Jack Daniel’s Hickory Smoked Finish Tennessee Whiskey Review

By Randall H. Borkus

Rating: C+

The Jack Daniel Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee is known for its signature whiskey filtered through sugar maple charcoal to give it its distinctive flavor which most folks either love or hate. The brand is the top-seller in American Whiskey, and although their line-up has grown in recent years, at its core it stays true to a well-established flavor profile. However, given the modern whiskey craze, what we are seeing emerge are experimental variants that Jack Daniels calls the “Tennessee Tasters’ Selection.”

“This collection exemplifies our whiskey-making in a new way in that each whiskey will undergo its own process for unique flavors chosen by our esteemed Master Tasters,” Jack Daniel’s Master Distiller Jeff Arnett indicated in a statement. “We plan on releasing several of these new products each year as we continue to tap the expertise of the master tasters who make our Tennessee whiskey every day.”

The reasoning behind these experimental juices comes from the original Jack Daniel’s motto: “Every day we make it, we’ll make it the best we can.” Because of that, Arnett says, “We’re taking the ‘we’ in that statement to the next level. Jack Daniel’s Master Tasters are an integral part of the quality whiskey we produce every day, and now we’re enabling them to share their expertise with the world by sharing some of their personal favorite, previously unreleased expressions.”

The line is sold exclusively at the Jack Daniel’s Distillery and select stores throughout Tennessee. Each experimental release is expected to be approximately 24,000 375ml bottles followed by another limited release every few months.

The Whiskey
The Hickory Smoked Finished is made with charred hickory staves selected by Master Taster Marsha Manley Hale and bottled at 100 proof. Label notes include Selection No. 002, released Fall 2018 and a note from master taster Ms. Hale, “In celebration of the 30th anniversary of our World Championship Invitational BBQ, we’ve combined two Lynchburg traditions into one bottle. By immersing charred hickory staves in our oak barrels, we’ve complemented the classic taste of our Tennessee Whiskey by finishing it with a hint of hickory smoked wood. We think it perfectly pairs with a barbecue on the fourth Saturday in October, or on any day of your choosing, for that matter!”

The color is very dark, almost burnt, brown with oily legs clinging to the inside of my glass. The nose is seductively sweet and noticeably burnt reminding me of an extra toasted malted barley. The mouth feel is warm and sweet upfront on the palate and warm upon my tongue. The flavor bursts with sensations of overcooked fruits, burnt almonds and hickory smoke. The finish is pleasantly warm splashes of burnt custard, over-cooked creme Brule’ and charred hickory wood.

This an interesting flavor adventure for the Tennessee whiskey lover.  I’ve never been a Jack Daniels fan however this is complex and definitively would pair well with BBQ’d ribs or brisket.

The Price
Like the others in this line, this expression will be sold in 375 ml bottles for around $40 at the distillery.