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 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

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-

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

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

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

Jack Daniel's Heritage Barrel Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey - 2019

VITALS:
- $65
- 100 Proof
- NAS
- Barrel No. 19-06173
- Tennessee

Though I used to consider myself not a fan of Jack Daniel's, more and more I'm finding that I really like what they're putting out.  Perhaps not Old No. 7, but I have yet to find a single barrel that I didn't enjoy. That being said, it's still been quite some time since I've grabbed a Jack Daniel's product off the shelf.

But then last year, their release of their Heritage Barrel single barrel whiskey got all sorts of buzz on social media, blogs and in other reviews. For the most part, I was seeing nothing but love for this product. However, by that time it was gone from the shelves. So, when this year's release hit, and I found one looking back at me from the shelf, FOMO got the best of me and I had to have it.

For what it's worth, when I write these reviews, it's after I've finished the bottle. And, while that remains the case here, in actuality, the bottle fell off the top of my fridge shortly after opening it, breaking the cork. So, I ended up having to decant the remainder, which was most of the bottle. That being said, this bottle was (spoiler alert) absolutely delicious, and it didn't remain in that decanter for very long.

The nose was interestingly feint. I really had to shove my nose into my Glencairn in order to get the aromas that were there, but when I did, I got a somewhat odd combination of toffee and black pepper. It was kind of like a spiced Heath bar. I also got notes of cinnamon sugar graham crackers. I realize that it's very specific, but there used to be a cinnamon sugar flavor of Teddy Grahams (I think it came in a red box), and that's what I was reminded of here. Apparently this nose evinced lots of callbacks to food memories for me.

As to flavor, the first thing I noticed was a heavy corn flavor. But, it wasn't hot in any way, nor did it come across as a corn flavor the likes you might get in a young whiskey. Rather, it was kind of like a sweet creamed corn, soft on the palate and with no harshness whatsoever.  That flavor seemed to match the texture perfectly, too, as it had a nice viscosity that almost came across as pillowy.

In addition to that sweet creamed corn note, there was a peach note that blended with what was kind of a yogurt note. I'm not sure how best to describe it, but those two flavors provided a certain tanginess and added some nice, fruity and even earthy complexity balanced out by sweet vanilla flavor throughout.  Notably, I did not get that traditional Jack Daniel's banana note, despite watching out for it.

What I loved most about this whiskey, though, was the finish. After each swallow, I was left with this great marshmallow and nougat flavor that was absolutely amazing. There was even a bit of a milk chocolate note to the finish as well, and all I could think of was 3 Musketeers bars. Yes, that's the third reference to candy and/or snacks in this review, but that's what I was getting and I thought it was incredible. That's what kept me going back pour after pour, and it's that finish that made sure this whiskey didn't stay in that decanter very long. I'm glad my FOMO got the best of me!

Grade: A-

George Dickel No. 12 Tennessee Sour Mash Whiskey

VITALS:
- $24
- 90 Proof

I feel like it's been a while since I visited the lower shelves, and, quite frankly, I feel like I'm doing myself a disservice. While I have been lucky to run into some really nice bottles of top shelf bourbon lately, there's so much value to be found on the lower end of the spectrum that it simply should not be ignored.

So, I grabbed a bottle of Dickel. At $24, it's incredibly reasonably priced. I'm not sure, quite frankly, if I've had it before, whether at a bar or elsewhere, and even if I have, it was probably in a mixed drink. This time I was going to give it my full attention and a chance to stand on its own.

Much to my surprise, it stands up very well on its own. It's a different flavor than bourbon, and I even found that it differed quite a bit from it's primary Tennessee Whiskey counterpart, Jack Daniels. The charcoal that I expected to permeate wasn't really there. Rather, the nose was a healthy mix of banana and tobacco leaf, which even seems like an odd combination as I type the words, but yet it worked well.

The palate is sweet, but does not cross that line into being overly sweet. I primarily noticed an odd mix of banana and pine (and this mix was about as odd as it seems when I type the words). Underneath that weird mixture, however, is a light spice blending with vanilla and wood tones that were quite enjoyable once I got to them.

On the back end is a light pepper spice along with a light smokiness. The charcoal that I expected from the beginning also started to creep its way in right at the end.

All in all, I was surprised at the complexity of this whiskey, considering it's somewhat of a staple bottle. Although it's complex and offers a lot of different notes, sometimes resulting in an odd commingling of flavors, none of the flavors is particularly overpowering or bold, which makes it nonetheless easy to enjoy. Although I'd imagine this is a popular whiskey for mixed drinks, I found it to be pretty enjoyable on its own, particularly at its price point.

Grade: B

Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof Tennessee Whiskey

VITALS:

- $64
- 130.3 Proof
- Barrel No. 16-0429

I couldn't help but notice the high praise going around for Jack Daniel's single barrel barrel proof whiskey, and, while I tend not to gravitate toward Jack Daniel's products, I felt I owed it to myself to give this one a try and see for myself if it's worth of the praise that it has been receiving.

The nose is distinctly charcoal, a characteristic that is somewhat unique to Jack Daniel's. The aroma of pipe tobacco seemed to come through later, along with the scents of burnt sugar and plum. I don't know what exactly I expected, but it certainly wasn't a blend such as this, and it certainly had me eager to try that first pour.

That first pour was not what I was expecting given the nose, however. Rather, I notice a mix of vanilla and walnut, with some maple syrup to sweeten it up. On the finish were cloves to kick in a little spice and even more vanilla. I found myself really enjoying this at the start.  I also noticed that banana flavor that many people get from Jack Daniel's products, but this was relatively slight compared to the other bold flavors.

As I worked my way through the bottle, however, I found myself enjoying it less. The charcoal flavor that I was expecting finally showed up and seemed to take over the party, and by the end, it was almost impossible to get beyond it. It remained sweet throughout (and I actually enjoyed it paired with Peanut Butter M&Ms, for what it's worth), but the flavors that I found enjoyable to start seemed to dissipate as I worked my way to the bottom of the bottle.

In the end, I was a bit disappointed in this. It started out with so much flavor and promise but gradually became one-dimensional and disappointing.

Grade: B-