Jack Daniel's 2023 Special Release Twice Barreled Heritage Barrel Tennessee Rye Whiskey

VITALS:

- $70

- 100 Proof

- 8 years, 4 mos.

- Tennessee

While Jack Daniel's has seemingly shifted focus towards its age stated Tennessee Whiskey (and for good reason, those are incredible!), we'd all be remiss if we forgot about these initial Heritage Barrel limited releases that seemed to open a lot of people's eyes to just how amazing some of the stuff coming out of Jack Daniel's really is.

This was the second rye that Jack released as part of the Heritage Barrel series. It's "twice barreled," but now days that would be more readily recognized as a "toasted barrel," as its second maturation was in "heavy-toast, low-char heritage barrels."  Given that I've had other toasted barrel ryes that I've loved (Michter's and Elijah Craig, to name two), I didn't think twice about picking this bottle up. 

On the nose I got some of those great notes that made me love rye -- a sort of wintergreen mintyness, along with a light licorice note and a spicy cinnamon note. These are the kinds of flavors that made me fall in love with rye in the first place. It had a rich molasses sweetness on the nose as well, along with a hint of unsweetened vanilla.

I couldn't wait to dive in after pouring my first glass.  After smelling this from the bottle, I anticipated a certain level of sweetness that was never really there. Rather, it was full of rich and earthy flavors. I got licorice or anise almost right away, along with that spicy cinnamon hitting the tip of my tongue. It was also very vanilla forward, but, again, that unsweetened vanilla.

While this rye didn't sit in the barrel long, it was double barreled, and the oak certainly came through. It wasn't bitter or drying, but just added another layer of earthy notes. That oak was complemented by a pine note as well, a bit resin-like, but which seemed to go great with the unsweetened vanilla.

I really did miss the minty note that I got off the nose. I was excited when that aroma first hit, but then a bit disappointed when I didn't get that note on the palate. However, I did get a sweet walnut note that was a very pleasant surprise. It kept with the earthy notes, but added a sweet, almost candied element that was very welcome. As a result, this really seemed to sweeten up on the finish, completing the ride in a way.

Although I wanted that mint, this was still a very fun whiskey, and I really couldn't put my glass down. It was earthy and punchy and yet softly lowered you to the ground with a sweet finish. 

Grade: B+

Jack Daniel's Coy Hill Barrelhouse 8 Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey - 2024

VITALS:

- $85

- 127.8 Proof

- 10 yrs, 11 mos.

- Barrel No. 24-07204

- Tennessee

A few years ago Jack Daniel's released Coy Hill, a well-aged, single barrel limited release that clocked in at very high proof points, including the so-called "HazMat" 140+ proof bottlings. I was lucky enough to get my hands on a bottle then (though not a HazMat bottle), and I was thoroughly impressed. It was, quite frankly, one of the best Jack Daniel's whiskeys I had ever tasted.  

So, when it came out again, I was certain I was grabbing another.  What is most impressive on these, I think, is the price.  Despite that the first Coy Hill was released back in 2021, and to high praise (and a solid secondary market), Jack Daniel's only increased the price of this release by $10.  They certainly could have gone higher, and it still would have sold.  But I'm so glad they didn't, as it's refreshing to have a 10+ year, cask strength limited release from a major distiller clocking in at under a bill.

The nose gave off honey roasted peanuts right away. It was a note that I do get from Jack Daniel's from time to time, and one I also associate with Beam products. It's what I love about Beam bourbon, and I really enjoyed it here.  I also got a chocolate note, as well as something tangy and spicy, almost like anise and mulled wine. It wasn't strong, but it certainly added a bit of an interesting note.

The peanut note certainly carried through to the palate, but it was an even sweeter note. It was more like a sweet peanut butter, almost like the peanut butter filling in Reese's cups. At times it was even a peanut brittle note. These sweet peanut notes also mixed with rich notes of toffee and even light milk chocolate. 

What was great about this whiskey was that despite all these sweet notes, it never leaned too sweet. It had help from notes of oak that certainly came from the age, as well as a slight cinnamon spice. These notes helped keep it balanced, added some spice and nuance, and really made this a great whiskey. 

The oak seemed to come through more on the finish, and, unsurprisingly, it was on the sweeter side. The toffee seemed to come along for the ride, and I also got a bit of a burnt sugar note.  It finished almost more on the traditional end of the spectrum, as the peanut notes faded away, leaving me with rich toffee and sweet oak on my tongue as I finished each sip.

I hope Jack Daniel's continues to release these Coy Hills, even if they are a few years apart. These have been outstanding (I have yet to hear a detractor), and I really wish I had more!

Grade: A

Old Dominick Bottled in Bond Straight Tennessee Whiskey

VITALS:

- $45

- 100 Proof

- 4 Years

- Batch No. 4

- Tennessee

It's kind of funny how I came into this bottle.  I don't know if I'd have ever gotten around to getting a bottle of Old Dominick myself. I've certainly seen it on shelves, but I knew very little about it, and so I frequently passed it over without a second thought.

But, for my birthday last year, my youngest wanted to get me a bottle of whiskey (of course with my money). So, I brought him to the liquor store and directed him to the bourbon aisle, where he proceeded to pick up bottles off the shelf at random and ask, "Have you had this one?"  After going through that process a few times, with my answer being "yes" each time, much to his dismay, he landed on Old Dominick. "As a matter of fact, no, I have not had that one!" And so it went in our basket, and he couldn't be out of that store fast enough. The lack of thought or consideration going into the pick aside, I was excited to try something new, something I might have never otherwise tried.

The nose gave off this great aroma of burnt sugar. It had a nice toasty note, along with a sweet, vanilla note, almost like a toasted marshmallow.  It also had a peanut note to it, that along with the burnt sugar created a sort of peanut brittle note that was absolutely delicious smelling. It did smell sweet, however, which made me a bit cautious.

