Jack Daniel's Bonded Rye

As someone who enjoys rye, I typically enjoy a rye sidecar neat alongside a good cup of black coffee during brunch. For several years, my go-to rye was the standard 86 proof Jack Daniels Straight Rye. It's a pleasant-tasting, smooth whiskey that was perfect for this occasion, and I usually kept a bottle on hand. Unfortunately, that bottle, which was easily found in my area for under $20, seems to be unavailable. In its place, we now have a 100 proof bottled-in-bond rye. Let's give it a try. For this tasting, I'm comparing it neat against the 90 proof JD Single Barrel rye. On the nose, the two are quite similar, as expected. The Bottled-in-Bond has a more pronounced ethanol aroma and a slightly richer caramel sweetness. On the palate, the single barrel is sweet and quite intricate, with a very subtle peppery finish and a modest fade. It's an enjoyable sipper, superior in every aspect to the original Straight Rye. There's a clear foundation of wood and barrel, and the liquid also offers hints of dill, apple pie crust, and a faint citrus note on the back of the tongue. In contrast, the Bottled-in-Bond Rye is drier. In fact, it's significantly drier, with more prominent oak and barrel characteristics. The fruit notes are subdued, and the vanillins and sugars from the wood are more forward. There's a subtle salinity that wasn't present in the single barrel. The finish is hotter, and it doesn't feel as well-integrated as the single barrel. When used in a Manhattan (2 parts rye, 1 part vermouth, 2 parts sweet vermouth), I believe the choice of vermouth will be crucial. The Jack Daniel's Bottled-in-Bond doesn't pair well with my Ciniad vermouth; it's better with Cocchi di Torino or Martini & Rossi sweet vermouth. Those latter vermouths are more intensely flavored and possibly sweeter than the Ciniad. This is a competent rye, but it's not quite to my preference. I would rather use Wild Turkey 101 Rye for mixing or sip neat with Russell's Reserve 6 or one of the Sagamore expressions. Or the Jack Daniels Single Barrel, for that matter. This is a respectable rye whiskey and a good addition to the Jack Daniel's offerings. However, it's unlikely I will include this bottle in my regular rotation. It's a bit too expensive for casual mixing and not quite exceptional enough to be enjoyed on its own. A solid attempt, but perhaps not as impressive as the Triple Mash for a similar price.

This is the 2023 release of JD rye in their "Bonded Series," presented in a 700ml bottle. I sampled it neat. It has a rosy brown hue, is light in color, and exhibits thin legs in the glass. The aroma consists of dried fruit, cherry, sweet grain, and grassy rye. Upon tasting, there's a slight ethanol rush, but the light and thin mouthfeel keeps it in check. Sweet vanilla and tannic oak are present, along with cherry fruit and simple syrup. The spice emerges later in the palate, but it's rewarding. It delivers a powerful, spicy, and tingly mint finish that is long-lasting, continuously building, sweet, and clean. There's no sourness detected. For a rye enthusiast, the finish is the highlight of this whiskey. Adding an ice cube diminishes the spicy tingle. Its overall lightness makes me question its suitability for mixing.

JD BONDED RYE *AROMA: Brown Sugar, Banana, Dry Oak, Juicy Fruit Gum, Dill, Leather, and a hint of earthiness. *NEAT: Banana and Juicy Fruit are prominent down the center of the palate. Herbal notes (Dill, Clove, Star-Anise) are present on the sides and back. A faint chemical/plastic note appears on the finish with a respectable warmth. The medium to heavy body leaves an oaky and herbal coating on the palate. *WITH A SPLASH: Sweetness now takes over the palate with even more banana flavor. It also brings out a black pepper tingle. *CONCLUSION: This ranks third in the JD Bonded Series. It's been some time since I last sampled the standard JD Rye, but if memory serves, I preferred that one slightly more. This is certainly a more cost-effective option, even with its lower proof, especially since it comes in a smaller 700ml bottle. I'll save money and opt for that one instead.

Nose: milk chocolate, wood smoke, and ethanol. Develops fresh cherry with time. Becomes strongly maple with water. Palate: pine, caramel candy, citrus rind Finish: menthol, citrus, char, strawberry cream candy This is distinct, but every bit as good as (maybe better in flavor, but not as smooth) another rye spirit. It also mixes as well as that spirit in a Manhattan or Old Fashioned. In fact, it reminds me of a less refined version of a rye I love. For $29 a bottle, this and that other rye will now be part of my regular rotation for rye cocktails. Update: After this bottle has been open and exposed to air for about a week, it really mellows and softens. It develops a strong vanilla maple character. Delicious and smooth at 100 proof. Increasing rating to 4.25 stars.

The nose offers intriguing notes of lemon, brown sugar, banana, honey, hay, white pepper, oak, and just a subtle hint of rye spice. The palate presents a very different profile, starting with mint, apple, maple, charcoal, pumpernickel, green tea, cola, and nutmeg. The flavors are remarkably rich and complex for their intensity. The finish is medium in length, featuring pepper, oak, burnt sugar, cinnamon, stewed pear, and clove. The mouthfeel is a pleasant medium-bodied and quite oily, which suits this offering well. It's incredibly complex and unique, making it a challenging rye to rate. As a rye? It's okay. As a whiskey? It's quite good, especially considering the $36 price point. It might be the new budget champion. Its ease of repurchase earns it a 4.0 rating.

Nose: Light aromas with a delicate scent of candied apple and pear. It's pleasant and not at all overpowering with ethanol. Palate: Burnt oaky and sweet rye flavors. Finish: Relatively short, with vanilla pudding and banana cream pie making an appearance. Overall, this is a pretty soft and gentle rye, considering the high rye content and 50% ABV. A good choice for the price when making cocktails.