<ARCHIVE> | CAMPBELTOWN HIGHLANDS ISLANDS ISLAY LOWLANDS SPEYSIDE | AMERICAN CANADIAN IRISH WORLD | INDEPENDENT | ANCNOC ARDBEG BENRIACH BLAIR ATHOL BOWMORE BRUICHLADDICH BUFFALO TRACE CAOL ILA CARN MOR CLYNELISH COMPASS BOX CREATIVE WHISKY COMPANY CROWN ROYAL DEANSTON DOUGLAS LAING FERMENTORIUM FORTY CREEK GLENDRONACH GLENFARCLAS GLENMORANGIE GORDON MACPHAIL HIGH WEST HIGHLAND PARK JACK DANIELS JAMESON JP WISERS JURA KENTUCKY BOURBON DISTILLERS KILCHOMAN KIRKLAND KNOB CREEK LAPHROAIG LOCH LOMOND MACALLAN MIDLETON ODD SOCIETY OLD PULTENEY SHELTER POINT THE GLENLIVET TWO BREWERS

Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Select 18-2686

47% ABV - Tennessee, USA

Nose: Florals, fruits (banana), and fresh wood all blended together. Some hints of minerality or chalkboard,... and "wet mop water" – strange, but it really triggers a memory. Altogether the nose is not very pronounced, but not too subtle.

Taste: Very sweet with caramels, spices, and fruit on top of banana bread. The banana bread character is very strong with this one.

Finish: Charred wood, fruits, oak and vanilla, with some spices and burnt orange in the background. Finish is short to medium.

In Spring 2018, I visited the Jack Daniel Distillery while on a whirlwind road trip through Missouri, Tennessee, and Kentucky. The distillery tour we did there is the best one I’ve been on to date! It’s impressive, for the scale and output they have, how much is done on site - like making the charcoal from sugar maple, and the bottling line.

Being in Tennessee, it was very easy to find Jack Daniel’s whiskies on the bar sheet, including Single Barrel Selects. This one place in particular, the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, had two casks: 17-7763 and 17-7765 (each bottled November 14, 2017). We tried them side-by-side and I was blown away by the difference in flavours! While one had more rye, spices, and smoked notes, the other was sweeter with florals, brown sugar, and citrus. So, after that experience, I was destined to pick up one of these bottlings for myself.

Unfortunately, being single casks and not having the chance to try before you buy, picking a bottle can amount to little more than chance. This bottle, 18-2686, was supposed to be released alongside 18-3074. The tasting notes for the latter sounded more interesting to me, and I thought that would be the one the get. But, for whatever reason, only one made it to the shelves - at least in my part of town, and I wasn’t about to go on a hunt… The defining characteristic about this bottle is the banana bread. Not quite the dram I was looking for, but no matter, still a fine whisky that I’ll be happy to share!

Details: Selected for BC Liquor Stores. This cask was laid down on March 22, 2013 and aged in Warehouse 2-18 on the 4th Floor, Rick #L-16. Bottles were filled October 16, 2018.

Tasted 20 October 2019. (Posted 27 October 2019).

82/100
Detailed Rating Information...

90+: Fantastic whisky; highly recommended.
My favourite whiskies – I might have more than one bottle if the price is right and the supply is limited! The higher values in this range will reflect a stronger balance and consistency between components.
85-89: Great whisky; recommended.
Whiskies that tick the flavour boxes and you'll likely hear about these from me. An easy decision to order at a bar/restaurant and one to consider buying a bottle of.
80-84: Very good whisky; recommended, but still consider trying before you buy.
Most of these whiskies I was really happy to have the opportunity to taste, but, apart from a dram here and there, I don’t think I would buy a bottle.
75-79: Good whisky; consider trying before you buy.
These are whiskies that I did enjoy drinking, but likely would reach for another bottle or select something different to order.
65-74: Average; consider trying before you buy, but not recommended.
There is nothing that stood out about this whisky and I might be inclined to mix it with soda or in a cocktail, instead of trying to enjoy its own flavours.
50-64: Bad; not recommended.
I didn’t like this and would sooner pass on another opportunity and order a beer instead than have it again… but never say never.


Whisky Bottle