As to flavor, however, it was not at all as sweet as the nose made it seem like it would be. I did get a sugary note, but it was more of a traditional, somewhat subdued brown sugar note. And, rather than the peanut brittle note, behind that was a lightly sweet cracker note, kind of like a graham cracker. 

On the back end I got that peanut note. It seemed to come out of nowhere, but that is the note that I really noticed on the finish, sticking around after everything else faded away. I also got some spice on the back end, like a light black pepper spice.

All in all, while the nose had me fearing that this would have a very sweet profile, that fear was unfounded. Unfortunately, though, it ended up that a bit of sweetness was what this was lacking. I didn't need all the sugar, but some of those marshmallow notes or peanut brittle notes might have really helped, as on its own this whiskey fell a bit flat.

Ultimately, I did find myself going back to this bottle when I made Old Fashioned's.  Not only is the proof right, but the flavor really lent well to the cocktail. That is not a knock on that that it'd be "good in cocktails," but rather praise that it does make for an enjoyable Old Fashioned.

Grade: B

Jack Daniel's Bonded Rye Tennessee Rye Whiskey

VITALS:

- $36

- 100 Proof

- 4 years

- Tennessee

I love finding good, available shelfies.  And by available, I mean not only easy to find, but easily accessible from a price standpoint!  When Jack Daniel's released their bonded Tennessee whiskey along with their triple mash -- two new offerings at the time for approximately $25 each -- I jumped at the chance to try them. And, I was pleasantly surprised at just how much I really liked them!

I didn't even know that Jack Daniel's was then planning to release a bonded rye. In fact, I didn't even know it was a thing until I saw it sitting on the shelf, and I had to do a double-take. It was a bit more than the Tennessee offerings were, but I still couldn't really question a bonded Tennessee rye whiskey from Jack Daniel's for only $36.00.  And who knows, maybe I would find myself a new go-to rye, along the lines of Rittenhouse.

The nose had all of those hallmarks of a good, punchy rye whiskey. Right up front I got woody notes of oak along with a healthy pine scent. There was a bit of cinnamon spice to tickle the nose, along with a rich, brown sugar sweetness. There was no questioning that it was a rye.

The flavor was a bit softer than I expected, but it did carry a good amount of spice. I got black pepper and cinnamon, both right up front and through to the finish. In fact, this was fairly cinnamon-forward. I also got more oak than I ever would have expected, given that this is likely not much older than the 4 years required under the Bottled in Bond Act.

While the pine was strong on the nose, it really took a back seat as to flavor. It was the cinnamon that really came forward, as well as a distinct dark cherry note. It wasn't bright, but was certainly rich, kind of like a Maraschino without the syrupy sweetness.

On the finish, that cherry note carried through, and I was left with a spiced cherry flavor that lingered for a lot longer than I had expected, especially given how soft the flavor was up front.

At $36, while there certainly are still cheaper options, there aren't that many, and this is a very good one. I will definitely be grabbing another one of these at some point just to have on my shelf.

Grade: B+

Jack Daniel's 12 Year Tennessee Whiskey

VITALS:
- $90

- 107 Proof

- 12 Years

- Batch 01

- Tennessee

It was just last year that Jack Daniel's released their 10 year whiskey, the first time in my lifetime that they put an age statement on their whiskey. This was a pretty big deal, and the excitement among the whiskey community was pretty high. What made it even better is that the whiskey itself was really damn good!

This year they released once again their 10 year whiskey, and people were once again excited. But, at the same time they also released a 12 year whiskey.  Not only did Jack add two years of age to the whiskey, but he bottled it at a significantly higher proof, clocking in at 107 proof compared to the 97 proof of the previous release.  Now that's how you keep that excitement going! I knew I needed to get my hands on a bottle of this, and I was so glad I did!

On the nose I got this great, sweet blend of brown sugar, cinnamon and black cherry.  The black cherry was almost the kind of flavor you get from a cherry cola, or even a Dr. Pepper. It was rich and sweet, and the cinnamon spice played with it so nicely. I knew upon the first sniff that this was going to be delicious.

The flavor had everything from the nose and more. That rich and sweet cherry note was front and center. It didn't have any of those artificial notes you sometimes get, but rather had more of that Marascino cherry syrup note to it. 

There was a healthy amount of brown sugar to aid in that sweetness but yet not take away from those rich dark fruit notes. The age provided a bit of an oak note as well, which might have actually tempered the sweetness a bit, keeping it from being too sweet.  Interestingly, I didn't get much of those traditional Jack Daniel's notes, that sweet banana note that so many people get, for example. But it wasn't missed, because everything else going on worked so well together. 

The finish was long and sweet and rich and full of that cherry note that I absolutely loved. But, this is where the cinnamon spice came through. It wasn't just that sweet, baked goods type cinnamon. It had some actual kick to it, and it was an incredible way to finish off each sip.  

Once this bottle was opened I had a really hard time not going right back to it every time I stared at my whiskey shelf trying to figure out what to pour next. I wanted to save it, to share with friends.  But it was just too good not to drink. 

Grade: A

Heaven's Door Warehouse Liquors Select Cask Strength Single Barrel Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $75

- 123.8 Proof

- NAS

- Barrel #49

- Indiana

Who here loves free whiskey???  I sure do!!! This was a bottle that was given to me after it was brought over to my house by a friend for a small whiskey gathering/tasting. Of course we opened it, drank it, and enjoyed it, and when he left the bottle remained behind. So, hooray for free whiskey!

What's interesting about this, though (at least interesting to me), is that this is MGP bourbon bottled by Heaven's Door.  I don't know what of its own juice, if any, Heaven's Door is bottling. But, I've seen a lot of their private selection single barrels on shelves lately, and nearly all of them have been sourced whiskey from Tennessee. In fact, while I'm sure there are others, this is the only one I've come across that was sourced from Indiana, and I do love me some MGP whiskey!

