Jack Daniel’s unveiled Jack Daniels 10-12 months-Previous Tennessee whiskey immediately, the model’s first age-stated whiskey in over a century — and it’s coming to a retailer close to you subsequent month.
So, why launch an age-stated 10-year-old whiskey now?
“Thankfully 5 years in the past we added two new further stills and 14 fermenters. Having the ability to do this has built-in the capability that provides us the provision to this,” Chris Fletcher, Jack Daniel’s Grasp Distiller tells Forbes. Fletcher took on the function of Grasp Distiller for the model in October of final yr. “We now have the capability that we are able to lean into to do cool stuff.”
That new tools clearly wasn’t used for this explicit whiskey, it was distilled over a decade in the past, however it did give the distillery the wiggle room to attempt growing old one thing longer than it has lately, fairly than bottle it instantly on the market, and to see what occurred.
The oak barrels containing the 10-year-old had been relocated all through the Jack Daniel’s barrelhouse over the previous decade with a purpose to lengthen the growing old course of longer than your conventional bottle of Previous No. 7.
Jack Daniel’s 10-12 months-Previous
Jack Daniel’s 10-12 months-Previous
Experimenting and attempting new issues can also be a mission of the model as a complete proper now.
“It’s a path from the management that innovation is a key focus going ahead, not only for Jack Daniel’s however for all of Brown Forman,” says Fletcher. You’ve seen loads of it with the flavour facet, it’s been wildly profitable, however the whiskey innovation simply takes a heck of so much longer than a taste innovation.” He says.
He says the model has dipped its toe in it a bit with its Tennessee tasters program.
“We’ve carried out some actually cool stuff solely obtainable in Tennessee,” Fletcher says.
It’s additionally carried out a number of single-barrel particular releases, which Fletcher says it plans to proceed, and issues just like the model’s Heritage Barrel launch final yr, a 100-proof whiskey aged in a heavy toast barrel which was, unsurprisingly, a bit hit.
“There are loads of American whiskey customers on the market which can be attempting issues for experimentation that fifty years in the past didn’t exist,” Fletcher says.”So positive, it’s a precedence of the market zone, completely, however it’s additionally a precedence for our firm in order that’s what’s so thrilling about being a whiskey maker proper now and being a distiller simply in our trade as a complete.
Whereas the 10-year-old launch does signify that innovation and dedication to experimentation, it’s additionally as a lot a nod to the model’s previous as its future. The bottle itself borrows design parts used on the model’s age-stated bottles. The unique cartouche (the design round that age assertion) makes an look on the bottle, barely up to date by a present-day artist.
Jack Daniel’s 10-12 months-Previous and Jack Daniel’s 18
Emily Worth
As for the way it tastes, I had the privilege of tasting it cask energy however haven’t had the chance to attempt the model that may hit cabinets in September simply but. That one can be bottled at 97 proof, a primary for the distillery, and is described by the model as that includes notes of dry fig and raisin laced with oak on the nostril, heat butterscotch alongside delicate fruit and smoke on the pallet, and an extremely lengthy end with candy tobacco and spice.”
From the style I did have, I’ll say you’ll be capable to inform at its core it is a Jack Daniel’s whiskey, however it’s in contrast to something you’ve ever had from the model earlier than.
And from the sound of issues, this launch is barely just the start — Fletcher says that he and Assistant Distiller Lexie Phillips are every part from grains and barrel toast to issues which may not have been attainable throughout their grandparent’s time which can be doable now.
“It’s completely the perfect time within the historical past of American whiskey,” Fletcher says. “My private purpose is to create essentially the most numerous set of growing old whiskey within the trade.”
You possibly can snag a 750ml bottle of Jack Daniel’s 10-12 months-Previous beginning subsequent month for $70. The primary batch can be offered in restricted portions; nevertheless, don’t count on it to be the distillery’s final —new 10-year-old releases are anticipated to be obtainable yearly as effectively.
