Single Barrel Heritage Barrel used to be a limited-edition, but now it’s part of the permanent lineup
It should come as no surprise to those that read our spirits coverage—or follow the whiskey industry in general—that Jack Daniel’s has been on a tear recently. Recent releases have shown how much more there is to this legacy Tennessee distillery than Old No. 7 (no disrespect to that storied brand): 10, 12, and 14-year-old whiskeys, the first age statements in a century; a fantastic rye finished in high toast maple barrels; and some bonded whiskeys. Fans of the distillery who don’t drink Old No. 7 much (myself included) never say no to a pour of one of the single barrels, and late last week the good news arrived that the distillery was making its Single Barrel Heritage Barrel Tennessee Whiskey a year-round offering.
Jack Daniel’s first launched its Heritage Barrel limited releases in 2018 and 2019, referring to whiskey that is finished in specially toasted barrels to impart a new round of flavor into the liquid. “The way our barrels are built and our ability to experiment are two of the most important parts of the Jack Daniel’s whiskey-making tradition,” said master distiller Chris Fletcher in a statement. “It was exciting for us to see what our Heritage Barrels produced with previous limited releases, and we’re thrilled to bring that same unforgettable flavour to more friends with this permanent offering.”
Jack Daniel’s single-barrel expressions are virtually always very good, with a complexity of flavour that comes from being bottled at a higher proof (100 instead of 80) and the fact that the whiskey comes from just one barrel instead of a blend of many. The new Single Barrel Heritage Barrel Tennessee Whiskey is made from the same mashbill as all other Jack Daniel’s whiskey excluding the rye—80 per cent corn, 12 percent malted barley, and 8 percent rye. Also like all the other whiskey, it’s filtered through 10 feet of sugar maple charcoal after distillation, otherwise known as the Lincoln County process which legally defines Tennessee whiskey.
But then this whiskey is aged in “high-toast, low-char” Heritage Barrels, which the distillery says creates a deep toasted layer before the charring. It goes into the barrels at 100 proof and is matured in some of the highest elevation warehouses for a minimum of seven years (although each barrel will vary in age). Tasting notes will vary depending on the bottle since this is a single-barrel release, but the official tasting notes detail some constants—soft oak on the nose, honey and candied fruit on the palate, and a brown sugar finish.
Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Heritage Barrel Tennessee Whiskey is available now at select retailers around the US (SRP US$70), and will be available internationally sometime in the future.
This story was first published on Robb Report USA. Featured photo by Jack Daniel’s
