Jack Daniel's Original (No.7)

I grew up in Tennessee between Nashville and Lynchburg. My friends in college were huge fans of Jack (usually in coke . . . but occasionally neat). Being a Tennessee guy I have had a few Single Barrel bottles. So time to give the Old No. 7 a look.

Nose: Super sweet and super sour. I don’t really know what “sour mash” is but that is what I feel like I am smelling. Lemons and sour apples stand along side brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon, cloves, apple pie and sour tart. I really think of this as my quintessential “bourbon” nose even though it isn’t “bourbon.”

Taste: Lighter then I expected. Medium sweet on the front with a growing sour note on the back. After comparing it to the two Evan William bottles (Black and Green) this is way sweeter.

Finish: Medium long with some nice spice: pepper, cayenne, cinnamon, with a hint of brown sugar and molasses.

Balance, Complexity: Not overly complex. Mostly just an interesting interplay of sweet and sour on the nose, a standard mouth, and a very spicy finish. A decent balance for what it is.

Aesthetic experience: This is the biggest and best selling whiskey in the world. What can you say? It is a classic.

Conclusion: You almost hate it because of how ubiquitous it is. But I grew up only a few minutes drive from where this is made. How can I hate Tennessee whiskey? It is the favorite of many of my college buddies. I don’t have to agree with them . . . but I can honestly say I can drink it with them (if they don’t happen to have any Stagg around). My current bottle is done . . . I'll probably get another . . . when the price is right.

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