Jack Daniel’s is one of the best-selling whiskeys in the world. In fact, it is the world’s best-selling American whiskey full stop. That popularity cannot be denied but it also means there are a lot of opinions out there when it comes to the juice from Tennessee. That’s why I’m ranking every bottle in the current Jack rotation.
I really want to look past the hype and see what’s in these bottles. That means that this ranking is very simple. I’m going into my tasting notes and ranking them according to which ones taste the best. Price and availability in your region are not a factor here. This is all about which bottle of Jack Daniel’s I think is actually worth trying, drinking, and mixing with.
Worth noting: I’m not judging these Tennessee whiskeys against Kentucky bourbons (though all Tennessee whiskey is a type of bourbon). Tennessee whiskey often has a higher corn content — Jack’s mash bill is 80 percent corn, 12 percent malted barley, and eight percent rye. Bourbon, generally, has a corn content closer to 72 or 74 percent. This higher quotient of corn adds another layer of fruitiness and sweetness to TN whiskey. Then there’s the Lincoln County Process that all TN whiskey goes through. When it comes to Jack Daniel’s whiskeys, that means the unaged distillate drips through ten feet of sugar maple charcoal before it’s barreled. This process strips out some of the harsher edges of the distillate and, again, allows that fruit and sweetness to really shine through. It’s just a different beast than your average bourbon is my point and I’m treating it as such.
To keep this list current, I’m dropping limited editions that have come out before 2020 and anything flavored (that’s liqueur, not whiskey). So things like Sinatra Century from 2015, or the gagillion Tennessee Tasters over the years, or anniversary/legacy bottles from three, five, and ten years ago have been skipped. Jack Daniel’s — like any whiskey brand — has put out a ton of special releases and limited editions over the last 20 years alone and we have to draw the line somewhere. Today, that line is at 2020 so I can highlight the bottles of Jack Daniel’s you might actually be able to find on shelves right now.
Sound good? Let’s dive in.
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ABV: 40%
Average Price: $52
The Whiskey:
Jack Daniel’s Rye whiskeys are pretty killer and this bottle gives you a chance to see how it all starts. The rye is the unaged distillate made from 70 percent rye, 18 percent corn, and 12 percent malted barley. That hot juice is charcoal filtered per Tennessee whiskey specifications. It’s then cut with the famous Jack Daniel’s cave water and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is malty and full of wet grains, pancake syrup, and ripe green peppers with a hint of savory fruit and tart cherry. The palate is lush with a hint of savory green herbs next to those tart cherries, more pancake syrup, and a dash of dried chili pepper flakes. A floral element comes in late as the water kicks in and fades out the sip pretty quickly toward a neutral end.
Bottom Line:
If you’re looking for a more flavorful vodka to mix with, then this is for you. Besides expanding your palate by knowing what white dog rye tastes like, there’s little other value here (outside of mixed drinks).
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $55
The Whiskey:
This is Jack’s young rye offering — a sort of step between the white dog above and their classic rye expressions. This whiskey is made with the classic Jack rye bill (70 percent rye, 18 percent corn, and 12 percent malted barley) and then left to rest for only two years. That is just long enough to be called a “straight” whiskey. The rye is then vatted from select barrels and proofed all the way down to 80 proof.
Tasting Notes:
The whiskey opens with a nose full of green sweetgrass, raw pancake batter, vanilla pudding cups, and Wether’s Original candies with a hint of Red Hots. That spice drives the palate along with a bright and sweet cherry toward a Cherry Coke vibe with echoes of dry sweetgrass and sharp gingery spice in the background. The spice wins out and turns the Cherry Coke into more of a cherry root beer and the whiskey fades out with a slightly watery end.
Bottom Line:
This is pretty nice, all things considered. That said, it is a little one-note with the Cherry Coke. I can definitely see mixing this with Coke or fizzy water but not much else.
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $25
The Whiskey:
This expression is the sibling to classic Old No. 7 Black Label Jack. In this case, all the barrels for each batch come from the ground floor of the warehouse. Those barrels are vatted and proofed down to 80 proof. Since the barrels are from a specific area of the warehouse, there’s a slightly different flavor at play than the classic Black Label bottling.
Tasting Notes:
This feels a little greener with soft, raw sourdough biscuit dough, banana bread, walnuts, holiday spices, and a touch of cherry on the nose. Vanilla silkiness kicks in on the taste and drives the palate back towards that walnut and spice-filled banana bread with a hint of charred oak bitterness and soft Luxardo cherry syrup. That sweetness allows the finish to slowly fade out, leaving you with a soft sense of cherry, vanilla, and walnut.
