Jack Daniel's Bonded Tennessee Whiskey

My appreciation for this whiskey has grown. In a recent blind tasting with a JD single barrel store pick, the differences became apparent after a few sips. The bonded, being a blend of many barrels, is more balanced, though perhaps a bit sweeter and richer with more banana. The single barrel pick has a subtle smoke and is drier, in a positive way. The banana is present but with a hint of nuttiness on the finish. Both noses had a slight metallic quality that carried over somewhat to the single barrel's taste. The bonded exhibited more of an oaky cardboard character... BUT THEN......I misidentified the pours. I was so surprised, I poured another glass of the bonded to confirm I hadn't mixed them up. The bonded won. Therefore, my initial notes are reversed: the bonded was what I believed to be the single barrel.

Aroma - typical scents... Bananas, cherries, and caramel. I appreciate the Jack Daniels character! Taste - Echoes the aroma… bananas, caramel, cherries… brown sugar… very sweet but extremely enjoyable Overall - this lacks complexity and isn't groundbreaking. However, it's exceptionally well-executed for a Bottled-in-Bond product. The flavors are prominent and bold; in my opinion, there's very little subtlety here. The viscosity is quite pleasing for 100 proof, creating a decent coating on the palate. The finish isn't long, but that's typical for most 100-proof spirits. Considering the price, this is excellent... I just wish the bottle was 750 ml instead of 700 ml.

I generally appreciate the recent offerings from a certain distillery, and the triple mash is particularly good. However, I'd been curious about the bonded expression for some time. Nose: I detect notes of banana, maple syrup, and a hint of nuttiness. Palate: The palate strongly reflects the nose. It reminds me of sweet banana bread with walnuts, finishing with a touch of bitterness. Finish: The finish is rather brief. Overall, I find the bonded expression enjoyable and recommendable, though I prefer the triple mash. It shares a similar profile but with less banana and no bitterness at the end.

Jack Daniel’s black label, the everyday Tennessee whiskey, isn’t terrible for a cheap American whiskey. It’s essentially a bourbon filtered through the “Lincoln County Process”… but this one fell short. Nose: The signature JD banana aroma is present, but it tasted like an unappealing, slightly off, mushy banana. Taste: Thankfully, the banana flavor vanishes, revealing a taste that’s distinctly Jack Daniel’s, though not particularly remarkable. Finish: Brief. Skip this one. Let down.

A faint banana aroma. The initial taste has a lot of oak and a little pepper, followed by sweet stone fruit notes like fresh peach. As it moves to the finish, peanut butter dominates, with nutty notes from the wood. It's just peanut butter after peanut butter to conclude the glass, and the flavor lingers. I'd classify this as a dessert drink rather than something to sip on.

This is a departure from your Old No. 7 Jack Daniels. The nose is dominated by sweet caramel, followed by some oak. The palate begins with more sweet caramel and vanilla, then presents classic Jack banana notes and some toasted oak. The finish is sweet, with lingering banana, burnt sugar, and oak. A very good, affordable whiskey.