Straight away, one assumption is very safe to make about this post - there will be no complaining about low bottling proof. Just as the name Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof leaves one linguistically satiated, the bottling proof does the same in terms of ethanol punch. Only two other whiskeys in the stash compete with this Jack in the potency department, both bourbons - Jim Beam's Booker's and Heaven Hill's Elijah Craig Barrel Proof - each of which often topping 65%+ ABV. While both are delicious, this Jack is entirely unique to its Kentucky siblings and as such is frequently my pour of choice when I settle in after dinner most nights.
I first sampled Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof in month 10 of our whiskey group's year-long tasting extravaganza. I was an immediate fan, but fully admit that this whiskey, for me, is impossible to enjoy neat. I must add water, sometimes a lot of water. Elusively, that quantity of water is often different - some nights it is a tablespoon, other nights upwards of half an ounce, but when I find the 'perfect' dilution, whoa momma, does this whiskey come alive. This is potentially controversial, particularly in some bourbon-biased areas of the Internet, but when I find that dilution sweet-spot in a pour of Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof, the experience not only rivals, but exceeds that of virtually all super-premium, nearly-impossible-to-find bourbons that are out there; to my tastes at least.
One downside to be aware of however, as the verbose name indicates, this is a single barrel product. A bottle you really enjoy may or may not be equaled by the next bottle you purchase (assuming it came from a different barrel of course). Thus far, I've enjoyed four bottles, each from a different barrel. While all four were fantastic, there was one that really stood out. Since I did not keep a sample of that star barrel, who's to say how trustworthy my nostalgia is. To combat nostalgia, beginning in 2019, if a single barrel product really curls my toes, I immediately transfer four ounces of it into a smaller bottle to keep archived away for future reference. Full disclosure - not all of those toe curling whiskeys remained so as I revisited them at later dates, almost certainly due to a disproportionate romanticization of them initially.
As for Jack's specifics, as I said in my initial impressions back in 2018, the barrel proof version is radically different than Old No. 7. This is a dense, mouth-filling whiskey. Caramel, charred oak and vanilla are certainly present, but so too is an amazing cooked corn, think corn pudding or creamed corn combined with the smell of sugar being torched atop a crème brûlée. For Jack purists out there, the hallmark smell and taste of banana is indeed there, but I'd say it takes a back seat to the corn, vanilla, and oak.
Throughout the bulk of 2020, my much better half and I typically spent late afternoons on weekends and holidays lounging in our home cocktail lounge (formerly known as a Florida room). Affectionately called the Snaggletooth Lounge (long story, perhaps another time), filled with Tiki and cocktail memorabilia, we'd sip away the final hours of the Sun's time with us for a given day. After a round (or two) of cocktails, I'd typically go grab a bottle of the good stuff, and pour an ounce to sit and contemplate life with. One such night, I poured a bit of the Jack and upon smelling the glass, my better half grew wildly enthusiastic. I took a sniff, and sure enough, she was right - there was a symphony wafting up from the glass. It smelled sweet, smokey, savory, complex, bold, but not obnoxious and certainly not harsh. She summarized it best - 'this smells like a world-class whiskey that is not here to waste anyone's time '. Oh how I agree.
Happy New Year!
Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof
Classification: Tennessee Whiskey
Country: United States of America
Region: Tennessee (Lynchburg: 35.285N, -86.368W)
Mash Bill: 80% Corn, 8% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
Strength: Varies by barrel, ~60-68% ABV (120-136° Proof)
Color: Natural Color
Filtration: Non-Chill Filtered
Maturation: Unknown Age (thought to be 6-8 years) in 100% New Charred Oak
Price: $64.99 (Most Bottle Shops)
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