Bottom Line:
This is a rare sight in the wild, but worth giving a shot. There’s a slightly sweeter edge to this that works well in highballs or old fashioneds. Overall, this is more of a collectible (to show off) than anything else.
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $26
The Whiskey:
Nathan “Nearest” Green and Jack Daniel helped create this Tennessee whiskey after the Civil War, thanks in part to Green utilizing the Lincoln County Process when making his whiskey. The low-rye sour mash (80 percent corn, 12 percent malted barley, and eight percent rye) is filtered, drop by drop, through ten feet of sugar maple charcoal. The juice is then aged for at least four years in new oak before it’s cut with that soft limestone cave water and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a medicinal cherry vibe on the nose that’s maybe a cherry root beer that leads towards a savory fruit that’s close to canned pumpkin puree. Wet pine kindling leads to a new leather note as vanilla wafers layered with milk chocolate round out the nose until this faint hint of fresh apple cider sneaks in late. The palate starts off soft with a cherry bark that leads into homemade banana chips with a flake of salt and vanilla wafers with milk chocolate. The end warms with that spice as the fruit leans back towards the cherry root beer and apple cider.
Bottom Line:
This is probably better than you remember it. Give it another shot. That said, this is primarily a shooting or mixing whiskey and that’s fine. I do like it on the rocks as an end-of-the-day pour, or in a highball too. It’s versatile, is what I’m getting at.
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $34
The Whiskey:
This bottle was introduced (in its current iteration) in 1990. The key to this expression is that it’s good ol’ Old No. 7 Jack Daniel’s that is passed through sugar maple charcoal twice before it’s barreled and left to rest for an undisclosed amount of years.
Tasting Notes:
Jack is known for banana and it’s here in spades. There’s a clear sense of banana cream pie with a buttery crust and plenty of creamy vanilla pudding in the base. The taste then leans towards a very mild spicy cherry tobacco with a hint of cedar box, nutmeg, and worn leather. There’s a twinge more of spice and cedar on the backend but not a lot. The finish has a caramel sweetness that plays second fiddle to the banana and vanilla pie.
Bottom Line:
This has grown on me lately. It’s surprisingly subtle and makes for a very easy sipper, especially on the rocks. But where it really shines is as a cocktail base for Manhattans or old fashioneds. There’s a slight refinement in this that Old No. 7 just doesn’t have, hence the ranking.
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $110
The Whiskey:
This is classic Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 with a twist. In this case, the juice has been charcoal filtered through sugar maple twice and then barreled twice. The whiskey spends its first rest in new American oak. That whiskey is then re-barreled in maple wood barrels for a final maturation. Those barrels are then vatted and proofed down with that soft cave water for bottling.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a rich note of warm cornbread with melting butter on the nose next to hints of dried cherries, dry cedar bark, soft applewood with a very thin line of smoke, and soft vanilla. That vanilla smoothes out into a creaming vanilla sauce with dots of cinnamon and nutmeg as the taste leans into dried cherry scones with a touch of spicy marmalade. The fruity and jammy mid-palate veers into a finish full of cherry tobacco chewiness with a hint more of that dry cedar bark.
Bottom Line:
This is surprisingly nice for what it is — an 80 proof whiskey. It’s not hampered by a watery presence. Instead, you’re greeted by a deep but familiar flavor profile. It’s just … nice. And that’s why it’s ranked this high. It’s surprising and good. You can’t argue with that.
ABV: 47%
Average Price: $55
The Whiskey:
This was first introduced in 1997. The juice is hand-selected from barrels on the upper floors of Jack’s vast rickhouses. The whisky is bottled at a slightly higher proof to allow the nuance of the juice to shine.
Tasting Notes:
The banana notes are drawn way back here and replaced by a clear sense of toasted oak. That oak is the underpinning for notes of caramel corn, mild spice, and plenty of oily vanilla beans. The sweet banana fruit is there and marries well to a peppery spice, cherry gum, and mulled wine that amps up as the end draws near with plenty of that toasted wood lingering the longest.
Bottom Line:
This is another great candidate for mixing a mean cocktail. It’s nuanced enough to add depth to a Manhattan while being bold enough to stand up in a Sazerac or boulevardier.
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $27
The Whiskey:
This release from Jack asks “what would straight rye whiskey taste like if it was given the ol’ Lincoln County treatment?” Jack’s mash bill utilizes 70 percent rye mash bill and cave water from the nearby Tennessee mountains. They then treat the hot distillate as they would a standard Tennessee whiskey, with sugar maple charcoal filtration and new oak barreling.
