Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey is the best-selling and most recognizable American whiskey in the world. It’s a true powerhouse. But a lot of that love for Jack Daniel’s worldwide (and at home) is driven by Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey. And while Old No. 7 is a classic and has its place in the pantheon of great American whiskey, it’s in no way the whole Jack Daniel’s story. Especially not in 2023. Jack Daniel’s has been releasing some of the best mainstream and limited edition whiskeys over the past few years and, well…
They just dropped a goddamn game-changing rye whiskey. Seriously.
Released on August 15th, 2023, this rye expression is a “Heritage Barrel” rye — meaning that Jack’s signature Tennessee rye whiskey was aged in specially made barrels for years until it was just right. It’s a hell of a concept out of the gate, since Jack’s base rye whiskey is already pretty spot-on as a standard pour. Using special barrels to age that whiskey only means more concentrated and heightened flavors.
Spoiler alert: This is a f*cking banger, folks. Can you sense my enthusiasm?
Read on for my full review. I also make sure to get into how to actually score a bottle. It’s not going to be easy but, holy shit, will it be worth it.
Jack Daniel’s Twice Barreled Special Release Tennessee Rye Whiskey Heritage Barrel Rye
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $75
The Whiskey:
This whiskey starts off with Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Rye Whiskey which is hewn from a mash of 70% rye, 18% corn, and 12% malted barley with Jack’s own yeast and lactobacillus strains. After a slow drip-drop filtering through 10 solid feet of sugar maple charcoal (which strips oily graininess and highlights sweet fruitiness, among other notes), the mellowed juice is filled into “Heritage Barrels.” Those barrels were seasoned in the open air for years. Once coopered, the American white oak barrels are heavily toasted and lightly charred. That toasting allows the sugars to caramelize and become more easily available to the distillate while the light char means less filtering as the whiskey moves in and out of the wood.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a deep sense of Christmas spiced cakes brimming with candied cherries and orange peels next to roasted walnuts and a moist strip of pear brandy-soaked marzipan with a light hint of homemade cranberry sauce, roasting herbs, and a light sense of fresh pipe tobacco just kissed with spicy chili-infused Mexican hot chocolate with a real vanilla pod as a swizzle stick.
Palate: That vanilla gets super creamy on the palate as eggnog with clove and nutmeg drive the taste back to candied pear, cherry, and orange with an underbelly of dry smudging sage, cedar bark, and tobacco leaves braided and rolled into an old cigar humidor with a sweet leathery edge.
Finish: The end marries the candied cherry, spiced chocolate, and vanilla buttercream into a bespoke Black Forest cake with a holiday spice vibe next to soft sweetgrass, more of those roasting herbs, and a whisper of dried ancho chili soaked in pear brandy that’s just kissed with huckleberry pie.
Bottom Line:
F*cking delicious. This was amazing neat. It sipped like a dream. Over a rock, it turned extra creamy and luscious with more marzipan covered in dark chocolate alongside brandy-soaked dried fruits and fresh gingerbread with a flake of salt.
Ranking:
100/100 — this is one of the best whiskeys of the year (so far). And value wise? It’s beyond killer.
Where To Buy:
You’re not going to find this at MSRP unless you win a lottery. Sorry, but thems the breaks on something this limited/allocated and good. It’s only been 24 hours, but this is already appearing in retail shops online for anywhere from $299 to $599.
Outside of really good whiskey bars and restaurants with a killer whiskey list, you’re going to have to pay dearly for this one. Pay it. This is truly top-tier whiskey that not only lives up to the hype but goes beyond it. This is Jack Daniel’s at its absolute best.
