Distillery Series #009 July 2022 Release
The Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series (previously Tennessee Tasters’) are limited, experimental whiskey releases selected by their Master Tasters and Distillers. Looking back through previous releases, many end up becoming the annual limited release a few years later. Notably, and also one of my favorite ryes, the 2020 barrel-proof rye release was originally one of these Tennessee Tasters’ bottles.
As these Distillery Series bottles are only distributed within Tennessee, I jumped at the opportunity to buy a bottle thanks only to my online whiskey groups. Thank you very much Anthony for the bottle!
Distillery: Jack Daniel’s Distillery
Region: Lynchburg, Tennessee, USA.
ABV: 50.5%.
Age: NAS. (Per Press Release ~7 Years)
Cask type: ~5 Years in New Charred Oak. ~2 years finishing in High-Toast, Uncharred Oak Barrels.
Price: $60.
Color: 1.3, Muscat. Natural Color.
Tasting Notes
Tasted neat in a Glencairn with 15+ minutes of rest. Dilution was added for the second half of the tasting with an additional rest of upwards of an hour. This review encompasses my initial impression to the final glass.
Nose: Intense heat and spice right off the gun. Like an aromatic chili oil: Szechuan peppercorns, chili flakes, cloves, and saffron. It’s an intoxicating aroma that draws you in. The cereals are as you’d expect. Whole grain rye toast, drizzled with hot honey. Maple-cinnamon granola and grits. A warm cup of herbal tea. It’s a healthy-leaning breakfast of sorts. There is a fair amount of oak detectable on the nose as well. With a few drops of water, those herbaceous elements come to the front. More “green” with some orange pith and toasted cloves.
Palate: A rich, sweet-to-bitter profile of molasses and demerara syrup. The heavy charcoal flavor cloys at the sides and roof of your mouth. A mix of camphor and anise flavors compete on the palate. Pine needles, juniper berries, cinnamon red hots, and black licorice. It’s like those old-fashioned spice drop candies. Dilution brings a slightly sweeter experience. There’s also a hint of mint tea with the herbal notes becoming more pronounced.
Finish: Maple notes pop up on the finish like Saturday morning pancake breakfast. The sweet flavors fade quickly, however, and develop into a scalded, floral, hibiscus tea. Sandlewood, potpourri, and evergreen scented candles. Water again does wonders to bring out the hidden cereal notes. It’s very much a sweeter rye, with that bit of dilution, and balances out the overall bitter profile of the dram.
Overall
Some toasted ryes work wonders after finishing. Michter’s for example is a treat. This Jack Daniel’s Rye seems to lack the oomph of the barrel-strength rye with the cereals becoming lost for me at times.
I could forgive it, if not for the waves of profile change this whiskey brings. It was a cascade of sweet then bitter, then back to sweet that confused more than it excited. If it was more obviously rye, I think I could have understood the whiskey more. The nose clued me in, but I ignored the hints after that first sip.
Between the toasted oak, masking the grain character, or the expected heavy charcoal notes, I did not expect the gambit of flavored and infused teas I’d experience. Neat experiment but ultimately not the rye for me.
Final Score: 81