On the nose I immediately got great candy bar-esque notes, with cinnamon, caramel and milk chocolate taking center stage. There was also a candied walnut note as well as a citrus orange note behind everything. I even got a popcorn note off of it at times. I have no clue what candy bar that all could possibly remind me of, but it certainly came across as rich, sweet and delicious.

As to flavor, this is unquestionably MGP goodness.  I have no idea on the age, but it's certainly not young MGP.  My guess would be 6-7 years. Right up front it's loaded with rich dark caramel and a great cinnamon spice. It's warm and sweet and spicy right away on the tongue.  

It did have a bit of a twist to it, though, as it had this almond extract note that added a layer or richness as well as a bit of bite or tanginess or, I don't know, something to make it a bit more interesting. There was also a bit of an orange bitter to help balance out all the sweetness, and which seemed to work perfectly with everything else going on. It also had this nutty, walnut note that likewise helped keep the sweet notes at bay a bit. 

On the finish, I got a light coffee note, like a sweetened coffee. In fact, it reminded me of an amaretto cream coffee, and once I pinpointed that note, it was all I could notice and I really enjoyed it, so much so that I would dive back into my glass just to experience that finish again. 

I have no clue how good the Tennessee-sourced store picks are from Heaven's Door, but I certainly wouldn't hesitate to grab any MGP-sourced picks if I were to run into them again.  And, it's worth saying, once again Warehouse Liquors did an amazing job with this pick.  It was not only really good, but also interesting and different in a good way!

Grade: A-

Jack Daniel's Coy Hill High Proof Single Barrel Special Release Tennessee Whiskey

VITALS:

- $75

- 138.1 Proof

- NAS

- Tennessee

While Jack Daniel's doesn't have anywhere near the hype or excitement over releases as some of the big Kentucky distilleries do, they've managed to put together a few consecutive limited releases that, even if they haven't garnered the hype, have at least garnered significant praise and positive reviews.

The Coy Hill 2021 release, however, seemed to garner a significant portion of hype as well. That was due in large part to the fact that some of the barrels they bottled were being bottled as "hazmat" bottles, as the kids say on social media. In other words, there were bottles of Coy Hill that exceeded 140 proof!  And thus the hype-train took off. I was able to get a Coy Hill, though not a hazmat bottling, which was alright with me. What am I going to do with all that proof anyway? That said, 138.1 proof was hardly anything to sneeze at, and I doubt anyone is going to miss that extra 1.9 proof.

On the nose this smelled distinctly Jack.  I got cinnamon raisin bread right up front. A touch of spice, a sweet bready note as well as a dark, rich fruit note. There was also a sweet, light chocolate note on the nose that was delicious. It also had a bit of a crackery note, as well as a nutty aroma, kind of like cashews.

The palate was all sweet and, naturally, heat.  I definitely got a sweet raisin bread note. It certainly had that sweet, doughy pastry note to it. While the cinnamon came through, it wasn't spicy by any means, but more like the cinnamon part of a cinnamon roll.  And, of course, those rich, dark raisin notes were immediately noticeable as well. 

There was a sort of buttery note to this as well, and that, along with the sweet notes gave it sort of a butterscotch flavor. There was also just a touch of bitterness, and that seemed to translate into a sweet coffee note, kind of like tiramisu or coffee with a healthy amount of Irish sweet cream.

This was a heater for sure, and that was very noticeable on the finish. That heat was certainly there up front, but on the finish the alcohol vapors seemed to just consume every inch of space in my mouth and throat. That heat, though, still paired with the sweet, and it was those tiramisu and butterscotch flavors that seemed to linger, making this, in my mind, a sweeter whiskey than most, despite the high proof.

I only got to try the one single barrel, but others I know who had different barrels were likewise impressed. This was yet another success in the Jack Daniel's relatively new line of limited releases.

Grade: A-

Jack Daniel's Triple Mash Bottled-In-Bond Blended Straight Whiskey

VITALS:
- $35

- 100 Proof

- 4 years

- Tennessee

When Jack Daniel's initially released two no bottled-in-bond expressions -- it's standard whiskey and this Triple Mash -- I didn't initially pick up both. Rather, I grabbed the standard expression and a friend of mined picked up the Triple Mash. It made sense, as we had planned that evening to then try them together.  At the time I enjoyed my pour of Triple Mash, and decided, for the price, I should go ahead and pick one up for myself.

But, by then they had all been cleared from the shelves. After a few weeks, the standard bottled-in-bond release began re-emerging on the shelves, and I thought that I had missed out on my one chance at getting the Triple Mash.  Patience is a virtue, as they say, and eventually while making a side-trip down the liquor aisle at Jewel, I was surprised to find it sitting on the shelf. So into the cart it went.

This "triple mash" is a blend of American malt whiskey, rye whiskey and Tennessee whiskey. So, given the presence of sweet malt as well as the sweet Tennessee whiskey, I was not at all surprised that the aroma was as sweet as expected. It was full of creamy, boozy caramel notes, with some light chocolate and even a bit of a bready note. The boozy note was a bit of a surprise, though, as this is certainly not a burner.

The flavor likewise matched my expressions. It had that sweet caramel note backed by a bit of a chocolate note. This was the backbone of this whiskey and lent to a sweeter profile. There was also a bit of a nutty quality, but a softer, sweeter note, kind of like a cashew note.

The rye did come through a bit, but it was somewhat muted. I got notes of cinnamon, but without any sweetness or any spicy kick. From the malt I did get a bit of a doughy, pastry like note, and the two combined reminded me of cinnamon rolls but without frosting. 

