Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel – Barrel Proof Reviewed by EC Gladstone

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I almost thought it was a prank when I first heard the news: Jack Daniel's was releasing a barrel proof version of it's famous Tennessee Whiskey. For fans of JD, this was exciting news in more ways than one.

With the company riding the revenue streams of more crowd-pleasing concoctions like Tennessee Honey and Tennessee Fire, thankfully they stopped before releasing "Tennessee Cupcake" and reversed direction (not that they aren't still making those, of which I'll just say, they're not for me). JD, which doesn't follow the exact rules of Bourbon making (mainly because of their charcoal filtration) takes enough hits from American whiskey fanatics these days.

Jack Daniel's Single Barrel-Barrel Proof is exactly what it sounds like, the juice of particular barrels pulled, approved by Master Distiller Jeff Arnett, lightly filtered and bottled. The sample I got was clearly marked: Warehouse 2-45; 4th Floor. That's as close to being in the rickhouse with a barrel thief as most of us are likely to get.

EGJeffNormanJD

With Jack Daniel's Master Taster Jeff Norman...and a bottle of that other stuff

What is it like? Well, it's undeniably the JD recipe, but much more concentrated, with a banana/vanilla taffy nose and a palate of rich oaky vanilla with a good bit of iodine and strong pepper bite on the back of the throat and tip of tongue. A clean but snappy finish.

This would be something great to surprise your Islay Scotch loving friends with. And as much as it might seem wasteful with a $65 bottle, I think this would really shine best in a simple mixed drink, where the whiskey could be modified but still show full character.

Well, that's how I'm going to enjoy it.

Single Barrel-Barrel Proof is Jack Daniel's at its purest, and it's likely to be a bottling that will be collected and savored.

Here's another good blog on the release

Jack Daniel's official site (which doesn't mention the Barrel Proof as of this posting).

JD Barrel Collection

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