Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Rye OHLQ #2

A solid little holiday dram...

By Not Masters of Malt

December 28^th, 2020

From OHLQ & the Distller...

Jack Daniel's:

"This historic creation marries the smoothness of Jack Daniel’s with a unique 70% rye grain bill. Complex flavors of ripe fruit mingle with light toasted oak notes to create a taste rich with spice and a pleasant lingering finish. This is a big, bold rye that does not overpower."

Tasting notes from OHLQ:

Barrel 20-04240: Oak and brown sugar notes on the nose, heavier spice on the palate with hints of brown sugar and a "mid-finish".

Behind the Bottle:

I'm an opportunist when it comes to any kind of whisky purchase. You won't find me standing in line (especially in this current COVID climate) on any given morning. Rather, I choose to pop in later in the day or to a shop I haven't been to in ages to see what is left. My lack of tenacity costs me some excellent bottles, but I consider it just another part of the journey. Picking up this bottle was no different, I took a brief look at the OHLQ.com site and found that a barrel pick was in my area and decided to test my luck. As it happened, this was the last bottle on the shelf and it made my Friday that much brighter.

This is Jack Daniel's first new mash recipe since 1866 (70% Rye, 18% Corn, and 12% Barley) and OHLQ's barrel picks have traditionally been great so I jumped at the chance! So where does it fit in the pantheon of JD's offerings?

Review:

Price (7/10):

$46.99 at our local Kroger which is the same price as the regular Single Barrel Rye. It's similarly priced to other single barrel rye offerings from Michter's and Knob Creek.

Nose (7/10):

Strong fruit up front and what I can only describe as a "bubblegum" note. Like a mix between Zebra Stripe and those little gumballs that look like baseballs you can buy at little-league games. It's an unexpected but not unpleasant surprise. I also get a slight hint of banana towards the end.

Palate (7/10):

You still get the fruit first followed by the bubblegum flavor but it also adds some of the more traditional spicy rye notes. "Chewing" opens up more of the spice and it feels more like a traditional rye whiskey.

Finish (6/10):

Semi-long lingering finish that loses most of the fruit notes and opts instead for a smoky spicy bite. I would have liked just a bit more complexity here.

Aesthetics (4/5):

The branding really shines. I like that the bottle is distinct but not all together different from their other "Single Barrel" products and the OHLQ badge describing which barrel the whiskey comes from is a nice touch. This would make for a good gift for any bar or under a Christmas tree.

Availability (2/5):

As this is an Ohio Liquor barrel pick it was pretty difficult to get ahold of and only available in limited quantities. There were a total of 4 barrels picked by OHLQ available to the entire state of Ohio. However the normal Single Barrel Rye is readily available in just about every liquor store.

Overall (33/50): Daily Drinker

Final Verdict:

There is definitely a bunch to like here. It's good to see Jack Daniel's trying some new things and their single barrel lineup represents both good value and taste. With most single barrel offerings, I expect that there will be some excellent examples and some that fall short. I'm anxious to compare this bottle to a standard single barrel offering to see if the notes of bubblegum persist. Of the ryes readily available in the sub $50 price range, this one is definitely near the top of my list.