Jack Daniel’s Rye
Jack Daniel’s went almost a century and a half with a single mashbill - every product from their classic No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey and up came from the same recipe at least since Prohibition, if not longer. Then, in the early 2010s, out came their new rye mashbill. This particular rye product was first released in 2017.
At 70% rye, 18% corn, and 12% malted barley, the recipe stands out for sure. It’s not the 95/5 rye recipe from MGP, it’s not a 100% rye like some Pennsylvania or Monongahela recipes, nor is it a barely-legal (51%) Maryland-style rye. Then again, Jack will never admit its Tennessee Whiskey to be a bourbon (there are literally hundreds of articles/opinions/books on this), so why should the rye conform either?
The big question: how does it taste? Is there a classic Jack Daniel’s banana Runts flavor in there? A broader Brown-Forman-style rye like Old Forester? Or will it be all its own. The rye - as expected - does go through the Lincoln County charcoal-mellowing process just like their bour…er hem…whiskey does.
A final note: as of 2019, Jack Daniel’s now has TWO rye mashbills - this one, and the one used for their 2019 Tennessee Tasters Barrel Proof Rye and the 2020 Jack Daniel’s Special Release Single Barrel Barrel Proof Rye. I’d love to ask former master distiller Jeff Arnett why the change. Or maybe I’ll ask Chris Fletcher, the current master distiller, grandson of Frank Bobo (Jack’s 5th master distiller from 1966-1989), and nearly 17-year veteran of Jack and Brown-Forman (Chris took a two-year stint at Buffalo Trace in 2013-14, but has otherwise been with Brown-Forman or Jack Daniel’s specifically since 2003).
Jack Daniel’s Rye: Specs
Classification: Tennessee Rye Whiskey
Origin: Jack Daniel’s Distillery
Mashbill: 70% Rye, 18% Corn, 12% Malted Barley
Proof: 90 (45% ABV)
Age: NAS, 4-5 years old
Location: TN
Jack Daniel’s Rye Price: $20-$25
Jack Daniel’s Rye Review: Tasting Notes
Eye: Honey, medium rims and legs.
Nose: Lots of cherry and bubblegum up front, followed by vanilla and some sweet wintermint in the background.
Palate: Rye spice right away - lots of cherry and burnt sugar. I wasn’t 100% expecting the banana note but there it is - I honestly think it works better in the rye than it does in the regular No. 7! There’s a pleasant tingle all over the mouth. Oily mouthfeel, moderately filling without being viscous.
Finish: Medium-length: tingle lingers, banana and rye notes last.
Overall: This is a really solid everyday rye. At 90 proof it’s not going to automatically disappear in a cocktail, and can hold up to a bit of ice if you need (it’s plenty good neat, though). I didn’t expect the banana but I really like it here. At $20-25 a bottle, you can’t go wrong here - it’s the rye version of an Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond.
Final Rating: 6.2
10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close (Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel)
9 | Incredible | Extraordinary (GTS, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B518 and B520)
8 | Excellent | Exceptional (12+YO MGP Bourbon, Highland Park Single Barrels)
7 | Great | Well above average (Blanton’s Original, Old Weller Antique, Booker’s)
6 | Very Good | Better than average (Four Roses Small Batch Select, Knob Creek 14+ YO Picks)
5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary (Elijah Craig Small Batch, Buffalo Trace, Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond)
4 | Sub-par | Many things I’d rather have (A.D. Laws Four Grain, Compass Box “Oak Cross”)
3 | Bad | Flawed (Iron Smoke Bourbon, Balcones)
2 | Poor | Forced myself to drink it (Buckshee Bourbon and Rye)
1 | Disgusting | Drain pour (Virginia Distilling Co. Cider Cask)
More Rye Reviews
