Jack Daniel's 10 Year Tennessee Whiskey (Batch 2)

Rating: 4.10/5 Aroma: Faint caramel, powdered cocoa drink mix, brown sugar, sweet wood, dried cherry, a bit nutty, touch of banana. An impressive aroma for a 97 proof whiskey. Taste: Sweet, syrupy wood, slight smoke, cherry, dried cranberry, mature oak. The taste is very rich with pleasant aged characteristics. Finish: Leather, smoke, dried tart fruits, wood. A very coating mouthfeel. Overall: This is an outstanding example of a 10-year-old whiskey under 100 proof. Really good age notes and mouthfeel. The distinctive Jack Daniel's character in a 10-year whiskey is truly delicious. If you haven't experienced older Jack Daniel's products, I suggest at least trying a sample of this at a bar if possible.

Exhibited notes of pleasant barrel char, mint chocolate, nuttiness, citrus, and rum-soaked banana. Smell: Caramel, Peaches, Bananas Foster, Maple Syrup, Dark Chocolate, Cinnamon, Leather, Luxardo Cherries, Spearmint, Vanilla, White Chocolate, Marshmallows Taste: Caramel, Demerara Syrup, Vanilla, Bananas Soaked in Rum, Nutmeg, Tobacco, Leather, Cinnamon, Licorice, Hazelnuts, Mint Chocolate, Toffee Finish: Cinnamon, Bananas, Mint Chocolate, Peaches, Apricots, Honey, Grapefruit, Walnuts, Tobacco, Leather

I'm attempting to review this as if it were a $70-80 bottle rather than the $150 I paid (never again). NEAT AROMA - Sweet Banana Bread drizzled with maple syrup, served in a wooden lunch box. TASTE - Banana, Oak, & Maple Syrup FINISH - Incredibly smooth. The finish lasts for an eternity! WORTH BUYING? - Yes. Only at retail price. WORTH BUYING AGAIN?? - Absolutely, if I can get it at retail again. This whiskey has a wonderful balance. It's not overly complicated, but it's straightforward and concentrated in its flavor profile.

Served neat, the aroma is subtle with traces of cinnamon and oak. The palate offers cinnamon that fades quickly. Some detect banana, a note I can perceive, though I find it more akin to genuine maple syrup; I'm passionate about maple and produce my own syrup. There are also whispers of vanilla. Adding an ice cube to cool it softened the profile, bringing to mind Gentleman Jack. In sum, it's pleasant, but honestly, it echoes Jack Daniels for me, just with a bit more kick. Eighty-proof Jack is excessively diluted, whereas this possesses a touch more zest.

Aroma: Potent. The usual JD banana is present but with amplified oak and cinnamon. Nice leather notes emerge at the end. Taste: Begins with banana but shifts to red fruit. Very vibrant, almost sharp. Finish: This is where the oak truly stands out. Lower in strength but lasts a while. The oak is definitely there, but it's never harsh, dry, or overwhelming. Perfectly balanced. Overall: Truly one of a kind. It's difficult to find a bourbon that offers both fruit and oak to this extent. Scored 8 on the t8ke scale.

Tasted blind. Jack Daniel’s 10 Year Old. Smell: sugary and fruity. Taste: unmistakably has the characteristics of a Buffalo Trace product. Very sweet and fruity, possibly cherry. I estimate around 100 proof. Finish: not particularly long-lasting. General notes of cinnamon spice as it fades. Overall: quite pleasant, but not highly complex. Rating: 3.25/5