.jack daniels - single barrel

47% abv, €35, single malt, non-chill filtered, natural colour

Nose: gentle, butterscotch, citrus, kumquats
Palate: gentle, sweet, almost greasy like soft butter, citrus, tangerine
Finish: spicy, medium-long sweet, vanilla, marmalade
Mark: +++/++

Conclusion: I expected a bigger kick with the abv, quite like the marmalade bitter.

More info from the website: "Single Barrel is matured in the highest reaches of our barrelhouse, where the dramatic changes in temperature cause its color and taste to deepen further. We still hand select each barrel for its robust taste and notes of toasted oak, vanilla and caramel."

.gentleman jack

40% abv, €25, single malt, non-chill filtered, natural colour

Nose: verry gentle indeed. Hard to find sweetness, vanilla and a whiff of citrus.
Palate: gentle medium dry, sweet, vanilla, fat, a hint of pepper
Finish: fresh, citrus, dry, short, slight bitter
Mark: ++/+++

Conclusion: the slight bitter put me off a little, and it might just be a little too gentle.

More info from the website: "Just like Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey and Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel, Gentleman Jack is charcoal mellowed before going into the barrel. Gentleman Jack, however, receives an additional blessing when it is charcoal mellowed again after reaching maturity – making it the only whiskey in the world to be charcoal mellowed twice, giving it ultimate smoothness. Gentleman Jack is full-bodied with fruit and spices, and its finish is silky, warm, and pleasant. When you drink Gentleman Jack, do so with pride, for this is the whiskey a gentleman orders."

.jack daniels - old no7

40% abv, €25, tennessee whiskey

Nose: fresh, sweet, vanilla, fruit, floral, roses, ladies' powder room
Palate: easy, dry, sweet, vanilla, fruit, apple, pear, citrus, pineapple
Finish: spicy, medium-long, medium-dry
Mark: +++++

Conclusion: Not half bad. Understandably this is a good cola-whisky, although it is very drinkable on it's own, with a splash or water, or even with a cube of ice.

More info: "it is not a bourbon, it is not Scotch. It is Jack". That is how it is advertised by the Tennessee Whiskey Company. Closer to being a bourbon as to Scotch, since it has a sour mash bill that is mostly corn, a little rye and a handful of malted barley. However, all whisky is filtered through a three meter thick layer of charcoal, which is not allowed by US law to call it bourbon.

Depending who tells you, the number 7 on the bottle comes from the number 7 train that carried his whisky around the country, Mr. Jack's lucky number was 7 or he had 7 special ladies in his life. Nobody knows for sure, and the secret has died with Jack Daniel.

Supposedly, the Tennessee whiskey company is the only whisk(e)y producer in the world that creates their own barrels from scratch.