Tasting Notes:
This opens up with a mellow-yet-sharp spice next to rich vanilla and a hint of orchard fruit, raisins, and oatmeal cookies. The sip leans into the spice while pairing a creamy mouthfeel with an oaky richness as applewood, floral honey, and a fair amount of nutmeg kick in. The end lingers in the spice and vanilla while quickly fading, with hints of that oak popping back in.
Bottom Line:
This has no business being as good as it is. For a standard rye that’s available everywhere and cheap, you really can’t beat the simple depth of this bottle. It’s straightforward, a perfect mixer, and an easy on the rocks sipper. There’s no wow factor like the rest of this list, but it’s a workhorse that knows its place. That I can respect and hence it slotted near the mid-point of this ranking.
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $66
The Whiskey:
This is Jack’s bottled-in-bond expression. It started out as a yearly release for the travel market, meaning it’ll be a little harder to find outside of duty-free shops — though not impossible anymore. The juice is classic Jack from a single distilling season that’s then aged in a bonded rickhouse for at least four years under the government’s watchful eye.
Tasting Notes:
The oak really comes through with hints of vanilla, fruit, and buttery and sweet toffee. The palate leans into the vanilla and adds in plenty more oak with a full billow of pipe tobacco smoke cut by mild fruit. The end is enriched by spice, orange zest, and more of that toffee as the oak and vanilla fade through the tobacco smoke on the long end.
Bottom Line:
This is another example of less is more. The flavor profile on this one is very dialed to a “classic” vibe that’s all clear-cut and distinct. There’s nothing that’s going to challenge your palate, but sometimes that’s okay. Sometimes you need that easy-sipping whiskey you don’t have to overanalyze. This is that.
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $55
The Whiskey:
This expression is the same process as the Tennessee ryes above — 70 percent rye mash bill, cave water, sugar maple filtration, new charred oak barrels. The difference is that these bottles are pulled from barrels that were deemed perfect just the way they are and barely touched with water for bottling.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a rich marrying of bright fruit (mildly banana and tropical) with rye spice that greets you on the nose alongside a subtle spicy tiki cocktail vibe. The vanilla is there to support the peppery rye as toasted oak edges in with a hint of cherry cough syrup. The spice leans into a Christmas cake spicy matrix with more of that subtle tropical fruit, candied citrus, nuts, and vanilla. The end is warming, peppery, and has just enough bright fruit to sweeten your senses.
Bottom Line:
This might be the best cocktail base on the list. It feels like it was made to make killer cocktails while also damn fine neat or on the rocks. This is a good bottle to have open on your bar cart for any application, especially Manhattans and Sazeracs.
ABV: Varies
Average Price: $67
The Whiskey:
Where the Single Barrel Select is cut with soft limestone water to bring it down to proof, this is the straight juice from the barrel. These barrels are all hand-selected from the vast Jack Daniel’s rickhouses. What’s left from the angel’s share then goes straight into the bottle. That means the ABVs and tasting notes for this bottle will vary depending on which bottle you snag.
Tasting Notes:
Expect an experience that’s full of rich vanilla, caramel, and toasted oak, next to a rush of cherry-spiked spice. The sip should have a mix of that vanilla, oak, and rich wintry spices with a nice dose of bright red fruits and a texture that’s more velvet than liquid. The end really holds onto that vibe as the mild spice, toasted oak, rich vanilla, and almost maple syrup sweetness slowly fade across your senses, leaving you with chewy cherry tobacco stuffed into an old cedar box.
Bottom Line:
This is another bottle you simply cannot go wrong with. It’s accessible, affordable, and makes a great addition to any bar cart. The high ABVs make it great on the rocks or in a cocktail. It’s deep, memorable, and kind of fun.
ABV: 53.5%
Average Price: $34 (Heineman Travel Shops Only)
The Whiskey:
This limited edition, traveler’s exclusive is classic Jack Daniel’s at a much higher ABV. The mash is 80 percent corn, 12 percent malted barley, and eight percent rye. That whiskey is then aged in Jack Daniel’s vast warehouses after going through the iconic Lincoln County Process of sugar maple charcoal filtration. The barrels are hand-picked by Master Distiller Chris Fletcher for their uniqueness and flavors that lean into what’s advertised on the label.
Tasting Notes:
The nose draws you in with a creamy mix of vanilla pudding drizzled with soft caramel, a dose of rain dampened oak, and a hint of sour cherry that slowly becomes Cherry Coke spritzed with tart lemon as you go back to the nose over and over again. The palate opens with a woodiness that’s almost almond shells that turn into Brazil nuts with a hint more of that cherry but now it’s tied to wood. The mid-palate really leans away from the heavier wood and nutty notes towards thin but dry wicker that’s dramatically smoothed out by a rush of vanilla creaminess on the finish. The very back end has this lingering sense of Brazil nut and almond shells and a slight Cherry Coke vibe that’s more like a soaked oak stave than drinking it from the actual can.
