretty much on par with this. I've been on the fence between 21 and 22 for this after eliminating 20 a while back and while I think that this is a little bit better than the Russell's (which I deemed a 21), I don't think that it quite rises to the level of 22. Still, it's a darned good deal, if this bottle is representative, particularly considering the drinkability out of the bottle combined with the incinerating proof. It's worth considering in terms of VFM that the Russell's earned a 21 after 18 months of heavy oxidation, whereas this earned it after fewer than 6 of mild oxidation. Since the two are pretty much the same price, I will absolutely reach for this over Russell's the next time that I see them in a store. Hopefully, I didn't just get an exceptional barrel for this bottle. The complexity and balance really sell me on a profile that I didn't think I'd enjoy. Those who are put off by banana might want to avoid this, but I consider myself one of the biggest banana haters (in bourbon and eggnog) out there and I love it. It's incredibly difficult to rate something that's this good because there are few things I can compare it with. I spent ages torn between 21 and 22 for this. I think I'm going in the direction of a 21, but I would not be at all shocked if I raised it to 22 on a subsequent tasting. This is a fantastic bourbon and it is especially amazing for the price. I'm leaning toward a 21 instead of 22 because the complexity doesn't always show through and sometimes Elijah Craig Barrel Proof (B520) and Wild Turkey Rare Breed (116.8) show more character. And this is nowhere near the level of complexity that Corsair Grainiac (a dissimilar but also phenomenal whiskey) has. Still, sitting with this for a bit, complexity starts coming out to round out its awesome richness. The complexity here largely relates to the banana, but the banana never gets out of control somehow. That green banana flavor must be doing the trick and blending into the wood nicely. I could actually spend quite a while contemplating this in a hedonistic way. That scores big points in my book. Side by side with Wild Turkey Rare Breed 116.8, Elijah Craig B520, and Corsair Grainiac, I have little doubt that this surpasses the first two. Although this is very different from the Grainiac, I find it much harder to choose a winner between them and I keep going back and forth. At the end of the day, neither of them can be lower than a 20 but both have problems that keep them from scoring a perfect 23. Side by side...I really can't choose, but I appreciate that the Grainiac's complexity shows through no matter the circumstance. I'm borderline between a 21 and 22 on both of these, but considering that the Grainiac is probably just a smidge better, I think that I'd better put this at a 21 for now. I definitely feel like I'm wussing out a bit here because this is definitely better than Russell's Reserve Single Barrel oxidized for a ridiculously long time, which was solidly a 21, but I have so little to compare this with that it's hard to justify a 22. For a last-minute mixup, I poured some Joseph Magnus, which I previously rated a 21. Great, I'm now comparing a fairly standard (banana-y) bourbon with a light but complex one and a finished one. So, yeah, hard to compare. I've continued agonizing over this and what I can conclude at this point is that all 3 are in the 21 to 22 range. If I could come up with a definitive ordering, I could give them different ratings, but given how different they are stylistically, that isn't going so well. Given that, I'm going to handwave and cite "statistics" to assert that they're all more likely to be 21s than 22s and ignore the human element of this comparison so that I can just be done with this. Perhaps when I open my bottle of George T. Stagg 2019 that will be a clearer 22 and then I can use that as a basis for comparison with this. 21 for now, but it could easily end up being a 22. Right now though, I think that Elijah Craig B520 is a clearer 22. I like how much richer and darker its flavor is, though the variation on flavors here with some interesting subtlety gives this some nice life, particularly with the green bananas and wood maintaining the terrific balance. The deciding factor for me here is the harshness, which - while not bad for the proof - is noticeably stronger here than in the Elijah Craig B520. They're both excellent, but I give the nod to the Elijah Craig. For the money, it's very hard to come anywhere near this quality. Truly, an outcome that I didn't see coming. Very well done, Jack Daniel's

