Jack Daniel’s Bonded Rye Review
In-Depth Review
The Bonded series from Jack Daniel’s might be the most exciting thing to come out of the distillery since they started offering barrel proof versions of their Tennessee whiskey. And now Jack Daniel’s is back with an all-new third bonded installment – Jack Daniel’s Bonded Rye. This bonded rye meets the the classic bottled-in-bond qualifications: at least 4-years old, 50% ABV, a single producer during a single distilling season, and be aged in a federal bonded warehouse. It follows in the footsteps of their Triple Mash Blended Bonded Whiskey and their widely acclaimed Bonded Tennessee Whiskey. I enjoyed the Tennessee whiskey expression when I reviewed it last year, but I am even more excited to be one of the first to review this rye – a grain that Jack Daniel’s hasn’t historically had that much expertise in. They only released their permanent rye expression back in 2017. And just like their other bonded expressions, this comes in both 700ml and 1 liter bottle sizes. So let’s dive in and explore a bottled-in-bond rye from the biggest whiskey producer in the world.
Age: At Least 4 Years
ABV: 50%
Cask: New Charred Oak
MSRP: $40 (For 1 Liter)
Distillery Name: Jack Daniel’s
Review Date: 8/19/23
Color: Dark Caramel
Nose: The nose starts off with notes of fresh cut wood, herbal tea, agave syrup, and underripe fruit. Then comes a splash of toffee, vanilla, and candied cherry to help fill an unexpectedly vibrant and robust nose. The nose is bright (in a good way) and livelier than the sweet, musty, more classic Jack Daniel’s profile you get in their Tennessee Bonded expression. This is a great nose that punches way above its weight.
Palate: Where the nose is big and lively, the palate starts off soft and gentle before transitioning to flavors of vanilla, green tea, toasted hazelnuts, and dried fruits. There is a touch of herbaceous-ness here, but never feels “piney”. This is still closer to a barely legal rye rather than a 95% rye like Bulleit, so you will find a few more bourbon notes than you might expect. This doesn’t have the same dessert-like character than you might expect from Jack Daniel’s other expressions but has a fantastic mouthfeel full of body and weight. It dances across the tongue and envelopes the sides of mouth. The mouthfeel here is truly excellent.
Finish: Medium length finish of crushed black pepper, praline, and charred oak. The heat builds nicely here and provides an extra kick of spice to help balance any of the sweetness of the palate.
Final Thoughts: The third installment in Jack Daniel’s Bonded Series is a home run. The nose is fantastic, the mouthfeel is excellent, and the finish provides just enough spice to tie it all together. This bonded rye differentiates itself from the classic Jack Daniel’s profile while providing just enough of the classic rye character to make it feel like a natural progression for Jack Daniel’s portfolio. The flavors aren’t bold or in your face but can easily lure you into drinking more pours than you expect. While many Jack Daniel’s expressions can feel very sweet and dessert like, this falls closer to the savory end of the spectrum. I am surprised at how much more I enjoy this bonded rye expression over the Tennessee whiskey expression. Now if only I could find the new barrel proof single barrel rye version….
