Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Rye
Tennessee Rye Whiskey
45% ABV / RRP: £55.00
Nose: A gaggle of gloriously garish rye grains, oak cocktail bitters, grilled peaches, ripe avocado and bergamot oil kick off the nasal niceties. Followed by notes of warm cherry pie drenched in Madagascan vanilla custard, toffee popcorn, foam bananas, ground cinnamon, dill pickles, poly cement (Airfix) glue and exuberant echoes of the brands signature charcoal mellowing.
Palate: Sweet charred oak, rye spice, sugared almonds, freshly grated nutmeg and Dentyne cinnamon chewing gum lead the palatable charge, before being joined with caramelized fennel fronds, peach and apricot Muller Fruit Corner yogurt, Tiptree orange marmalade smeared over buttered granary toast, Luxardo maraschino cherries and more of those ripe avocados, along with something moreishly menthol-esque.
Finish: A sassy spiced, teasing Tennessee treat, of lush liquid Americana on the finish front, that neither under or overstays its welcome on the palate.
Summary: There’s far more to Jack Daniel’s than just their signature Old No.7, which in itself has its time and place. But in addition to their recent Bonded and Bottled in Bond releases, the biggest highlights from their range for me are their Single Barrel bottlings. This one in particular offers such a wealth of balance between sweet and spice, that it knocks itself out of the park every time I use it as cocktail base or a solo sipper.