The one thing I found interesting, though, and which I didn't particularly enjoy, is that this came across as a young whiskey. It had that green apple type note to it that I often find in young, craft whiskeys that were bottled too soon. I don't know if it's one particular mash that resulted in this young note (my money would be on the American malt, if so), but that young quality, matched with the heightened sweetness of this whiskey, just didn't work for me all that much.

Friends have really enjoyed this bottle, in fact raved about it, and on my first pour I thought I really liked this new release. But, having sat with it for a while and gotten to know it, it's just not really for me. There's a real possibility I'm in the minority here. 

Grade: C+

Jack Daniel's Bonded Tennessee Whiskey

VITALS:

- $36

- 100 Proof

- 4 Years

- Tennessee

Excitement for Jack Daniel's releases seems to be at its highest these past couple years. With the limited annual releases, including their single barrel rye and the Coy Hill release, not to mention the 10 Year, Jack Daniel's has been cranking out some limited bottlings that bourbon fans have been actively hunted.

On the heals of Coy Hill, Jack Daniel's announced two releases in one -- a triple mash and this Bonded Tennessee Whiskey.  It's not clear to me whether these will be regular staples on the Jack Daniel's section of the whiskey shelves or not, but they might be given that after the initial wave of their release I'm now seeing these bottles fairly regularly on liquor store and grocery store shelves. If that's the case, then great! I'm all for more good, available whiskey appearing on shelves!

The nose was immediately and noticeably sweet.  I got a load of brown sugar, along with a somewhat more refined caramel note. I even got a vanilla note, but a very sweet vanilla note, reminding me of those vanilla wafer cookies. There was also a slight burnt sugar note, offering a touch of char on the nose.

Surprisingly, on my initial pours I didn't get any of that banana note that I've come to expect from Jack Daniel's products. I don't refer to that note negatively by any stretch, just more that it's characteristic of the brand. However, it did eventually make its way through, particularly on later pours. It wasn't that fake banana note, however, almost more like a cooked and caramelized banana.

It definitely had a lot of that sweetness that I got on the nose, though. I got that vanilla wafer note, and I certainly got a healthy amount of the brown sugar that I got on the nose. In fact, those two notes together were a fairly strong flavor in this bottle. 

The char came through as well, but more in the form of a toasted marshmallow.  This was particularly the case on the finish. In fact, the finish was the most interesting part about this bottle, as that's where I also got notes of cherry and toffee.  Even the last few pours left a distinct bananas foster note in the back of my throat.

If it were just the finish, this bottle would be a standout. But, ultimately it was just too much on the sweet end for me, and in that respect a bit one dimensional.  However, there's a lot to like there, and for some people this is definitely going to hit the right spot for them.

Grade: B-

Chattanooga Whiskey Bottled in Bond Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $50

- 100 Proof

- 4 yrs

- Tennessee

Who loves free whiskey??  I do!!!  Last November my wife took me out to celebrate my birthday, including a great dinner at RPM Steakhouse followed by drinks at one of my favorite whiskey bars in Chicago, Untitled.  She even invited a few close friends to meet us there for drinks, and we enjoyed some fine pours and good times.

My buddy brought this bottle along with him as a birthday gift for me. He grabbed this particular bottle because he knew it was one that I had never had before. That, right there, is the greatest consideration anyone can give when buying a bottle for a whiskey drinker. Quite frankly, good, bad or otherwise, I always love getting something I've never had or tried before. So, I was very excited to get into this one!

On the nose I got sweet and woody notes of cinnamon and walnut. It also had a sort of sugary sweetness to it, perhaps like a burnt sugar, as well as a brighter honey sweetness. Notes of oak and vanilla seemed to come through as well, which I particularly noticed on my last few pours.

As for flavor, my initial impression upon my first sip is that this is definitely on the sweeter end. Oddly enough, I got a bit of an agave note, kind of like a sweeter tequila note.  That was a new one and it threw me off a bit, though I didn't dislike it. That was accompanied by notes of cane sugar and pear to kind of round out that experience.

That note really was only noticeable on the first few pours. After having this open for a bit, the profile seemed to change significantly, and it got well-away from that tequila note. It always maintained that sweet, cane sugar-like profile, but it also developed an earthy, more nutty note. It was kind of a mix of peanut and walnut in that sense.

On the finish it was the walnut note more than the peanut note that seemed to really stick around. The finish was actually dryer than expected, too, with much of the sweetness subsiding. I even got a bit of a graham cracker note on the end.

Of course, in the end I do love free whiskey! This one was good, but at times a bit weird and nothing that ever blew me away. That said, I'm certainly never going to turn down a pour.

Grade: B-

Jack Daniel's 10 Year Tennessee Whiskey

VITALS:

- $80

- 97 Proof

- 10 Years

- Batch No. 10-001

- Tennessee

While it may have occurred in the past (I didn't bother to research, so feel free to Google it for yourself), I have never seen an age-stated Jack Daniel's. So, given that their single barrels and their limited releases have all been hitting home runs the last few years, when this release was announced, I put my feelers out everywhere to make sure I got my hands on a bottle.

I've never really considered myself a Jack Daniel's fan. I've certainly never drank it with any sort of regularity. Heck, I've never even tried the Gold or the Sinatra's Select releases. But, those annual limited edition cask strength releases, both the bourbon and the rye, have been phenomenal. I've also had some amazing store picks. So, while I don't proclaim to be a Jack Daniel's fan, I think deep down inside I just might be. 

I absolutely loved the nose on this. It was very dessert-like.  I immediately got notes of rich toffee and chocolate, along with a sweet nutty note, perhaps like cashews. It wasn't just a nutty Heath bar, though. There was this other aroma there, and the note I wrote down was "kind of a liqueur-soaked yellow cake note."  I don't know if I've had liqueur soaked cake before, but if I did, I'd imagine this is what it would smell like!

