Bryan_Carey's Full Review: Jack Daniels 'Old No.7' Whiskey
Whiskey ranks as my favorite brand of liquor and when I reach for whiskey, I usually limit myself to a handful of favorite brands. Canada makes some very good whiskey and the people of Kentucky are also capable of putting together some good tasting concoctions. But the state most synonymous with good whiskey is Tennessee and its most prized possession is Jack Daniels Old No. 7, a brand of whiskey with almost universal name recognition.
Basic Characteristics of This Liquor:
Jack Daniels Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey is tan/golden in color with a scent that combines slightly burnt grains, alcohol, caramel, and charcoal. This whiskey is medium in body and leaves small legs on the sides of a glass when swirled around.
This whiskey has an interesting taste that includes flavors like charcoal, wood, rye, and other assorted cereal grains. There is some sweetness up front, followed by a bitter, slight alcohol burn in the finish which leads to an aftertaste that offers a little bit of vanilla, a little bit of nuttiness, and a little bit of smoked grain.
Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 is produced using corn, rye, barley malt, and water. It is distilled using a special process where the whiskey is poured over sugar maple charcoal. This charcoal is ten feet thick and it takes ten days for the newly distilled whiskey to complete its journey through this charcoal. It is then aged in charred white oak barrels.
Jack Daniels Old No. 7 contains no sugar, fat, or carbohydrates. It is 80 Proof (40 percent alcohol) and there are about 72 calories in a one ounce (30 ml) serving.
Drinks Made with This Liquor:
Here are some good tasting drinks made with Jack Daniels:
Jack & Coke
1 oz. Jack Daniels No. 7 Whiskey
3 oz. Coca Cola
Pour whiskey over ice cubes and then add the cola. This is a simple drink, yet a favorite for many Jack Daniels devotees.
Hot Tennessee Toddy
1.5 oz. Jack Daniels No. 7 Whiskey
1 Tablespoon honey
.5 oz. fresh lemon juice
Cinnamon stick
Pour whiskey into a coffee mug, then add the honey, the lemon juice, and the cinnamon stick. Fill remainder of mug with six oz. of hot water, stir, and enjoy.
Lynchburg Lemonade
1 oz. Jack Daniels No. 7 Whiskey
1 oz. Triple Sec
1 oz. Sweet and Sour mix
4 oz. Seven Up
Combine all ingredients in a Collins glass over ice and serve.
Final Thoughts:
Jack Daniels Old No. 7 ranks as one of the most popular and most widely recognized names in the world of distilled spirits. Ask someone to say the name of a brand of whiskey and the first one that will pop into their heads will likely be Jack Daniels. Crown Royal, Seagrams, and a few others would also garner a few votes in a race for popular brands of whiskies but Jack Daniels is the name that would be mentioned more than any other.
What makes Jack Daniels so special? Well, more than anything, it is a result of the brand’s reputation and legacy. Jack Daniels No. 7 has been known for its smoothness and quality for more than one hundred years and it has several awards to prove its worthiness among the world’s best whiskies. Jack Daniels won its first Gold Medal at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair and continued to win international acclaim year after year. The special charcoal mellowing process is the key reason why Jack Daniels is able to achieve such a unique taste and this recipe went unchanged for many years.
Another reason for Jack Daniels popularity is its legacy which goes back nearly 150 years to the mid to late 1800’s when Jasper Newton “Jack” Daniel registered his whiskey distillery at the tender age of sixteen. Jack Daniel was an interesting fellow who devoted his entire life to making and perfecting whiskey. He had no wife or kids so there was nothing to distract him from doing what he enjoyed best: Bringing the great taste of Tennessee whiskey into the homes of millions of people in the United States and around the world.
With the taste, Jack Daniels does offer a unique and flavorful whiskey that has a good deal of complexity and distinction. However, Jack Daniels No. 7 isn’t quite as tasty as it was in the past. The reason is because the recipe was altered slightly a couple of years ago, resulting in a somewhat lighter body and a reduced alcohol level of 40 percent (80 proof). As most any Jack Daniels lover knows, the product used to be distilled, bottled, and sold at 43 percent alcohol (86 proof). This may not seem like a big difference but it does have an impact on the taste. The Jack Daniels of old was a little richer in color and body, with a stronger taste of grain, charcoal, and the other flavors that make the whiskey unique. No one knows exactly why a company with such a successful product would alter the recipe. People at Jack Daniels distillery tried to say that the change was made to satisfy the changing taste of consumers but I cannot think of any Jack Daniels drinker who prefers the new to the old. I think they made the change for two reasons: 1. As a cost cutting measure to increase profits and 2. A reaction to pressure from various activist groups to keep the alcohol level under control. No one will ever know the true reason but I think the change was a mistake.
One of the many good things about Jack Daniels No. 7 is the fact that it is so widely available. Most every liquor store, tavern, or restaurant with a bar has bottles of Jack Daniels to serve thirsty patrons. The first whiskey that owners buy is Jack Daniels because it is the most popular brand of whiskey and its taste is accommodating to most any whiskey- based beverage. Its price isn’t too bad either. A 750 ml bottle sells for a price of about $18. Yes, there are cheaper brands of whiskey but this is still a fair price for what you get.
Overall, I am still a fan of Jack Daniels No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey in spite of its changeover in 2004 to a lighter, “friendlier” taste. The Jack of old was worthy of 4.5 or 5 stars. The Jack of new is still good but I rate it a little lower- 3.5 to 4 stars. I will round up and give it four stars because I enjoy the flavor that the charcoal mellowing adds and, well, because it is Jack Daniels. My loyalty to the brand is still strong, even if the management team did make a mistake when they altered the recipe a couple years ago. It still tastes good, just not as rich as it did before.
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