Jack Daniel's Sinatra Select

Nose: Clearly a JD product, but definitely more mature than Old No. 7. Numerous variations of banana are present: bananas cooked in brown sugar, banana bread, banana nut cereal, banana candy, and bananas cooked over charcoal. Caramel, vanilla, oak, and orchard fruit are also detected. There's likely more, but it smells so good I'm diving in. Palate: Rich malt characteristics with smoke and charred oak. Caramel, vanilla, cooked banana, brown sugar melting in a skillet, butterscotch, ginger, and black pepper are present. A touch of oak tannin leads to the finish, which includes lingering fresh banana, oak, bitter dark chocolate, and cooked brown sugar. I enjoy Jack Daniel's. In fact, I really enjoy it, and this was a wonderful surprise for me. However, I've enjoyed every version of it I've tried, and I've tried many – all the ones I can locate. This is the best Jack I've encountered to date. It surpasses the single barrel and the barrel proof. It incorporates the best aspects of those, combines them, and adds extra barrel nuances. It's a remarkable whiskey. I concur with the official reviewer: it's unfortunate that this is rare, expensive, and not as widely available as Old No. 7. However, it does come in a liter bottle. ________ Join a discussion with many regular reviewers about spirits in real time on Discord: https://discord.gg/4nfePCdyKM. (If the link has expired, leave a comment and I'll post a new one.)

The aroma is gently inviting with notes of charred oak, banana, vanilla, fresh bread, and a slight hint of baking spices the more you inhale. It's quite creamy and well-balanced, creating anticipation for the taste. The palate is somewhat rich and has a chewy texture, quickly reaching the sides of the mouth with creamy charred oak and a burst of cinnamon on the center of the tongue. It truly resembles a delightful cake in a glass; it's straightforward in the mouth but exceptionally pleasant to taste. You won't discern numerous distinct notes, but its existing flavors are so well-balanced and executed that complexity isn't needed for a great experience. The finish is of medium length, with one last surge of cinnamon, while creamy, vanilla-infused charred oak lingers as you continue to chew on it before it fades. It's a significant departure from the typical offering, showcasing an excellent potential for this spirit.

Nose: Caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, orange zest, and peanut shell. Palate: Okay, hear me out. It reminds me of a certain 10-year-old bottling. Similar proof and taste. I'd need to do a side-by-side to confirm the difference. That said, it's not a bad thing, as that other bottling is great. In the finish, I detect an almond note. Overall: Extremely expensive. I paid $179 for this bottle. Is it worth it? In my view, there's too much excellent product from that brand on the market to buy one of these. That being said, I'm glad to own one, and when it's gone, I doubt I'll spend this much cash on another. A certain barrel-proof single barrel offering is just too good and too readily available at $70 to justify buying this again. I'm not criticizing it; it's really good, just costly.

Got a sample from a fellow enthusiast. Glassware: Glencairn, sat for 15 minutes. Appearance: A medium-dark amber hue. Smell: Notes of caramel and fruit, predominantly apple and raisin. Taste: Hints of baking spice and sweet clove, with a dry oak character. It's surprisingly lacking in any spicy rye notes. Aftertaste: Moderate duration with a medium level of warmth. Addition: Adding a few drops of water appears to slightly reduce the oaky dryness. General impression: 6/10 - This is a fairly standard 90 proof spirit sold at a ridiculous cost. Even if it were less expensive, I'd still want more intensity to consider purchasing it. For instance, Heaven Hill BiB offers higher proof and more robust flavor for a third of the price.

Significantly better than old no 7, but in my opinion, not warranting the immense hype. Light caramels and vanilla mingle before moderate oak, hay, black pepper, and a slight leather assert themselves. There's a touch of fruitiness resembling weller 107 but not as strong. The finish is medium in length with mild pepper/baking spice and a hint of sweetness. More oak emerges just before fading from the palate. It's a decent whiskey, but I'm not sure I'd go to the extremes others do for it. I'm satisfied with single barrel and if necessary, bonded. Still, it was nice to sample.

COLOR: Deep Copper. NOSE: The aroma isn't intense. Bananas are present, along with caramel (after further nosing). Hints of furfural alcohol are also detected. TASTE: Mmmm! Rich & Creamy! Banana - Oak - Vanilla, flavors that shift between the three, with a subtle hint of furfural alcohol. As it moves towards the end of the tasting, the flavors become dry on the finish. FINISH: Dry and mellow.