Bottom Line:
This feels like Jack Daniel’s at its best. These duty-free bottles are worth snagging the next time you’re flying internationally, as they really showcase how good Jack can be, especially when it’s not cut so far down with water.
ABV: 53.5%
Average Price: $34 (Heineman Travel Shops Only)
The Whiskey:
This version is Jack’s essential Tennessee Rye Whiskey, also at a higher ABV. That whiskey has a mash bill of 70 percent rye, 18 percent corn, and 12 percent malted barley. The spirit is then rested in those warehouses until it hits just the right mark to be bottled as the limited-edition “Bold & Spicy” rye.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this is super subtle and you really have to dig in there to find notes of sassafras that turn into black Necco Wafers next to a light leather and the plastic wrap from a box of caramel candies. There’s a nice vanilla layer on the top of the glass when you nose it that adds a nice creamy element that’s almost like a pitcher of fresh, full-fat cream with the slightest hint of fresh butter. The palate starts off subtly as well, then explodes with flavors with dried dill leading towards dried mint that supports a savory note of what could be bison jerky with a slight dusting of white pepper. On the mid-palate, that vanilla leads towards a soft stewed peach with mild dark spices, an echo of nuttiness, a hint of whiskey-soaked applewood, and a very small whisper of black truffle on the very, very back end of the finish.
Bottom Line:
Jack knows how to make great rye and this proves it. The higher ABVs really let the whiskey shine with the full breadth of the flavor profile, which is easily findable in the glass and builds a bigger experience. While this is great for cocktails, it’s also a really easy sipper with a single rock or a little water to let it bloom.
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $65
The Whiskey:
This is classic Jack Daniel’s mash of 80 percent corn, 12 percent barley, and a scant eight percent rye. The difference is that these barrels are housed in a bonded warehouse where they rest a minimum of four years before they’re vatted and proofed down to only 100 proof.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a distinct aroma of a Hostess Cherry Pie on the nose with a hint of wet oak, light eggnog spice, vanilla, soft leather, and orange candy. The taste is very fruity with a mix of banana pancakes with apple-cider-infused maple syrup next to drier oak and toffee candy plus a touch of almond crunch. That soft toffee drives the end and leads a long-ish finish toward a final note of dry reeds and the buttery end of that Hostess Cherry Pie.
Bottom Line:
I think what we’re learning, so far, is that the higher proof Jack Daniel’s is the better Jack Daniel’s. While this is standard Jack that’s simply not cut down in proof quite as far, you’re seemingly getting clearer and deeper flavor profiles. That’s a win. This also has a great price for what it is. That’s another win.
Overall, this is a great workhorse that shines as brightly in cocktails as it does on the rocks.
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $175 (1-liter bottle)
The Whiskey:
Frank Sinatra was one of Jack’s biggest fans. So much so that the crooner was buried with a bottle. The actual juice in this expression is a throwback to how Jack was made in Sinatra’s day. They use special “Sinatra Barrels” that have concentric grooves carved into the newly charred oak, giving the whiskey more surface area to do its thing. Once that’s aged, it’s blended with traditional Old No. 7 and proofed at 45 percent, as it also would have been back in Sinatra’s heydays.
Tasting Notes:
Peach cobbler, apple pie with a buttery crust and caramel drizzle, vanilla pods, old leather, and a hint of cherry tobacco inside an old wooden box build on the nose. The sip leans into the fruit next to woody spice and soft leather that mellows dramatically towards a soft vanilla cream along with a very distant echo of cherry tobacco chewiness. The mild spice (think nutmeg) arrives late and is tied to a cherry syrup vibe that just touches on dry wicker, faint almonds, and a touch more of that tobacco. Ultimately, the leather returns and builds towards a silken finish with just the right balance of woody apple, cherry tobacco, and oaky spice — all touched by the softest note of vanilla bean.
Bottom Line:
This is where we’re getting into splitting hairs in this ranking. This could have easily been number one based on how delicious it is in general. It’s a super fine sipper that only needs a rock or drop of water to let it bloom. This is a glass of whiskey that’s worth savoring.
ABV: Varies
Average Price: $64
The Whiskey:
This special release of barrel-proof single barrels is very limited. 200 barrels were chosen for this program. Each one highlights the beauty of Tennessee rye and is released as-is without any cutting with water or fussing. Each batch/barrel ends up with an ABV between 62.5 and 70 percent, which is pretty damn high, all things considered.