As for the flavor, it seemed to go a bit of a different direction. Right away I got sweet wood notes. It didn't have that tannic quality you sometimes get with older whiskeys. This was just the oak influence, but it paired with notes of sweet vanilla and rich caramel.

I thought this actually drank at a higher proof than is stated on the bottle. It had a healthy alcohol burn, even on the final few pours. I found myself double-checking the proof on the label more than once. That said, that heat dissipated quickly and the flavors made themselves noticed.

After having this open for not even a week, it developed an ice cream dessert like flavor. One of my favorite milkshake flavors is chocolate-banana. This reminded me of just that. It, of course, had notes of chocolate and banana (not an uncommon tasting note in a Jack product), but with the vanilla notes and even a bit of a cherry syrup note, this reminded me of a banana split.

In fact, that milkshake/banana split note was all that lingered on the finish as well.  And, while the proof on this didn't break 100, the finish still lasted much like a higher proof whiskey.  

This bottle simply took Jack Daniel's and made it better . . . way better.  While it is certainly on the sweeter end and, in my personal preference, could have used a bit more spice, it is nonetheless one of the better Jack Daniel's products I've had.

Grade: A

Pursuit United Blended Straight Bourbon

VITALS

- $60

- 108 Proof

- NAS

- Kentucky/Tennessee

Pursuit Spirits is the creation of Ryan and Kenny, the hosts of the Bourbon Pursuit podcast. I've been listening to these guys for years.  I distinctly remember the first episode I listened to was Episode 15, released on May 27, 2015 -- Party Planning the Bourbon Trail with Mint Julep Tours, Sean Higgins. It was this episode that prompted me to book two days of bourbon tours with Mint Julep Tours when I visited Kentucky for the first time.

Since then I've pretty much listened to every episode, obviously some not as good as others. But, it's become a really good source of bourbon information as well as entertainment. When they first got into releasing their own line, which they made available to Patreon members, I was certainly intrigued, but I never got my hands on a bottle. This Pursuit United, however, has fairly wide distribution. So, when it made its way onto liquor store shelves by me, I felt I had to give it a try.

On the nose I got a decent amount of oak, along with some cinnamon spice. At times the oak note seemed to lean towards nutmeg. There was a certain sweetness to it, like sugar cane. Weirdly enough, I also got the smell of bran muffins, with hints of orange and cherry along for the ride. This had a bit of a weird nose, and it seemed a bit schizophrenic.

The flavor didn't come across quite so weird, thankfully.  Right up front I got the spicy cinnamon. However, the sweetness up front wasn't sugar cane, but rather was a light toffee sweetness, rich and soft and not so in your face. That was balanced by a bit of anise, adding a little tanginess to the mix

I also got a slight salinity, though I'm not sure where that would have come from. As weird as it sounds, though, it kind of worked, as I also got an underlying peanut note throughout. In fact, on later pours that peanut note seemed to be even more prominent.

On the finish the saltiness was more prominent, but rather than peanuts it seemed to accompany a sweet corn note, and even a candied apple flavor. The finish seemed to go in a bit of a different direction in that respect. This bourbon was kind of all over the place in flavor (and aroma), but overall it was sweet with decent spice and pretty good, even if it came across as a weird mish mosh of flavors.

Grade: B

Nelson's "Green Brier" Tennessee Whiskey

VITALS:
- $30

- 91 Proof

- NAS

- Tennessee

I do love seeing new bottles on the shelf. I'm at my go-to liquor store on a fairly regular basis, some weeks I swear it's daily. And every time, without fail, I make that walk down the whiskey aisle to see what new labels are looking back at me, even if I just did so the day before. Because every now and then something shows up unexpectedly, and I feel I need to give it a go. This was one such occasion.

While this was a new product on the shelf, it certainly wasn't a new distiller. I've enjoyed just about every Belle Meade product I've tried to date, so at least this new brand was familiar to me. Plus, coming in at only $30, it nearly begged me to at least give it a try. And who knows, perhaps I'd find myself with another bottle that I can claim as a go-to when drink options aren't plentiful.

Interestingly, the nose was far from traditional bourbon. In fact, I seemed to get notes more akin to an Irish whiskey than a bourbon or Tennessee whisky. I think that primarily came from the prominent notes of leather and sweet pipe tobacco. It still had some bourbon characteristics though, as I got notes of corn bread and honey as well.  The corn notes seemed to really stand out, indicative of a young bourbon.

The first thing I noticed on my first sip was that this was certainly on the sweeter end of the spectrum. It had a cane-sugary sweetness to it that was, quite frankly, a bit off-putting.  It did have a decent burn on the back end, not necessarily an ethanol burn, but more like a corn whiskey. In fact, even on the front end it had that grain-forward flavor, kind of like raw corn. There was a grassiness to it as well that seemed to underscore everything.

It seemingly lacked any wood or barrel influence, at least as far as imparting wood or char notes goes. I think that would have helped, as it came across as somewhat straight forward with sweet and heat and not a whole lot else.

The sweet character did seem to take on some complexity at least, as on different pours that sweetness seemed to take on different forms. At times it came across as sort of a cherry licorice, imparting that artificial cherry. I even got light notes of chocolate at time. On the last few pours, that sweetness seemed to come across as more of a cola note, maybe even root beer.

I wish I could say I found a new go-to for cheap bottles, but I can't. This was fine, but I think I'm reaching for other options at that price range. This was just too sweet for me, and I wish there was more going on beyond just sugary notes and grain-forward flavors.

Grade: C

Bardstown Bourbon Company Phifer Pavitt Reserve Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $125

- 100 Proof

- 10 Years

- Tennessee

I've mentioned before that I'm not a big fan of Dickel products. While some people love the stuff, I just have yet to find one that has really suited my palate. That chalky, fake vitamin note is real, and it just doesn't work for me.  

