Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series #9 Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in High Toast Oak Barrels
The 9th (or 2nd?) release in the Tennessee Tasters-cum-Distillery Series pairs with release #8, the high toast maple barrels finish. Both are put out by married couple Josh and Lexi Phillips, the latter being Jack Daniel’s Master Taster and right hand to the Master Distiller, Chris Fletcher.
Both releases play on the toasted finishing trend of the past few years, though I believe them to be late to the game. Toasting was big in 2019-2020, with some more in 2021. Finishing as a whole is still a growing trend, but toasting has leveled off.
Release #8 took Jack Daniel’s fantastic rye and finished it in toasted maple wood. The result was mixed: despite a candle-worthy nose, the palate was dominated by stave with the barest maple coming through. Subsequent tastes mellowed the wood a bit, but not enough to consider it balanced.
This release - #9 - feels closer to home in a way. Good old toasted oak gives a familiar marshmallow-and-toast finishing profile reminiscent of a Michter’s Barrel Strength Toasted Rye. The proof is a little lower, but otherwise it matches up quite nicely.
The toasting also adds wood here, just like it did in the Maple Toast-release. Unlike the latter, though, here the balance is far greater. Maybe it’s the familiarity that wasn’t there in the maple, or maybe it’s just a better job on the product, but either way this release is my clear winner between the two.
Zooming out to the 30,000 foot view, I hope this new iteration of the formerly-Tennessee Tasters line continues to innovate and try things. To be honest, I still don’t see this as innovating - if anything, this release is less different than #8 - and that worries me. For a behemoth such as Jack Daniel’s, “new” is difficult to achieve. The pairings and treatments done throughout the first seven releases showed us new thinking. These do not. It doesn’t detract from the quality, but it detracts from the experience.
Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series #9 Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in High Toast Oak Barrels: Specs
Classification: Tennessee Rye Whiskey
Origin: Jack Daniel Distillery
Mashbill: 70% Rye, 18% Corn, 12% Malted Barley
Proof: 101 (50.5% ABV)
Age: 4+ Years Plus Finishing
Location: Tennessee
Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series #9 Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in High Toast Oak Barrels Price: $41.99
No Official Website (Yet)
Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series #9 Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in High Toast Oak Barrels Review: Tasting Notes
Eye: Quite dark amber, chestnut shells. Very thin rims and tiny, splotchy drops.
Nose: The toasted oak comes through clearly, warm and sugary with lots of vanilla. Dry maple sugar, light and sweet coffee. Nose isn’t overpowering or weak, right in the middle. Toasted cinnamon bread.
Palate: The classic JD profile is there and comes through clearer here, especially with Runts banana candies. The toasted oak is second - not as overpowering as the maple in #8 but still quite strong and astringent. Dried dates emerge, pleasantly. Mouthfeel is prickly but not overly dry, cinnamon and nutmeg leading with coriander sweetness and mild astringency staying in the background.
Finish: Surprisingly floral in the corners of my mouth and the back palate. The Cinnamon Toast Crunch is light and airy, a medium length finish that leans sweet.
Overall: More successful than the maple in #8 just by sheer balance, if still not quite finished. Toasted sugar is a lovely flavor that adds to the dark date sweetness and dried fruits lurking underneath.
Final Rating: 6.6
10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close
9 | Incredible | Extraordinary
8 | Excellent | Exceptional
7 | Great | Well above average
6 | Very Good | Better than average
5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary
4 | Has promise but needs work
1-3 | Let’s have a conversation
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