Jack Daniel's: Gentleman Jack

Type: Tennessee Whiskey

Brand: Jack Daniel’s

Year/Specialty: Gentlemen Jack

Cost:$ 25.00 - $ 35.00 U.S.

A little History:

Jack Daniel’s. You cannot say the name without thinking America. With that thought process though, one has to consider the turmoil that America has had over its history, with the story of Jack Daniel’s distillery being no less than that: a history of rights and wrongs, and some grey areas. Jasper Newton “Jack” Daniel started distilling after running away from home and being taken in by a preacher named Dan Call. Dan Call was a moonshiner, and had an extensive background in distilling; he also had help from his working hands, most of whom were slaves, but knew the ‘ins and outs’ of the distilling business as good as any freeman. The reality is that Dan Call probably taught Jack Daniel the business side of distilling, but the Master Distiller, a slave by the name of Nearis Green, truly taught Jack the tricks of the trade. It wasn’t until Jack received an inheritance from his late father in 1875 that he and Dan Call registered a business for distilling, and after Dan Call left, he took over the business full time.

The business changed hands many times over the years, but technically stayed in the hands of his family (albeit not by name) until it was purchased by Brown-Forman Corporation in 1956.During those years Jack Daniel’s struggled prohibition, WW2, and even the redistribution of county lines that created administrative chaos. They had the good times with the bad as well though, and this included the honor of being considered the finest whiskey in 1904 at the Luis World’s Fair, which was a boon in business even though the looming prohibition was holding them back. It is said that Frank Sinatra loved Jack Daniel’s so much that it was with him everywhere he went, and there is a legend that a bottle was buried with him. Little in the history of Jack Daniel’s has constituted any substantial change in the taste of this whiskey, as they have always been under the law of Straight Bourbon Whiskey, and due to Tennessee’s “Lincoln County Process” has even further processes to go through.

A little Geography:

The Jack Daniel’s distillery has been in the same spot since the 1880’s, when the land was purchased in Lynchburg Tennessee. He bought this land because of the natural spring that came from a cave. This water is said to contain no iron and to add a distinct flavor characteristic to what makes Jack Daniel’s unique. Another interesting thing to note is that a lot of consumers think that the “Old No. 7” that is on every bottle is from a taste profile developed, but this is incorrect. This statement is in reference to the assignment by the government as a distillery in that area. It had subsequently changed when new zoning took the distillery from one county into another, but they decided to keep it on the bottles anyway.

A little Science:

Very few whiskeys made in the United States are considered Straight Bourbon Whiskey, and even fewer can call themselves Tennessee Straight Whiskey. To be considered bourbon, the mash bill (mixture of grain) must be at least 51% corn, however, most distillers use above 70% for their profile. To be considered “straight bourbon” distilled spirits must be aged in new charred white oak barrels for at least two years. Jack Daniel’s ages its whiskey anywhere from three to seven years; they do not use age statements as they are looking for a taste profile, not an age statement. Also, they are not allowed to exceed 160 proof at fermentation, and 125 proof in the barrel. What distinctly makes this bourbon Tennessee Straight is what they do in between the processes of distilling to bottling that stands out. Once the alcohol is distilled, by law, the spirit must be run through sugar maple charcoal before it is put into barrels for aging. Jack Daniel’s uses this process by slowly dripping its spirit in huge vats with 10 feet of charcoal, the spirit then taking up to four or five days to run its course through to the bottom, purifying it before it goes into barrels. What Makes Gentlemen’s Jack unique beyond this is that it will be run through the charcoal one more time before it is bottled to give it an even more refined taste and texture.

Let’s take a drink:

First things you notice is the very light color that is quite different from your typical Jack Daniel’s shot. The smell is mellow with a slight spicy tone of rye at the end. On the tip of the tongue its sweet nature dominates, and as it moves towards the back of the tongue the hint of its bourbon nature comes out. On the palate you get this dry and slightly corn infused after tone that does not feel like watered down bourbon, but one that has been refined with care.

Who may like this drink:

You like a refined taste with less burn but still a deep satisfying taste of American whiskey.

Who may not like this drink:

Any bourbon is not your thing. You want a more dessert type drink to quench your thirst.

References:

Jack Daniel’s (2016). Gentleman Jack. Retrieved from http://www.jackdaniels.com/whiskey/gentleman-jack

The Bourbon Observer (2009).Filtration and the Lincoln County Process. Retrieved fromhttp://bourbonobserver.blogspot.com/2009/06/filtration-and-lincoln-county-process.html