However, when I was offered the chance to buy this bottle, I still couldn't help myself. This is yet another collaboration from Bardstown, this time collaborating with Phifer Pavitt to finish this 10-year old Tennessee whiskey in Phifer Pavitt Cabernet Sauvignon barrels. This is the second such release, and the first one got some pretty good reviews. So, despite knowing that this was sourced from Dickel, my FOMO got the best of me, and I plunked down the cash to take this one home.  It's interesting to note that while this is 100 proof, it's also labeled as "cask strength."  That's quite the coincidence there that it landed right at 100 proof without any dilution.

The nose certainly lets you know right away that this a wine finished bourbon. The fruit-forward aromas of dark cherry and blackberry really came through. I even got a bit of blueberry off the nose that I really enjoyed. It also had that caramel base to it, as well as a light cinnamon spice to sort of round everything out.  The nose on this bourbon was delicious, and I found myself sniffing my Glencairn constantly while drinking this.

On my first sip, I was looking for those Dickel notes, the Flintstone Vitamins note that so many people get. But, I didn't notice it here . . . at first.  Rather, I got sweet notes of smooth butterscotch, like ice cream topping. That blended well with the flavors from the wine finish. I didn't get so much the cherry that I got on the nose, but the blackberry was certain prevalent. I even got the blueberry notes that I got from the nose, probably a first for me as far as tasting notes go.

Unfortunately, though, as I made my way through this bottle, those vitamin notes started coming through. It wasn't the fake grape flavor that I got in the Dickel Bottled in Bond that put me off, but rather more of a strawberry note. In that respect it wasn't offensive or anything, just there and noticeable.

The finish seemed to kind of wash away that vitamin note, however, bringing in the cinnamon spice that I got off the nose. This is also where the cherry note came through, leaving a real dark cherry note (as opposed to artificial cherry) that lingered for a considerably long time after the finish. It turned out that the finish was what I enjoyed the most about this bourbon, and it's the reason I went back for more pours.

I still hesitate to grab Dickel distillate, and this certainly didn't change my mind. However, I did feel that what they did with the finishing on the distillate was very good. I loved the notes the Phifer Pavitt barrels introduced to the whiskey, I only wish it were a different whiskey . . . and a different price.

Grade: B

George Dickel 15 Year Tennessee Single Barrel Whiskey

VITALS:
- $70

- 84.4 Proof

- 15 years

- Tennessee

I really haven't found a Dickel product that I've loved.  I've had some here and there that I've enjoyed, but far from anything that has blown me away or knocked my socks off or whatever other such colloquial phrases. But, I keep trying them, whether it's craft whisky sourced from Dickel, Dickel whisky finished in wine barrels, or single barrel offerings.

Such was the case with this bottle. I wasn't aware that it was going to be released, but when I spotted it on the shelf, a great internal conflict began in my mind. I'm generally not a big fan of Dickel, yet here was a 15 year single barrel product at a relatively accessible price. Certainly the proof could be a lot higher, but in older whiskies, lower proof can certainly be alright as far as I'm concerned. The wood bitterness tends to be a bit less pronounced. And so I brought home another bottle of Dickel whisky.

The nose smelled like it had a bit of age to it. I got something woody, but it was a lighter woody note, like the smell of your garage after using a table saw (so, sawdust, I guess--so much for brevity).  I also got something sweet and earthy all at once, like tobacco leaf, or even tea leaves. There was something crackery, which, with the sweetness, reminded me of animal crackers. And behind all this was kind of a dried or powdered strawberry note. It had a funky aroma overall, but not a bad one.

On my first pour, I was admittedly looking for that grape flavored vitamin note. I perhaps have some PTSD from the Dickel Bottled in Bond.  And on the first few pours, I was pleasantly surprised to only notice the vitamin note just a little bit. Luckily, there were a lot of other flavors bouncing around on my tongue.

It had a familiar sweet pastry-like quality. It took me a while to try to pin down exactly what type of pastry I was tasting, but ultimately I decided it was like a funnel cake with a dusting of powdered sugar. I also got the dried strawberry note that I got on the nose, and these flavors, as you might expect, all worked really well together. 

Other notes came through as well, all on the dessert end of the spectrum. I got additional notes of blackberry and even banana. I also got brown sugar as well as a bit of a cake note, kind of like pancakes.  Interestingly, I even got somewhat of a rum note, which really complemented the banana and brown sugar flavors.

Unfortunately, about halfway through the bottle I noticed that the grape vitamin note seemed to becoming more and more prominent. Perhaps it was the whisky opening up. Perhaps it was just me being more in tune to it. But, as with the Bottled in Bond, I had a really hard time getting past it. It wasn't nearly as prominent as it was in the Bottled in Bond, and it even leaned towards a cherry vitamin note (which isn't really better), but it was there enough that I just had a hard time enjoying this as much as I wanted to.

I doubt that I'll swear off Dickel products altogether, but they really just aren't for me for the most part, and I don't see myself dropping any substantial amounts of money on future products. It's unfortunate, because they do release well-aged products at decent prices, and so many people love their whisky. I just can't count myself among them. 

Grade: C+

Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Special Release Barrel Proof Tennessee Rye Whiskey

VITALS:

- $70

- 132 Proof

- NAS

- Barrel No. 20-06945

- Tennessee

It's been a while since I've been truly excited for a new release to the point that I put my feelers out there early that I was after a bottle. It was to the point that even my local liquor store guy commented that he hadn't seen me chasing after a bottle quite like I did for this one. But, those efforts paid off, as he let me know as soon as this came in and he set one aside for me.

I've had the Jack Daniel's Heritage Barrels in the past. That was their typical annual limited edition release, and that was absolutely delicious! For 2020, it is almost as though Brown Forman had been listening to its fans, who have been clamoring for the Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Ryes to be released at cask strength. Even before I got my hands on my bottle, I saw a lot of hype and love for this bottle, so I was pretty amped to give it a try.

