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What's The Woop-De-Doo About Jack Daniel's?


MJL
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Could someone please explain the big woop-de-doo about Jack Daniels's? Since they lowered the proof of the booze in the bottle I've been having a hard time justifying a purchase. I'm not saying it is gut rot but I would put it about the same quality as a regular run of the mill Bourbon. To my mind not worthy of the extra money they seem to be asking. So what am I missing here? Is the extra price of Jack Daniel's all about hype and advertising or do some of you understand where that extra money goes into the bottle?

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Yeah, I can remember when it was 7 years old and 90 proof. It is now pretty pedestrian stuff. I don't buy it any more since it has been cut down to 80 proof. Too many really good bourbons out there in competition.

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Plus, it's decent enough stuff. I drunk a lot of it when I drank. (I just "sip" now) However, I've moved on to fine Scotch and now fine bourbon.

I guess you can thank Van Halen. They made the stuff hugely popular in the early 80's and late 80's. They even have a song titled "Take Your Whiskey Home" that I posted in the Whiskey Lyrics thread and the former bass player Michael Anthony has a bass guitar shaped and painted up like a bottle of JD.

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The current bottlings are actually excellent straight whiskey, not to mention the Single Barrel bottlings. The flavour is quite pronounced with notes of pear-like fruit, candy and light earth. A distinctive and quality product. I believe some people tend to overlook it based on it coming from outside Kentucky, but it is a solid product and (again IMO) rather improved in recent years.

Gary

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On the BE board a similar discussion was raised a few

months back and someone asked "...is Jack Daniel's

still relevant? ".

My reply was that "...I think Jack projects a certain "attitude"

which may account for some of the popularity. It's not at

the cheap end and there are certainly more expensive pours

out there but maybe it's just "cool" to say you drink JD. "

Maybe goes back to the Sinatra days - JD was a "mans" drink

and that just kinda stuck or the image they wanna project.

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No question the image was and is a big part of it. But I don't think it could have sustained its popularity based just on image. I will say that until a few years ago, I felt Jack Daniels (any version) was not as good as I remembered it from the 1970's, but in recent years I feel it has improved and is on form. Even the 80 proof offers a fair amount of taste and character compared to most 80 proof bourbons.

Gary

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OK, good answers. I posted that question as I was headed out to a local booze shop that had the 1.75 liter bottle on sale for $28. I was headed out the door to pick up a few bottles and still waffling about if I should drop the cash on the Jack Daniel's or something else. To me it is just a drinking whiskey....not, as has been stated, a sipping whiskey, so I wanted to know if it was good enough to spend more for it than any other regular drinking whiskey. I will tell in a few weeks when I get around to opening one of the bottles I picked up. Still, I think it is whole lot of hype so the stuff in the bottle better be worthy of the money or this will be the last Jack Daniel's purchase by myself.

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Well, my suggestion would be if possible to purchase the Single Barrel. I'd rather have less of that than more of the other iterations. It really showcases the brand to its best.

Gary

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The current bottlings are actually excellent straight whiskey, not to mention the Single Barrel bottlings. The flavour is quite pronounced with notes of pear-like fruit, candy and light earth. A distinctive and quality product. I believe some people tend to overlook it based on it coming from outside Kentucky, but it is a solid product and (again IMO) rather improved in recent years.

Gary

i agree. it's like the hoopla over it is what sells it for some folks, but for me, it gets in the way...and last year, i finally got that out of the way, tried some and have some respect for it. i am sure it is can't compare to the original stuff, but i get my virtual sense of what it might've been like but trying those commemorative 90 proof bottlings. actually very nice and i get a small sense of spectrum (not value-laden!) that goes from TN whiskey (banana/esters) to bourbon (caramel, dried fruit) to rye whiskey (spicy old leather)...i know that's very generalizing, but it's close. i think.

i almost bought the SBarrel today in Delaware for $38...but i am in a mad belgian lambic mood. and my hopbomb mood isn't taking it lightly...:grin:

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I like it. It's been 30 years since this was a regular pour for me, but every three or four months I pull it out to remind me that I like it. It compares favorably to other drinks that cost much more. The other day I enjoyed it as a complement to Jefferson Reserve Small Batch.

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"Over-priced" is different than "bad whiskey". It IS the former, in my (and many others') opinion. It isn't the latter -- though, it also may not be your cup of tea, particularly, if you like standard bourbon.

But, even the 'over-priced' judgment is an opinion. It's no secret that they sell all they can make. Some would say that makes JD under-priced.

It would NOT be me, however.

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Well, my suggestion would be if possible to purchase the Single Barrel. I'd rather have less of that than more of the other iterations. It really showcases the brand to its best.

Gary

A friend of mine bought a sealed bottle of the JD Single Barrel at an estate sale last week for $4 (:shocked:) and it was excellent. We loved it! But for the fact that it typically sells for just over $40 around here, I'd buy it with regularity.

