johnrobe Posted November 2, 2001 Share Posted November 2, 2001 <html>Proof: 94 ProofPrice: $26 for 750ml @ Chuck's Wine & Spirits, Bowling Green, KYDistiller: Jack Daniel's Distillery, Lynchburg, TN. Brown-Forman Corporation. Master Distiller, Jimmy BedfordMashbill: 80% corn, 12% barley, 8% ryeAge: No age statement. Barrels, approximately 6 yrs. old, are selected from the top levels of the warehouse where they experience the greatest fluctuation in temperature.Bottle: short, square, attractive decanter style bottle with raised glass signature of Jack Daniel and nice wood-topped cork. Each bottle is labeled with its specific rick #, barrel #, and bottling date. A necktag booklet defining single barrel whiskey also comes standard.Other versions: Jack Daniel's also bottles a 100 proof version of Single Barrel called 'Silver Select' which is available only in Duty Free markets. Michael Osborne Design of San Francisco designed the packaging for Silver Select which is notable as the first time Jack Daniel's has used an outside firm for package design.Color: Dark, mahogany amberBody: Swirl this whiskey in the glass and thick tendrils form that seem to defy gravity.Nose: Distinctive Tennessee Whiskey smokiness paired with a healthy dose of vanilla and a buttery-caramel sweetness. Reminds me of fresh, warm, homemade chess pie.Taste: This is a rich, after-dinner style whiskey. Smokiness is nicely balanced with sweetness and barrel tones. The sweetness is displayed in terms of vanilla toffee, butterscotch, toasted marshmallow, and a rich caramel flan...a true tribute to the effects of charcoal leaching. They don't call it sugar maple for nothin' ! Rye spiciness is notably muted, but the smoky flavor and oak tones more than make up the balance in the spicy/sweet equation.Finish: The finish is medium-long with barrel char tones taking more prominence and a taste that I can only relate to the smell of sour mash in a fermenting room....very pleasant, and nice alcohol warmth to boot!Conclusion:I have to admit, JDSB easily makes my top 5 list of favorite American whiskeys. And believe me, just because I'm a native Tennessean there's no bias here. JDSB happens to be the only Jack Daniel's product I truly enjoy (excluding commemorative and export bottlings). http://www.jdsinglebarrel.com/Buy the Barrel! If you're so inclined you can even buy an entire barrel of JDSB. It'll yield approximately 240 bottles.Cheers,JR</html> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bourbonmed Posted November 2, 2001 Share Posted November 2, 2001 John, I agree the JDSB is wonderful. Check out Gentleman Jack as well.Omar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest **DONOTDELETE** Posted November 2, 2001 Share Posted November 2, 2001 BRAVO! Now that's the kind of stuff this forum is all about JR. I only wish that I could get it as cheaply as you do! I finished off my bottle about a week ago so I really should go out and buy another. I'll have to do that and come back and make another posting. I agree with your flavor analysis, but there is a bit more going on in the nose that I'd like to discuss. OK everyone with a bottle try this - sit down with a glass of JDSB and J.R.'s tasting and compare your drinking experience with his. How are they the same? How are they different? Post your results and lets talk about it. As for the rest of us that don't have a bottle and have consequently been caught with our pants down go out a get one and do likewise. Thanks J.R. for a good tasting. Linn Spencer Have Shotglass. Will Travel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted November 2, 2001 Share Posted November 2, 2001 Where did you get the information that barrels for JDSB "are selected from the top levels of the warehouse"? I find this interesting, as Parker Beam selects the Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage barrels from the top levels as well. Most other distillers believe the best whiskey comes from the "center cut" of the warehouse.<A target="_blank" HREF=http://cowdery.home.netcom.com>--Chuck Cowdery</A> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnrobe Posted November 2, 2001 Author Share Posted November 2, 2001 <html>Chuck,I got that tidbit of information from a July 9, 2000 article in the Tullahoma (TN) News. The focus of the article is JD's success overseas."A cornerstone in the company's growth and recent push into the Europe and Asia has been the introduction of Jack Daniel's Single Barrel whiskey.The Single Barrel is hand-picked by master distiller Jimmy Bedford and a team of whiskey tasters just after the distilling process. It's then aged high atop the warehouse, where it develops a distinct flavor and color."http://www.lynchburgtn.com/Overseas.htmJR</html> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratcheer Posted November 3, 2001 Share Posted November 3, 2001 26 dollars?I saw this whiskey at my local ABC, tonight, and it is priced right up there with Blanton and Kentucky Spirit - I think it is $46. I will have to go back and double check. Heh heh.Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnrobe Posted November 4, 2001 Author Share Posted November 4, 2001 <html>[26 dollars?]That's no misprint Tim. I stocked up on it at that price thinking it must be on sale, but that's their regular price.</html> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnrobe Posted November 4, 2001 Author Share Posted November 4, 2001 Linn,I see your point about the "age" on the nose of JDSB. I guess that, knowing that it's only a 6 yr. old whiskey, I attributed some of those barrel age aromas to the sugar maple charcoal leaching smokiness. Some folks have, after all, likened the leaching process to an aging shortcut.Cheers,JR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest **DONOTDELETE** Posted November 5, 2001 Share Posted November 5, 2001 JR,You are correct in that the 'Lincoln County Process' can be viewed as artificial aging. I'm nosing this whiskey as I post. The smokey char of both the barrel and the maple do predominate, but they are not overwhelming to the point of making the nose mono-dimensional. Which is how I would characterize JD Black. The vanilla you describe is also very much apparent. I get some corn aroma and some rye spiceyness from the mashbill. I've gone to my wife's spice rack and broken out some of the usuall suspects. In this case there is some subdued nutmeg and very mild clove in the nose. I also detect some fruitiness, but I'm not sure just what it is. I just cut into an apple, and no that's not it. I'm sure that its not pears or peaches. I hate it whenever someone says 'dark fruits', but I haven't any plums; dates, figs, or prunes about so I can't really put my finger on it. I'm just stuck having to say 'dark fruits'. You get a buttery caramel and fresh baked chess pie. I get maple sugar candy, but I find that it tastes more like Mrs Butterworth's pancake syrup! So there is definately something buttery going on here. The char in the nose is overwhelming in the aspect that if there were any florals in the nose you would never know it. I surely don't detect any.Now that's the kind of commentary I'd like to see whenever a tasting is posted, and I'd like to encourage anyone that feels confident in his or her abilities to participate.Linn SpencerHave Shotglass. Will Travel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnrobe Posted November 5, 2001 Author Share Posted November 5, 2001 Linn,That's funny that you mention corn on the nose of JDSB. My first night of notes I jotted down "buttery-corn" but later I didn't trust my nose but I was sure that I was picking up vanilla and caramel, so I changed the notes to buttery caramel. I guess the nose knows.The recent glassware thread has caught my attention because I try to pick up the aroma three different ways....and it's still the toughest part for me. First I smell straight from the bottle, then I stick my nose way down in the rocks glass (almost snorting the whiskey), then I sniff from the periphery of the glass. I tried using an oversized shot glass, but I found it very inadequate for "nosing" the whiskey.So last night I tried something unorthodox. In my first round of notes for George Dickel No. 8 I used a red wine glass. You know, the kind that looks like a fish bowl on a stem. Whoa, talk about aroma! All I can say is that my aroma notes are gonna be more detailed from here on out.But I'll play devil's advocate here. Knowing that most people aren't going to start drinking whiskey out of wine glasses, should I limit my nosing/tasting to rocks glasses? The logic being that people would read the "Nose" section, do their own little experiment sans wine glass (or other comparable glassware) and say "Where the heck did he come up with 'slightly overripe passion fruit' "(don't worry, I haven't)?JR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest **DONOTDELETE** Posted November 5, 2001 Share Posted November 5, 2001 JR,Until I got my fancy pants imported nosing glass I used a small glass mixing bowl. One that would fit around both my nose and mouth. I could breath in through both nose and mouth at the same time. A pretty good technique. It just takes a lot of bourbon to do it. Then I would just taste the bourbon right out of the bowl. It worked. Your 'fish bowl/ wine glass' sounds very simular. Use whatever works for you, and don't second guess yourself.Linn SpencerHave Shotglass. Will Travel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted November 6, 2001 Share Posted November 6, 2001 Use whatever glassware gives you the best concentration of aromas. There is no need to duplicate the drinking experience. The glassware doesn't change the taste or aroma, it just makes them easier to detect. Serious tasting is difficult. Give yourself every possible advantage.One caution, though. Be careful when you nose anything above 100 proof. The alcohol can be so powerful it reduces sensitivity. You probably won't do any permanent damage, but you could spoil that tasting session.