On the nose I got a lot of pine notes along with a healthy amount of soft vanilla. It had a certain sweetness to it as well, like honey. But it also had a darker, richer sweetness as well, like molasses, which I thought was kind of interesting. I also got a darker cherry note, kind of like a Luxardo cherry. It smelled good, but nothing mind-blowing here.

However, what it may have lacked on the nose it made up for in the flavor. I immediately noticed the nice, thick, viscous texture of this whiskey. My mouth was immediately coated with an almost oily residue of flavor. I also immediately noticed that this rye was on the sweeter end of the rye spectrum, but yet it still had that punchiness that I love.

It was a very caramel forward rye. I got some of those pine notes from the nose, as well as a rich cinnamon note that you'd expect from a good rye. But the caramel note seemed to take centerstage and the other flavors were complementary. I also got a consistent undercurrent of soft and not really sweet vanilla.

On the finish the spice really came through. The sweet caramel seemed to take more of a back seat and I was left with delicious notes of cinnamon and black pepper spice. It wasn't anything that burned or was offensive in any way, but rather it simply made my mouth water a bit and made me eager for that next sip.

On later pours, some of the more traditional rye flavors seemed to pop a bit. I got a bit of a tannic oak note, and the pine and cinnamon seemed to come forward a bit. But it always had that undercurrent of soft caramel to balance everything out.

This really was everything I look for in a rye--nice viscous mouthfeel, high proof, and a great balance of spicy and sweet. In fact, after opening this bottle and trying it, I made it a point to track down a backup bottle, something I rarely do. But I just had to have one of these in reserves, it was that good.

Grade: A

Widow Jane Aged 10 Years Blend of Straight Bourbons

VITALS:

- $35 (375 ml)

- 91 Proof

- 10 Years

- Batch #233

- Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana

Lately I feel like I've been buying nothing but limited releases and store picks. I'm not complaining at all about that. It's great to have access to the whiskey I've been buying. But, I also feel like it's an impediment to actually trying new things. While I can't pass up a Russel's Reserve or Buffalo Trace store pick, and for good reason, I also don't then end up trying that new bottle I'm seeing on the shelf. I try to be more conscious of that, but at the same time, I'm not working with limitless resources here.

Luckily, though, occasionally my wife will randomly buy me new whiskeys, and because she wants to get me something I haven't had before, she often grabs something I likely wouldn't have gone for. In this instance, she grabbed a 2-pack of 375 ml bottles from Widow Jane, which included a rye whiskey aged in oak and apple wood, and this 10 year blended bourbon.  I've previously had the 10-year straight bourbon, but that was four years ago, and a much different whiskey than this one.

The nose was that of a very traditional bourbon, with aromas of oak and cinnamon and a sweet toffee note. It smelled like it had some age on it, as not only did I get a bit of oak but I also got a bit of a smoky char note to it. I even got a bit of chocolate that really seemed to complement everything else going on. Given the sources for this blend -- Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee -- I guess I really shouldn't have expected anything strange to come from this bottle.

When I took my first sip, I immediately noticed cinnamon and dark chocolate. The spice from the cinnamon, along with a touch of sweetness, hit the tip of my tongue immediately followed by the light bitterness of dark chocolate. 

Once I got past that spicy cinnamon and bitter dark chocolate, though, I got a lot of oak and vanilla. It wasn't over-oaked or overly bitter. In fact, that note seemed to carry forward that same dark chocolate bitterness. And it was all balanced by a rich vanilla note, like vanilla bean.

Other notes were noticeable here and there. At times I got a distinct peanut flavor, and even some dark notes from time to time. When paired with the sweetness from the vanilla and chocolate notes, it was almost like a toned down port wine note that I was getting.

All in all, this was rich and sweet and tasty. At $70 for a full sized bottle and only 91 proof, I don't know that I'm necessarily reaching for it. But, it was nonetheless a very good whiskey and I found that this little bottle just didn't stand a chance. It was gone within a week of opening.

Grade: B

Chattanooga Whiskey Cask 111 Straight Bourbon Whiskey

VITALS:
- $45

- 111 Proof

- 2 Years

- Batch No. 20A20R

- Tennessee

I knew very little about Chattanooga Whiskey prior to getting this bottle. Quite frankly, I know very little about it now. But, I had at least heard of Chattanooga Whiskey, and I had certainly heard at least some positive feedback. So, when my assistant took a trip to Chattanooga to take her daughter to college, and she asked me what she could bring back for me, this was the first thing that came to mind. After all, at that time, it just wasn't something that I could find in Illinois (though I did see it here for the first time a couple days ago).

This bottle is young, with an age statement of "greater than 2 years."  However, they do provide a lot of information on their label. The mashbill is yellow corn, malted rye, caramel malted barley and honey malted barley. The batch size is 6-10 barrels, and the barrels used were 53 gallon barrels, apparently both toasted and charred. And it's unfiltered. This all came from the label. It even provided the fermentation period! So, with all that transparency, with a unique mashbill, high proof and no filtration, I was excited to try this regardless of its young age.

The nose gave off that apple note that I get off of young whiskeys, but rather than an overripe apple note, it was more of a crisp, fresh apple note. I actually kind of enjoyed it. It also had some graham cracker to it, some corn notes, as well as a bit of caramel, reminding me a bit of caramel apples. I also got a sweet butterscotch pudding note as well that I thought was interesting.

As to the flavor, I didn't get that crisp apple note, but I did get other bright fruits. It was on the sweeter side, and I got distinct flavors of apricot and orange. I also got a light bitterness to go with it, like melon rind. The amount of citrus was unexpected.

I also got the sweet, dessert-like flavors that I got on the nose. There was a healthy amount of caramel and butterscotch to counter the citrus flavors and that bitter note. At times I got some red licorice notes as well, even leaning towards a cherry cordial flavor. 

