The newest whiskey in the Jack Daniel’s portfolio is, arguably, the best.
Jack Daniel’s first cask-strength release, Barrel Proof, is a fairly easy concept: Jack Daniel’s whiskey isn’t watered down (as many whiskeys are to cut down their alcohol-by-volume levels) to let the flavors of the barrels it was aged in shine through. The result is a robust mix of sweet vanilla and toasted oak — the usual hallmarks of the Tennessee whiskey brand — albeit this time taken up a notch without overdoing it.
“(Working in the distillery’s barrelhouses) provides me the rare opportunity to taste Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey in its purest form, unfiltered and uncut,” Jeff Arnett, Jack Daniel’s master distiller, said in a press release. “I’m always amazed at the intensity of the aromas and the deep amber colors, and yet at the same time, the exceptional smoothness of the whiskey at this higher proof point.”
Arnett said that now seemed like the right time to allow whiskey fans to also try the whiskey at its most authentic.
The other whiskey in Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel collection, Select, is bottled at a constant 94-proof; Barrel Proof, however, ranges from 125 to 140 proof, levels that are based on each of the casks that the whiskey comes from. It’s going for about $65 in stores.
Chances are, you’ll want to sip it straight, but if you do want to appreciate the Single Barrel whiskey’s full-bodied beauty in a cocktail, add the sweet and tangy taste of grapefruit to this take on a Boulevardier.
Lincoln Blvd.
1 oz. Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel
1 oz. Aperol
1 oz. Pamplemousse Rose
Stir all ingredients with ice. Strain over fresh ice into a double old fashioned glass. Garnish with a grapefruit twist.
— Jack Daniel’s
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