130.2 proof (so they say), bottled 1.11.21 from barrel 21-00208. This grew up on R-14 Rick N9. Tawny, bold and beautiful. The aroma of warm bananas foster and caramel syrup over cinnamon and vanilla ice cream. Rich. Warm. Hints of maple bacon, oak, caraway, orange zest. The ethanol is well hidden. There is an absolute BANG on entry and my tongue is left to recover and sort it out. At first there is a grape and wood element, almost like Armagnac. Wasn’t expecting that. Second sip is full of spice - cinnamon, clove, anise that all fade into that wood and grape element and a long, warm drip down into the chest. Bits of tannic leather come along with subsequent sips. Brown butter. Cola? Is that my amygdala just randomly interjecting sensations from days of old? At $60 this holds its own against an EHT barrel proof. I would venture to say this sits above Bookers territory as far as complexity goes but lacks the thick vanilla, brown sugar and nuts that Beam brings to the palate. It does fall behind a good Stagg Jr or EXBP with regard to absolute, unfolding, bonkers complexity and finish. This pour is a TN cigar to a KY pipe tobacco. It’s a bit brash but flavorful. For a mid-shelf find, on sale, this is hard to compete with. I say this as ECBP is now topping $80, Bookers is becoming harder to come by for any less than that and EHT Barrel proof only exists on the secondary and devoted whiskey bar displays. If I mix this with Bookers, will I be cursed? Maybe a dash of well-aged MGP thrown in? I needn’t go there but such a blend... available and perhaps unstoppable. Further research is needed...

This was technically a shortbarrel pick for Jax Beverage, but since I don’t have the bottle for a picture, this seems like the best place to put it. It was 65%. I am not a Jack fan. I’m anti Jack. I could not possibly have lower expectations going into this. I’m expecting: bananas, wood, dust, leather. Basically all the notes I could do without. Nose does betray the heritage. There’s yeast, bananas, sugar cookies, cedar. Not enticing to me, but to its credit, one of the better Jack’s I’ve sniffed. Body is heavy on sugar, caramel, and lemon. There’s some cherry there. The yeast and banana standard with Jack are present but not dominant on this body. Finish goes off the rails, in a good way. I get Dr. Pepper, licorice, Fruit Soda, grape juice. There’s some bold after flavors that I’ve never before found on a Jack product. I actually have a “fizzy” mouth feel, akin to the 2019.01 Bookers but with far more flavor. This finish is by far my favorite and most interesting part of this drink. I am not a Jack fan. But I can respect well made whisky nonetheless. I genuinely love the spin they put on the Jack profile here, and the flavors were so bold, it only took a few sips of my 2-ounce sample to get those notes. I poured the rest over ice, and as suspected, it shines here. It’s basically a Jack and coke (no coke required). If I had more, I’d also try it as a mixer, because I think it’d have a shot at “best on show” in the Jack and Coke category.

Since my first review of this bottle, I ended up purchasing several more since it was so good and the price was on point! This review is for a 375mL bottle hand selected by Master Distiller Chris Fletcher (JD Master Distiller) which was found at my local BevMo and bottled at 64.40% ABV. Nose is good with lots of oak, caramel, cinnamon apple. Gotta be careful not to nose too closely since the ethanol will getcha. Palate is real smooth with the typical bananas foster and maple pancakes. Suprisingly not so much burn up front, but you can feel it as you swallow with the heat going down esophagus and into your stomach. Finish is nice and long. Very smooth. This has definitely grown to be one of my favorite bottles to keep in the bar, and I currently have 4 unique barrels. If you love high-proof whiskey, this is one I'd highly recommend, since it is relatively easy to find and the price is very reasonable on it.

131.0 Proof 65.5%ABV - Bottled 9.13.19 My second bottle of JDSBBP. This gold label will be a permanent resident on my shelf. Nose: Maple syrup, warm caramel sauce, A bushel of plantains, and the little burnt kernels at the bottom of your popcorn bag. Taste: More of the same from the nosing but with a scoop of brown sugar and more oak. I have heard that Jack Daniel’s doesn’t keep anything more than 6 years old on site, so the oak is there but definitely not overpowering, but a beautiful touch. The first bottle of this I had was pure peanut brittle, but this one is showing a bit more candied pecans. Finish: Leaves your mouth *feeling* like you just ate a banana. All of the dark sugary goodness, subtle wood spice, and on the exhale some baker’s chocolate chocolate shows up. This. Bottle. Is. A. Must. Buy.

63,5% ABV here. I had to add water before trying - the whiskey wouldn't release almost anything without the water. After adding a little water, I was hit by a brutal vanilla bean aroma. I had never felt such strong vanilla in whiskey, even though it was bourbon. Everything else in the aroma was dark - dark overripe banana peel, dark brown sugar, dark caramel, dark chocolate. There is only one thing white - the aroma of peeled nuts, like a handful of raw peeled almond kernels. The taste is nutty, spicy, creamy and of course sweet. You can feel less vanilla ice cream, more banana and white honey cream. The finish is medium to long, of syrup of dark plums, bananas and other sweet pulpy fruits. Easily one of the best bourbons I have ever drunk. 88/100 WBR