Jack Daniel’s Bonded Tennessee Whiskey Review
In-Depth Review
Jack Daniel’s sells a lot of whisky. And not just in America – but all over the world. In 2020, the ubiquitous Tennessee distillery moved more than 13 million cases of its products – making it the best-selling whisky in the world. And while the name has been known to conjure up memories of frat house shots or your go-to order at the local dive, Jack Daniel’s is no longer content with letting the enthusiast market pass on by. With the addition of their Barrel Proof and Limited Edition releases, Jack Daniel’s is trying to take Old #7 up a few notches.
And now Jack Daniel’s is back with their first new addition in years to their core lineup with Jack Daniel’s Bonded Tennessee Whiskey. This is a bottled-in-bond product that promises that signature JD flavor profile, but cranked up a few notches. Clocking in at the required 100 proof, it rings in hotter than their Single Barrel Select products (at 94 proof), as well as their premium Sinatra Select (at 90 proof). I recently visited the Jack Daniel’s distillery and while this wasn’t available to taste, I luckily found it at my local Costco the next week. So let’s dive in and see if this is the next great budget sipper or if this required mixing with coke.
Age: Non-Age Stated but around 4-5 years
ABV: 50%
Cask: New oak
MSRP: $30
Distillery Name: Jack Daniels Distillery
Review Date: 5/14/22
Color: Medium caramel
Nose: The nose starts off in classic Brown Forman fashion – toasted banana vanilla cream. The sweetness is immediately there, but with a soft undercurrent of ethanol burn. An addition of toasted marshmallows and thick caramel sauce complete the whole banana split sundae vibe going on here. As it settles in the glass, more wood comes through and makes me think this sundae is being served with one of those edible wooden spoons. That touch of ethanol on the back of the nose that makes it clear this isn’t going to be your typical Jack Daniel’s Old #7 or Gentlemen Jack.
Palate: The front of the palate is that classic Jack Daniel’s profile. A soft banana bread with vanilla ice cream. Milk chocolate, light caramel sauce, and a nice woody dryness that leads nicely into the finish. There are a few peaks and valleys here, with some metallic brittleness mixed with artificial maple syrup. The heat is cranked up compared to Old #7 and it’s a welcome change. This pour is immediately more interesting than other mainstream Jack Daniel’s releases (the Barrel Proof notwithstanding), with added flavors and depth that force you to rethink that Coke you were about to pour in.
Finish: The nice woody note at the back of the palate transitions nicely to cracked black pepper and fresh baked bread. Bonded features a medium length finish that blows regular JD out of the water. The slight metallic note persists and slowly transitions to cherry cough drop as it lingers on the tongue.
Final Thoughts: I’ll come right out and say it: this is the best Jack Daniel’s I’ve had in a long time. While the Barrel Proof is excellent (when you can find it), some barrels can be cloyingly sweet and bring obtrusive levels of heat. But this Jack Daniel’s Bonded Tennessee Whiskey is far more enjoyable than the Single Barrel Select, the Sinatra Select, or the Distillers Editions I had recently when visiting the distillery. The heat can be a bit strong for 100 proof, but it opens up nicely in the glass. I compared it side by side with the Kirkland BiB I have (from Barton) and while I still give the edge to the value of getting the Kirkland product in a 1-liter bottle (as compared to the 700ml here) it’s very close on taste. And the fact that it can be found for around $30 is a feat in itself. Great deals can be hard to come by in American whisky – but Jack Daniel’s Bonded shows that not everything great has to be limited edition. Is this a “wow” whisky? No. But it did get me excited by showing that Jack Daniels is more than just for coke now.