<A target="_blank" HREF=http://cowdery.home.netcom.com>--Chuck Cowdery</A> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbutler Posted November 7, 2001 Share Posted November 7, 2001 When I was a boy, I'd hang out in my father's lab at UCD during the summers. He'd teach me cool stuff like how to handle and sniff unknown substances. If you want to get a whiff of the contents of a gallon jug, don't stick your nose in the opening (Yikes! sulfuric acid!), hold the container away from your face and waft the vapors toward your nose using your hand. I realize this technique is a bit extreme for bourbon tasting, but to begin sniffing with your nose a good distance from the glassware's aperture, then moving in 'til it's comfortable works for me.Cheers,Jim ButlerStraightbourbon.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted November 7, 2001 Share Posted November 7, 2001 Every time I visit a distillery, including to Four Roses during the recent bourbon festival, I am reminded to use that method over the fermenters. Sticking your nose below the rim and taking a deep breath is a quick way to a nap.<A target="_blank" HREF=http://cowdery.home.netcom.com>--Chuck Cowdery</A> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesbassdad Posted December 8, 2003 Share Posted December 8, 2003 Last night I revisited my bottle of JDSB after ignoring it for several months. In the aftermath of my decision to dispose of the remainder of a bottle of JD black a few weeks back, I was surprised how much I still like this expression.As Mr. Anonymous noted elsewhere in this thread, the contrast between JDSB and JD black is extreme. I also concur with his finding of dark fruit flavor; I will go so far as to suggest that it resembles prunes. I find it totally devoid of the oily, anise flavor that makes No. 7 so unappealing to me.This bottle is nearly empty. I don't recall what I paid for it, but if I can get it for $26, as someone mentioned in this thread, I'll definitely buy it again whenever I see it. If it's above $40, as someone else said, then I'll be in no hurry.Yours truly,Dave Morefield Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeNell Posted February 26, 2004 Share Posted February 26, 2004 I recently revisited all the Tennessean's and found that the JDSB doesn't have that familiar banana smell like JD No. 7 and Gentleman. I had Rick No. R-22, Barrel No. 3-1137, dated -5-22-03. I find it definitely the most complex, pleasing of the three JD's. Gentleman goes down a little easier at a lower proof, but for a little sippin' the JDSB ain't bad at all. Like Mr. Anonymous, I found a lot of vanilla, sugar maple goodness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrbnBorderline Posted August 3, 2004 Share Posted August 3, 2004 After reading this thread I went and purchased a bottle last night. Well, for $40, I don't think it is worth it - is it worth 2 bottles of WT 101, or Buffalo Trace, or one bottle of Baker's? No way. I will agree, tho, that is is MUCH BETTER than the regular JD. However, IMHO, this is what JD should be selling as their regular whiskey at $20/bottle. We'll see after I've finished the bottle if my opinion changes at all. It would be interesting to see what it would be like above 100 Proof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doubleblank Posted August 3, 2004 Share Posted August 3, 2004 As stated in the first post, there is a "Silver Select" single barrel bottled at 100 proof. I picked one up at a Duty Free on a trip to Mexico. The packaging is very attractive and well done. I haven't opened it yet as I have a neighbor who likes Gentlemen Jack and I'm waiting to taste it together. Price of this bottle was $40 at Duty Free in Houston. Side Note - I left the Silver Select on the plane upon landing in Puerto Vallarta....the family was in a rush to get to our house. Anyway, we all speculated whether my bottle would make it to Continental's lost and found and still be there a week later. Nobody but me gave it a chance....I gave it a 10% chance (my name and seat number were on the duty free slip). We checked in and forgot to ask about it. Later, my wife went up and inquired.....and they had it. I guess they don't drink much JD in Mexico either. Randy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doubleblank Posted August 31, 2004 Share Posted August 31, 2004 I finaly opened the JDSB Silver Select.....and I like it. It's unlike any JD I've had. Somewhat one dimensional.....sweet and alcoholic.....at 100 proof....but my imediate reaction is....similar to ET Lee. If you're traveling overseas....they sell this in duty free for $40. Pick one up!Randy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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