Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof Tennessee Whiskey

RANDOM HAZMAT SHOWDOWN 1792 FULL PROOF TOTAL WINE SINGLE BARREL SELECT JACK DANIELS SINGLE BARREL BARREL PROOF Ladies and gentleman, I am overdue. Life calls, etcetera. For my audience of eight, mea culpa. I like to think of myself as a stats guy. As Sergeant Joe Friday would say, “Just the facts, ma’am.” (I’ve delivered facts in spades with that reference alone). While facts and stats are my bread and butter, if I were to hazard an outright guess, I’d bet that the mean demographic of Distiller users is someone like me: A guy unwilling to admit that he is likely on the back nine of life, and having experienced both birdies and bogies before the turn, finds time to enjoy the view on the way to the finish, even if he is always keeping score. 1792 FULL PROOF TOTAL WINE SINGLE BARREL SELECT Clear dark orange mahogany color, akin to Pantone 153. Close inspection of the subtle nose reveals strawberries, toasted oak, burnt caramel, and vanilla. Mouthfeel has a little glycerin, and the high-proof ethanol announces its presence on entry, walking and then stomping toward the back and greeting some mulled cider en route. The heat continues on the finish, with a supporting role from chocolate covered cherries, some oak, and vanilla. As a purist, I’m a lover of high-proof whiskey. It’s unadulterated, or nearly so, and the resultant need to sip—when taken neat, as I do—requires more time and coerces more contemplation, which enhances the overall experience. But higher proofs can be more difficult to differentiate than lower-proof whiskies due to the higher alcohol content; the nose, taste, and mouthfeel have to meet the higher ABV on its own robust terms. I like the 1792 FP, but it lacks balance. There’s a lot of heat—to be expected, of course—but there’s no overt characteristics in its flavor or olfactory profile that set it apart. Where the 1792 FP is more differentiated is in terms of relative value; it can be found for around $50 at retail. This is good, not great, bourbon. Would I buy it again? Yes. 3.75 on the Distiller scale. 125 proof. NAS. Non-chill filtered. JACK DANIELS SINGLE BARREL BARREL PROOF Color is a dark and brooding pure mahogany, a shade darker than the 1792 (Pantone 159). The first impression on the nose is not one of olfactory descriptors but rather tactile ones: there is an effusiveness, warmth, and fullness that first appear, shepherding notes of peanuts, peanut brittle, BBQ sauce, and a little brown sugar. The mouthfeel has a similar weight to the 1792 on entry, and the alcohol is better integrated, despite the higher proof. Sweet creamed corn leads the way. The finish is surprisingly soft: the alcohol is there as it should be, but held in check, and again there is a tactile sensation that enhances the atypical flavor profile. The finish displays a soft oakiness, an even softer and subtle cotton-candy sweetness, and some vanilla. Overall, the profile is more savory than sweet. The JDSBBP does a better job distinguishing itself than does the 1792 FP. This is immediately apparent on the nose: it doesn’t exhibit the typical bourbon descriptors like caramel, toasted oak, and vanilla that come at you, but rather peanuts (typical for Tennessee Whiskey, yes) and BBQ sauce. Jack Daniels Single Barrel Barrel Proof can be found for around $65—just $15 more than the 1792 BP. Would I buy it again? Yes. 4.25 on the Distiller scale. 129.4 proof. NAS. Charcoal filtered per the standard Lincoln County Process. CONCLUSION Aside from the color and high ABV, these whiskies don’t have too much in common. While the 1792 FP comes across as an overpowered Camry, the JDSBBP is on the threshold of being very good: it is fuller, richer, smoother, and has a greater depth of flavor. The charcoal-filtered “Lincoln County process” delivers on its promise to mellow the sharp edges. The JDSBBP not only has greater complexity on the nose, but it also has greater depth of flavor, a longer finish, and a superior whiskey experience. All spirits tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.

Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel was solid. A welcome surprise after sort of writing off the brand after old No. 7 and Gentleman Jack. So I’m very much looking forward to the uncut, barrel proof expression. This is from Barrel No. 22-07766, bottled 9.21.22. Nose: Banana, walnut, dark chocolate. It’s like a banana walnut muffin. Toasted almond. Vanilla, caramel, and toffee. Maple sweetness. Nougat. Cookies and cream ice cream. Heaps of cinnamon, black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Palate: More of the banana and walnut. Heavy cocoa. Brown sugar, caramel, and vanilla. Maple pecan. A touch of cherry and gala apple. Powerful pipe smoke and barrel char. Red hot tamale. Cinnamon, black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Finish: Dried apricot. Brown sugar, vanilla, caramel, milk chocolate. Pipe smoke. Sawdust. Cocoa. Red hot tamales. Cinnamon, black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Long finish. And very much so, as expected of a 63.30% ABV behemoth. This is a hell of a whiskey. It may not be the whiskey that puts Jack Daniel’s on the map for the casual drinker, but it’s definitely the one to keep you interested once you start exploring the genre. This is comparable to the single barrel in terms profile. There is the added element of barrel proof heat that causes this to range from intriguing to volatile depending on the night. My final impression is that it hits all the right notes, and it hits hard enough to leave a lasting impression. Well worth the $70 price of admission. 4.5/5.

I got a pint for $32.99 at the Uptown Total Wine store here in Albuquerque. I wish it were cheaper, but I'm not sorry I spent the money. Of course single barrels vary, but this bottle is 128.2 proof. There's no age statement. Jack Daniel's uses a mash bill of 80% corn, 8% rye, and 12% barley, so it's a low rye whisky. In the glass it's deep copper. NOSE: Right off I got a rich smoky caramel. Then came musty corn, oaky smoke, cinnamon, and finally buttercream icing or cheesecake - I couldn't decide which - at the sides of my mouth. There's a lot here I can't sort out. MOUTHFEEL: Creamy and oily - this may be the best mouthfeel I've ever encountered. TASTE: Cinnamon, brown sugar, black pepper, a tinge of oak that increases but never becomes very strong, butter and honey, and finally waffles with cinnamon. FINISH: This is medium, consisting of oak and black pepper. If anything in this whisky were going to disappoint me, it would be the finish, but in fact it's not a disappointment, though it isn't as long and complex as I expected. SUMMARY: This is a superb whisky. It's plenty hot, but it's delicious, and complex enough that I could spend considerable time sorting it out. I can't afford to buy it often, but I will buy it again. RATING: On my hick scale it comes out as a 7, which is next to the highest level - I call it Right Fine. That is equivalent to 4.375 stars, or 87.5/100 or 8.75/10.

Uncorked pick, "Gallenstein Selection 2024" Barrel No. 24-08895 Barrel House - 1-01 Bottling Date - 09-20-2024 67.45% abv; 134.9 proof Open 2 months Nose - Crème brulee, toasted marshmallow, caramel, rich oak, and strong ethanol. Palate - Brown sugar, maple, hot cinnamon bun, and sweet tobacco. Finish is long with burnt sugars, oak, campfire marshmallows, and strong ethanol. This is mostly a one-note bourbon, but that one note is so damn good. I never go into a JD SBBP expecting a complex beast. This is one of my old reliables. Even a bad version of this is a better value than 90% of the bourbons at the liquor. I waste a lot of money on more expensive whiskeys that I talk myself into enjoying. This I legitimately enjoy, and that's why I make sure I always have picks of this, Elijah Craig, and Russell's Reserve on hand when those other bourbons disappoint.

A nutty, caramel and banana extravaganza! The nose right from the neck pour was a little disappointing. But once it sits in the glass for about 20 minutes, it really opens up. The typical Jack Daniels nutty banana starts out but as if on steroids. The nut on the nose is pecans. Buttery caramel show up as well and after 30-45 minutes turns into butterscotch and vanilla. The palate is very buttery with a dense mouth feel. Pepper hits very early as well and leads to walnuts, caramel and vanilla. I didn’t detect any fruityness at all. The palate was all sweet and savory. The finish was decently long with a bit of that Jack Daniels heart burn. Not a typical whiskey “hug”. All in all, a good to great experience for a high proofer that will come close to standing in for Stagg/Stagg Jr at a much better price!

**This particular bittle is the D’s wine and liquor Barrel pick in Knoxville, TN 126.9 Proof. Nose: vanilla, caramel, ripe fruits typical if a Jack Daniels product. The notes of oak push through the sweetness. Palate: a buttery, warm sip with strong sweetness of vanilla, caramel, and candied banana. The high proof doesn’t strike your mouth in a harsh way but rather gives a warming sensation. Second sip reveals the oak char and continues with vanilla. A small splash of water reveals more of the wood and spices that are hidden underneath. Mouth feel: warmming, smooth, viscous at first but is thinning. Finish: finish is surprisingly short drying with spices and vanilla. The flavor are fleeting and disappear quickly.