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Up to date September 20, 2024
By Richard Thomas
Score: B+
The only barrel whiskey idea, in America no less than, started with the introduction of Blanton’s in 1984 by the legendary Grasp Distiller Elmer T. Lee. Again then, nonetheless, that Frankfort, Kentucky distillery was often known as the George T. Stagg Distillery. It wouldn’t be renamed Buffalo Hint till 2001, and was a comparatively obscure outpost within the liquor enterprise. Lee launched single barrel whiskey as an American reply to the success of Scottish single malts; on the identical time, one other comparatively obscure distillery, Maker’s Mark, was positioning itself as a luxurious, small batch product.
A few years later, the largest identify in American Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s, minimize the proof on its flagship Outdated No. 7 “Black Label” expression from 90 to 86. The whiskey was minimize once more in 2002, all the best way right down to the minimal of 80 proof. In my thoughts, this was symbolic of what Lynchburg was about at the moment: they put an amazing emphasis on producing mass market whiskey for a world palate. Throughout a interval the place different American whiskey distillers have been introducing new, distinctive and boldly flavored manufacturers in an effort to reinvent themselves, JD appeared to be transferring within the different path. Their solutions to small batch (Gentleman Jack) and single barrel have been unremarkable by comparability.
Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Choose, however, has obtained an improve on each the within and outdoors. The look of the bottle is way more refined; insofar as what goes into that bottle, bettering a single barrel expression is each as easy and as sophisticated as selecting higher (and maybe fewer) barrels to bottle. Ten years in the past, I believed their barrel choice for Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel yielded a product little higher than Outdated No. 7; immediately, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Choose (94 proof) is a markedly higher expression.
(Credit score: Brown-Forman)
The Whiskey
A pour of JD SB Choose has a light-weight amber/darkened copper look to it. The scent attracts a candy character from sweet corn, banana chips and vanilla, accented by toasted oak and a touch of nuts.
Sipping on the whiskey is characteristically mellow, that being a signature of Jack Daniel’s, however with no sacrifice of character. As soon as once more, it’s fairly candy, with brown sugar and vanilla, plus slices of contemporary banana. Just a few slivers of spicy, oak-driven taste have simply sufficient presence to maintain issues attention-grabbing, however with out disturbing the mellow, enjoyable expertise of the whiskey. I discovered the end gentle and minty.
Jack Daniel’s doesn’t produce daring and ballsy whiskey. It’s not a attribute one finds, not even in its cask power expressions. What they do nicely down in Lynchburg, Tennessee is produce mellow sipping whiskey. Over the past decade, they’ve expanded out of that base, including an increasing number of character and complexity to that essentially mellow basis. This Single Barrel Choose is a sound instance of that development.
I got here again round to this expression once more in 2024, and located the spicy notice extra cinnamon than minty for that specific barrel. The banana had that barely overripe odor on the nostril, the place some purple berries have been current as nicely. However in any other case, I’m struck by how related the 2 barrels separated by 4 years really have been.
The Value
A survey of shops exhibits how the worth on this merchandise has risen these previous couple of years. Whereas it was hovering proper round $50 on common in 2020, now that’s the ground for the worth vary. Relying on the place you purchase it, this might set you again wherever from $50 to $65.
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