Jack Daniel’s Bonded Rye Whiskey Review

By Richard Thomas

Rating: B

While I know it has been many years since Jack Daniel’s made their initial foray into rye whiskey, it sometimes seems like it was only the other day when Jack Daniel’s released their rye counterpart to Old No. 7. In reality, that was also several years ago, six and a half to be exact.

This project of the former master distiller at Lynchburg, Jeff Arnett, follows in the Old No. 7 style. Just as the standard JD Tennessee Whiskey uses a high corn mash of 80% corn, 8% rye and 12% malted barley, the rye uses 70% rye, 18% corn and 12% malted barley. As with everything out of the Moore County distillery, Jack Rye gets the Lincoln County Process: drip-filtration through vats of sugar maple charcoal prior to entry into the charred, new oak barrels for maturation.

Now the company has taken that flagship, entry-level rye expression and carried a step up with a regular brand extension: Jack Daniel’s Bonded Rye. It has been reported that the initial batch of the whiskey is actually seven years old, and although they don’t want to be bound to a clear age statement, consistency and the Bottled in Bond statute suggest it will continue to be that going forward. Think about it: a bonded whiskey must be bottled from within a single distilling season, so to deviate substantially from seven years old would very likely be noticeable in the bottle. This isn’t an expression that can do a blend from multiple years. It’s bottled at 100 proof, of course. An odd touch is the Europe-friendly bottle size, 700 ml.

The Whiskey
This pour takes on the look of copper once it is in the glass. The nose presents as fruity, with a salad of pear, tangerine and banana, couple to notes of herbal spices and evergreen. The spices grow bolder on the palate, turning to mint, pine, a dash of cinnamon and a pinch of black pepper. The sweet fruit steps back a bit, but stays on center stage, bringing the whiskey into better balance: molasses with hints of vanilla and banana. Throw in a little barrel char, and you’ve got the whole thing. The finish runs with the barrel char and pepper, but is a light touch and neither element linger.

The Price
When you consider the quality of this bottle, the price is simply amazing: $32 a bottle. If you like rye and you want it spicier than the typical Kentucky style offering, but retaining a smooth drinking quality, this is a strong candidate for your go-to bottle.