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Once in a blue moon I pick up a bottle of the Single Barrel. But I have to be flush with cash and in just the right mood. Make that once every several blue moons.

The standard offering is just as over-priced as the Single Barel, if not more so, and under proofed to boot.

I remember the year I got married, 1999, I could pick up a fifth of 86 proof Jack for 13.99, when it was on sale.

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I don't dislike it. There are just hundreds of other bottles I'd buy before I bought Jack. Also, Jack fundamentalists are really annoying. I worked with one guy who would trash any bourbon you would mention and swear on his mother's grave that Jack was the absolute pinnacle of quality. It was amusing for about 12 seconds.

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I don't know what it is about JD, but it makes me sick. The last two times I drank any (many years ago), I ended up throwing up. I can drink twice as much WT101 and not get sick at all.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Jack drinkers are hardcore brand loyal drinkers and you could offer them the best tasting whiskey in the whole world and they will still say they like their Jack better. Trust me i have tasted many of people on other stuff and they still go back to jack. Its all about the image and name not quality to most of em...

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I enjoy the JD Single Barrel. I drank a bottle of late 90's vintage over the holidays. I have also drank several of the 90 proof Gold Medals. The higher proof is the way to drink Jack no doubt, but the price does not justify what's in the bottle. JD at 80 proof is not near as flavorful as another overpriced 80 proofer 4 Roses. Both are good, but one should never have to pay over $20 for 80 proof anything. That's why vodka and all the other bastard liquors can kiss my @$$!

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I think it's strange that Jack Daniels has this reputation of being a bold, even harsh drink, as someone pointed out a "man's drink", when in fact it is fairly sweet and mellow.

I think as far as hype vs. quality, it is in the same boat as Crown Royal, Glenfiddich, Jameson, Johnnie Walker, etc. The casual drinker swears by it, claims it is the best out there, and that becomes the common perception. Then there is a backlash from connoiseurs who claim it tastes like paint thinner or gasoline and shoulder be poured down the drain. I think the truth falls somewhere in between: none of the above whiskies are "the best" in their respective categories, but they are far better than a lot of connoiseurs give them credit for.

As to whether it is overpriced, I guess it depends where you live. Jack Daniels is one of the three cheapest American whiskies where I come from, the others being Jim Beam and Wild Turkey. I would probably take JD over those other two myself.

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I agree with those who chalk a lot of it up to image and marketing. That said, JD's not bad and I'll never turn one down if offered. However, I don't keep a bottle at home.

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Similar to some folks that don't know any better thinking that Cuervo Gold is the best tequila, when actually it's one of the worst. Not saying that that JD is one of the worst whiskies, just that there are a lot of people out there that may have accepted it as the best without having tried anything else.

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I think it's strange that Jack Daniels has this reputation of being a bold, even harsh drink, as someone pointed out a "man's drink", when in fact it is fairly sweet and mellow.

I think as far as hype vs. quality, it is in the same boat as Crown Royal, Glenfiddich, Jameson, Johnnie Walker, etc. The casual drinker swears by it, claims it is the best out there, and that becomes the common perception. Then there is a backlash from connoiseurs who claim it tastes like paint thinner or gasoline and shoulder be poured down the drain. I think the truth falls somewhere in between: none of the above whiskies are "the best" in their respective categories, but they are far better than a lot of connoiseurs give them credit for.

As to whether it is overpriced, I guess it depends where you live. Jack Daniels is one of the three cheapest American whiskies where I come from, the others being Jim Beam and Wild Turkey. I would probably take JD over those other two myself.

Wild Turkey 101 is in a class of it's own far far above the likes of a Jack Daniel's or Jim Beam. Far Far Far above. If just comparing 80 proofers I would still choose Turkey. Those three names should NEVER be used in the same sentence. How dare you!!! I kid of course, to each his own, but your wrong none the less.:grin:

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Wild Turkey 101 is in a class of it's own far far above the likes of a Jack Daniel's or Jim Beam. Far Far Far above. If just comparing 80 proofers I would still choose Turkey. Those three names should NEVER be used in the same sentence. How dare you!!! I kid of course, to each his own, but your wrong none the less.:grin:

What he said!!!!!!

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I think as far as hype vs. quality, it is in the same boat as Crown Royal, Glenfiddich, Jameson, Johnnie Walker, etc. The casual drinker swears by it, claims it is the best out there, and that becomes the common perception.

I Absolutely agree.

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Wild Turkey 101 is in a class of it's own far far above the likes of a Jack Daniel's or Jim Beam. Far Far Far above. If just comparing 80 proofers I would still choose Turkey. Those three names should NEVER be used in the same sentence. How dare you!!! I kid of course, to each his own, but your wrong none the less.:grin:

I wouldn't know about 101, as only the 80 proofer is available here. To my palate it seemed rather dull and lifeless. Maybe I was expecting too much. I would take Jim Beam Black any day, for roughly the same price.

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