The finish was more of the same, but with an added black pepper spice that I didn't get anywhere else. The caramel notes seemed to stick around for quite a while as well, lending to a nice sweet and spicy finish.

Overall, this was pretty good. While it had some of the characteristics of young whiskey, those characteristics worked and were actually interesting, as opposed to being a turn off.  I think that it's priced right for what you get here, and it's certainly worth a pick-up.

Grade: B

Savage & Cooke Lip Service Rye Whiskey Finished in Grenache Wine Barrels

VITALS:
- $30
- 90 Proof
- 3 Years
- Tennessee

Dave Phinney is certainly well-known in the wine world. I'm not even close to being any sort of a wine connoisseur, but even I know him as the guy behind The Prisoner wine and 8 Years in the Desert. Just a couple ago he started his Savage & Cooke distillery, where he's been distilling, aging and finishing whiskey in what I can only assume are his own wine barrels.

What stands out with these offerings, however, is the bottle. These opaque, all-black bottles are labeled with a black and white photo and very little text. The label (along with the neck-tag) does offer some transparency, though, telling me that this is a 3 year rye out of Tennessee that was finished in Grenache wine barrels for an unspecified period of time. The black and white photo, though, is what has made me pause on multiple occasions, certainly curious about the liquid inside this bottle with the picture of a woman showing off her lip tattoo plastered on the front. When I found a sale price of $30, I finally pulled that trigger.

As would be expected, the nose was very fruit forward. I got a lot of sweet plum and raisin, nice dark fruits. I also got something citrus as well, like a touch of fresh orange. The nose was pungent, and even from a couple feet away I could get notes of bright raspberry and vanilla cutting through those other, more rich aromas. It certainly had a lot going on, though it seemed to be more from the barrel finish than from the whiskey itself.

As for the flavor, it certainly came across as sweet and fruity, though not necessarily overly sweet. The flavors from the Grenache barrel permeated, with a lot of brighter and lighter flavors, including white grape and raspberry.  On later pours I got a sweet, almost candied strawberry flavor. It came across as a very fresh and crisp sweetness.

I really had to focus in order to find the flavors imparted by the rye itself. I did get a certain nutty note, but on the sweeter side, like cashew. I also got a layer of vanilla, but it certainly was a thin layer. Flavors of granola also came through, which I'd attribute to the whiskey over the wine barrel, though I could certainly be wrong in that.

Unfortunately, for someone who really likes ryes, the rye characteristics didn't really come through. While it was full of bright, fresh flavors that I really enjoyed, I feel like I would have enjoyed this much more if the rye itself took more of a center stage. It lacked the spice and vanilla and other notes that I had really hoped to find. That being said, for the price, I certainly had no regrets. While it didn't do what I'd hoped it'd do as a rye, it was still very enjoyable for what it was.

Grade: B

George Dickel Bottled In Bond Tennessee Whisky

VITALS:
- $40
- 100 Proof
- 13 Years
- Tennessee

Not that I ever really paid attention to Whisky Advocate rankings, but now I have a reason to deliberately ignore them in the future. Towards the end of last year, Whisky Advocate released its Top 20 whiskeys of 2019--business as usual. However, I'm pretty sure nearly the entire whiskey community was shocked when they saw a George Dickel product ranked #1.

At the time the article was released, I had yet to see the George Dickel Bottled in Bond on shelves here in the Chicago area. I probably would have grabbed a bottle just to try it regardless, but now that it was actually making headlines, when I got the chance to finally snag one, I jumped at the chance. I felt I needed to at least see for myself what all the fuss was about. I quickly realized that I really didn't . . .

When I first popped the cork, I immediately noticed something weird and off about this whisky. It smelled like waffles. Waffles smothered in maple syrup. It was very distinct in that respect, and you're probably thinking, okay, sounds alright so far. But that's where it got a bit weird. Along with the maple syrup covered waffles note, I also got a sweet potato smell. It actually smelled starchy, if that makes sense. I don't know how to describe it other than that it smelled like an uncooked potato.

And then I got the note that I've heard so much about - grape Flintstones Vitamins. It actually had a chalky, fake grape flavor to it, and all I could think about was Flintstones Vitamins. I couldn't get past it, as much as I wanted to enjoy the waffles smell, or even the sweet potato (though I wasn't as concerned with that one). I could not get past that note, and it really put me off every single time I caught a whiff.

Unfortunately, the flavor was no better. The dominant flavor in this whisky?  Yep, grape Flintstones Vitamins.  I've heard of people getting this note in Dickel products. I've had other Dickel whiskies, and while I've never really been a big fan, I've never gotten chalky, artificial grape flavor. Yet that is nearly all I got in this one.  My father-in-law thought I poured him a flavored whisky, it was that strong (he immediately poured his down the drain).

There were some other flavors to be picked out. I did get a bit of an odd vanilla syrup note, like the kind of syrups you see at coffee bars, as well as a touch of banana. Of course this was all quite disgusting when paired with chalky, artificial grape flavoring.

I even got some bitter orange pith at times, which I might enjoy under certain circumstances, but which does not pair well with chalky, artificial grape flavoring. I even got a bit of a doughy pie crust note. However, it only confirmed for me that I never want to try a grape pie made with artificial grape flavoring and chalk dust. I probably didn't really need to confirm that, but you get my point.

I did struggle through and eventually finish this bottle (the fact that I was able to finish it was the only thing that kept this from getting an "F"), but I frankly thought it was terrible. I have no idea what the people at Whisky Advocate had for lunch that day, or how much money Dickel may have paid them for that number one spot, but that ranking is absolutely dumbfounding. This not only failed to live up to the ranking, but would be right at the bottom of my list if I were to rank every whiskey I've ever had.

Grade: D-