Big-budget blockbuster or arthouse indie film? Moviemakers in Hollywood are typically forced to follow one path or the other. Never both. It’s not all that different in the world of spirits. Either a brand is mass-marketed for ubiquitous global consumption, or it’s a craft release with narrow—but often cultish—appeal. Against all odds, Jack Daniel’s has managed to find lasting success in each of these camps. The latest examples arrive this month in the form of Batch 2 of Jack Daniel's 12-Year-Old Tennessee Whiskey and Batch 3 of its 10-Year-Old. The bottlings represent the latest liquids in the ongoing Jack Daniel’s Aged Series, launched in 2021.
Of course you know the 149-year old Tennessee distillery is responsible for the world’s best-selling American whiskey: Jack Daniel's Old No. 7. But over the past decade, it's solidified its standing among seasoned aficionados with a range of craft-focused limited releases of exceptional quality.
As with all whiskey rolling out of the legendary Lynchburg, TN, facility, these new releases are charcoal mellowed prior to maturation and aged entirely in new barrels of charred American white oak. They even hold the same well-publicized mashbill as Old No. 7—80 percent corn, 12 percent malted barley, and just 8 percent rye.
But for this new juice, Jack Daniel’s master distiller Chris Fletcher relied exclusively on casks that spent many years along the upper floors of the barrelhouse, where the whiskey extracted all kinds of wood sugar during the high heat and humidity of a Tennessee summer.
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The vessels were eventually moved to lower levels—and cooler climes—to extend the maturation process. The movement ensures the liquid won’t be over-oaked after more than a decade in the barrel. Filled casks can weigh as much as 500 pounds each, so shifting them around is a labor-intensive process. But the effort pays off in robust-yet-balanced works of drinkable art.
“Our Jack Daniel’s Aged Series has given us the opportunity to produce modern whiskeys that simultaneously capture the essence of the liquid Mr. Jack created over 150 years ago,” says Fletcher. “These releases embody the artistry, passion and craftsmanship that define Jack Daniel’s legacy, and I’m excited for our friends to enjoy this year’s batches of special whiskeys.”
Out now, Batch 2 retails for $95, while Batch 3 commands a price tag of $85 per 700mL bottle. The confirmed indie darlings will sit on shelves alongside their far more mainstream black label sibling, which continues to be the world’s best-selling whiskey.
Your move, Christopher Nolan.
Jack Daniel’s 12-Year-Old Tennessee Whiskey Batch 2
Batch 2 is a 107-proof belter that brings creme brûlée and pipe tobacco to the party. After a dozen years in the barrel, you get the sense that oak extraction is smack dab in the middle of the coveted sweet spot.
Jack Daniel's 10-Year-Old Tennessee Whiskey Batch 3
Batch 3 serves up berries and dark chocolate in an easier-drinking 97-proof body. Successive releases within the Aged Series are meant to have slight variations as they progress. That’s a large part of what makes them so attractive to the indie crowd. Nevertheless, there remains a recognizable through-line of butterscotch and tobacco across the range.
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