For me, Tennessee whiskey looks like bourbon’s wild neighbour. Its smell and taste differs from bourbon whiskey so much, its character’s so robust.

I think the point is the Lincoln County Process according to which the whiskey is filtered through a huge layer of sugar maple charcoal. Definitely that makes a difference in the Jack Daniel’s aroma.

One day I got a chance to taste interesting Jack Daniel’s product – Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey. That’s nice idea: every barrel brings whiskey with unique flavor. So you can’t say that you tasted  Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel because you tasted whiskey just from one barrel.

This wiskey is matured in charred white oak barrels for a short period of four years. That’s another difference from other whiskies.

When I sipped it for the first time, I was surprised with rough taste and burn. It was something like a shock. I was aware that regular Jack Daniel’s whiskey is very robust as compared with bourbon. But Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel was not robust but rough.

Later, when the winter came, I have got the habit of making two or three sips of this whiskey after supper. And then I started to enjoy its strong nature and special aroma.

Now Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel is my friend and favorite nightcup. It helped me to overcome a cold: for a week I was drinking it with a cup of strong tea and spoon of honey.

So now I’m ready to say what I think about this whiskey.

Here is old-style cube-like bottle with previous design label. Bottled from barrel #305C, this whiskey is 47.5%ABV.

For the test, I served it in snifter.

Nose: nuts, caramel, charcoal, vanilla, raisins, chocolate. Aroma is very strong and warm, maybe too strong.

Palate is dry, with medium burn. It starts with wood and charcoal and continues with leather on the swallow. Two main aftertastes follow – bitter and acid charcoal and dry oak with hints of vanilla and nuts. Sour apple and grape seeds are on the background and later in finish as most recognizable undertones.

So that’s individualist whisky – strong, independent, confident. Whiskey with robust taste, rough at the start and sharp in the end.

It looks like something  you can trust in. It wins drinker’s favour with its straight attitude.

But definitely Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Whiskey is not a product in general use. This one is for men who are capable to appraise its character. It does not try to please you but invites to enjoy its strength and confidence.

I like this attitude. And what about you?