Contrary to what some folks believe, Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 is a Tennessee whiskey, not a bourbon. Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey is made only in the hills of Middle Tennessee using a blend of the finest corn, rye, and barley malt available, combined with our iron-free water from the limestone cave spring. We do share a connection with bourbon, but we take the crucial extra step called charcoal mellowing. Before barrel aging, our whiskey travels through ten feet of hard sugar maple charcoal to give Jack Daniel’s its characteristic smoothness. All our whiskey is aged on the Moore County hillsides surrounding Lynchburg in newly charred white oak barrels.
Empty Oak Barrels Have Many Uses
Because federal regulations allow us to age whiskey in a barrel only once, you’re probably wondering what happens to all those used oak barrels. Even empty, our barrels are full of flavor, so many of them are sent to Scotland where our Scotch whisky distillery friends put them to use. Some of our barrels head down to Avery Island in south Louisiana where the Tabasco folks age their world famous pepper sauce. You or someone you know may have one sitting on your patio full of petunias. A half barrel makes a handy planter and grows happy plants. And then a few we just bust up to make our popular Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey Wood Smoking Chips and flavor pellets for outdoor grilling and barbecue.
Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 Black Label Tennessee Whiskey
Our world-famous whiskey has been awarded seven international gold medals, including one for “world’s best whiskey” presented to Uncle Jack at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, Missouri. His famous square bottle and handsome black and white label is recognized around the world because of what’s inside—charcoal mellowed Tennessee Whiskey, a well-balanced mix of caramel, vanilla, wood notes, and a slightly fruity and distinctively dry finish. It is 80 proof.
Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey
Each barrel of Jack Daniel’s has its own personality, a distinct nose, color, and taste. Master Distiller Jeff Arnett and Master Taster Jeff Norman, along with a team of experts, select exceptional barrels to be bottled as Single Barrel Whiskey with no blending of whiskey from any other barrel. These special barrels age on the upper floors of the barrelhouses where the hot, humid Tennessee summers and cold winters create more movement of the whiskey in and out of the wood. The result is a rich, amber, mature, 94 proof whiskey with heightened flavors of toasted oak, vanilla, and caramel. I love to present a bottle of Single Barrel as a present or a hostess gift. Maybe that’s why I get so many party invitations!
Buy Your Own Barrel
Whiskey connoisseurs can place an order for an entire single barrel of Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey. Each barrel yields approximately 240 to 250 750ml bottles. The happy purchaser receives the bottled whiskey and the barrel in which it was aged, a customized metal neckband for each bottle, a brass naming plaque, and a framed certificate of ownership. Plus, you get your name on a brass plaque on the wall at the distillery.
Gentleman Jack Rare Tennessee Whiskey
My Uncle Jack experimented with double charcoal mellowing but never did much with it. In 1988, we decided to dig up his notes and give it a try. The result is Gentleman Jack Rare Tennessee Whiskey. Gentleman Jack is made using a slightly different recipe and is the only whiskey in the world that is charcoal mellowed twice, once before aging and once after. This 80 proof whiskey has a silky finish laced with caramel, fruit, vanilla, and smoke. I like to call it our Tennessee cognac and often serve it in snifters after supper. Don’t miss my favorite Classic Jack Mint Julep (page 14).
Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey
Our newest product in a generation, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, was introduced in 2010. Tennessee Honey is a lovely blend of honey liqueur and Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, and it’s perfect for serving chilled in little shot glasses or over ice for sipping. At 70 proof, Tennessee Honey is a little lighter than Old No. 7. We often mix it with sparkling wine, ginger ale, iced tea, or lemonade. Or, try it in a Hot Buttered Whiskey Glaze (page 217). It’s also a wonderful cooking ingredient, so pay close attention to the dessert chapter.
Heard around the TABLE
One day after dinner, a guest asked me if I knew the name of the man standing by the front door. I told her he was the undertaker from a funeral home in nearby Fayetteville. She looked at me and asked, “What does he do, just hang around in case someone eats himself to death?”