Tasting Notes:
High ABVs aside, this whiskey has a very soft nose full of cherry syrup, wintry spices, dry cedar bark, vanilla husks, rum-raisin, and spicy stewed plums. A hint of boozy bananas foster sneaks in early on the palate as those winter spices really amp up and marry with the cherry towards a mulled wine vibe. The mid-palate’s sweetness is immediately countered by woody spices and allspice berries as a thin line of old wicker leads to chewy spicy cherry tobacco leaves.
Bottom Line:
This stuff is pretty great. It’s a nice sipper, especially with a rock or a little water in the glass. That’ll help calm down those ABVs too. But, those ABVs are already pretty well hidden amongst the deeply hewn layers of this whiskey. It’s silky and loveable from top to bottom.
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $80
The Whiskey:
This whiskey from Jack Daniel’s is a pretty special offering. First, the barrels were heated/charred using a special method of very slow heating to achieve a richer toast before going off to be charred with fire. Those barrels were then filled with 100 proof distillate and placed in the highest rungs of warehouses on Coy Hill on the JD campus. 100 barrels hit the mark and each was released as a single barrel, 100 proof offering.
Tasting Notes:
A hint of dry cedar and pine kindling comes through on the nose with the support of cherry pie with a lard crust, vanilla tobacco chew, and a hint of zucchini bread with walnuts, clove, cinnamon, and powdered ginger. The palate leans into those spices and adds a hint of dried red peppercorns that’s countered by a rich vanilla ice cream speckled with dry cherries and dark chocolate. The mid-palate sweetness fades back towards that kindling pile as a cinnamon/cherry tobacco chewiness leaves you warmed and wanting more.
Bottom Line:
Okay, for real, this and the next two could have all been tied for number one. This is a super svelte sipper that has no errors. It’s just damn fine sipping whiskey with a unique vibe and story.
ABV: 48.5%
Average Price: $200
The Whiskey:
This new age statement released from Jack Daniel’s feels like a throwback to a bygone era in Tennessee Whiskey. The whiskey is aged for at least ten years. During that time, the barrels spend time in the “Buzzard’s Roost” at the top of the rickhouse. Once they hit the right flavor profile, those barrels are moved to the bottom floors of other warehouses to slow the aging down. Finally, the whiskey is vatted, proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a rich matrix of cherry syrup, apple cores, sticky toffee, vanilla ice cream, and a thin line of wet and sweet wood. The palate opens up towards the dark fruit but dries it out and married it to a sticky and spicy tobacco leaf while toasted cedar soaked in salted caramel vibes with dry corn husks that are just singed. The finish really takes its time as the cherry attaches to an old cinnamon stick and the tobacco takes on a sticky chewiness with a mild savory fruit edge.
Bottom Line:
This expression is helping redefine Jack Daniel’s in the 2020s. It’s so damn refined while maintaining that JD accessibility. This is the sort of slow sipping whiskey that you can sip on all day and never get tired of it.
ABV: 74.15%
Average Price: $600
The Whiskey:
The whiskey in the bottle is the classic Jack Daniel’s mash of 80 percent corn, 12 percent malted barley, and eight percent rye. The Tennessee whiskey was filtered through Jack’s drip-drop sugar maple charcoal system before barreling and aging at the very top — where the air is dry and warm — of rickhouses number eight and number 13. The whiskey is bottled straight from the barrel with no other fussing.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this one is … soft. There’s a whiff of classic Jack Daniel’s dark fruit that feels very much like a deep and dark cherry cordial with a dry, woody cinnamon stick dipped inside — then you licked the cherry cordial off the stick and put it under your nose. A touch of worn library leather is also lurking on the nose, with a hint of dry pecan shells and rich, almost smoked butterfat. The taste embraces the sweetness with a wet brown sugar vibe that’s married to a touch of dried apple cores next to a holiday cake full of dark spices, brandied fruits, and fat nuts that are all then soaked with fiery whiskey. That butter returns as the mid-palate sweetness ebbs and turns more towards almost burnt toffee touched with a flake of salt as a soft but old leather pouch full of sticky tobacco arrives to round everything out. The last feeling you get is this slow step upwards towards an embracing warmth in your neck and chest as those ABVs finally make themselves known.
Bottom Line:
It’s wild how well the ABVs on this hazmat whiskey are hidden. It’s almost like a magic trick. The deepness of the flavor profile is never overwhelmed by alcohol heat. Instead, you’re greeted with a nuanced and wonderful flavor profile that’ll leave you reaching for another pour almost immediately.
