Review: Jack Daniels Gift Set Sampler

The Jack Daniel's line-up of whiskeys

Over the holidays I received the Jack Daniel's gift set sampler. I only drink Jack Daniel's sparingly and even then it's typically mixed with Coke (or Leonard's if you're at a non-Coke/Pepsi affiliated bar in the Metro Detroit area). I figured my lack of familiarity would make for a good blind tasting. The Honey Jack would obviously be detectable, but I was hoping the other 3 would give me a pleasant surprise.

Here is how I ranked them:

1 - Jack Daniel's Single Barrel

2 - Jack Daniel's Old No. 7

3 - Gentleman Jack

4 - Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey

The honey was easily identifiable both on the nose and palate. It was almost like a blend of honey and honey-flavored Kool-Aid. Definitely a light sipper for someone with a sweet tooth. Coming in only slightly ahead of that was Gentleman Jack. I was surprised this finished as far behind Old No 7 and the Single Barrel as it did. While it was very smooth and mellow, it was also boring and bland. Not a whole lot of flavor but that might actually make the Gentleman Jack a nice introductory pour for someone looking to get into American Whiskey. On the other hand, this might even be a bit non-descriptive for that task while something like an Evan Williams Single Barrel would probably be a better (and cheaper) choice.

As for the final two, the flavor profiles were similar. Slightly smooth, with some caramel and corn notes but the charcoal filtering likely takes away some of the character typically seen in quality bourbons (obligatory clarification between bourbon and Jack Daniel's can be seen here). I ended up picking the single barrel as my favorite sample of the night, but just barely. It seemed to take some of the overly subtle flavor notes and amplify them just a bit. The higher proof (94 vs 80) probably gave it the edge in flavor, but really the difference wasn't that pronounced. Plus, since it's a single barrel it can (and likely will) vary a bit from from barrel to barrel.

All in all, if I were spending my money on a bottle I'd lean towards the flagship Jack Daniel's Old No. 7. Even though I liked the Single Barrel slightly better, I wouldn't be able to justify doubling my investment to upgrade from the Old No. 7.

Review: Hudson Single Malt Whiskey

I've long been unexcited about trying anything from the Hudson family of whiskeys. There isn't much that entices me about a whiskey bottled at 375ml and priced higher than many 750ml bottles. However, I saw it on the menu at a local restaurant for $8 and figured what the hell... it's a fairly low price compared to what is normally seen in bars and a hell of a lot better than forking over $45 for 375ml. The bottle claims it is made with 100% malted barley and aged for under 4 years. I assume this means more than 3 years, but really it could be younger than that.

Hudson Single Malt Whiskey

Hudson Single Malt Whiskey - Tasting Notes

Nose: Initially sweet, light and fruity. Other reviews have mentioned some cinnamon, but I didn't detect that. While not very layered, the nose is pleasant. Maybe my pre-conceived notions on this were wrong...

Palate: Initially sweet an fruity, reminiscent of a lighter scotch or Irish whiskey. Then comes some spicy heat and oak with heavy malt flavor all intermingled with the flavor of a young spirit. The palate starts enjoyable but the end is rough and offensive.

Finish: A tough one to get through. The finish on this wasn't extremely long, but I wish it had been shorter. Young alcohol burn and taste complete the descent of what was a promising start.

Proof: 92 (46% ABV)
Price: $45


Ugh, whiskeys like this kind of make me angry. I'm sure there is a market for these as it seems to have been around for a while, but I just don't see the appeal. They are aged in small barrels which may help the aging process in the eyes of some, but this was tried by Buffalo Trace and declared a failure. If you cut the price in half and doubled the size of the bottle ($22 for 750ml), I'd probably give this something in the mid-to-high 7 range. But with the price and size as is, this seems like a borderline criminal offering.

Hudson Single Malt Whiskey Rating: 6.7/10