Jack Daniel’s is one of the leading whiskey producers in the USA and in the world as well. Even if you aren’t a whiskey enthusiast, you have most certainly have heard of the Jack Daniel’s varieties.

Jack Daniel’s Old no 7 is the original and the one the story began with. The other three main varieties are Jack Daniel’s Gentleman, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel, and Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey.

Each of these varieties has its own recognizable features making it unique and irreplaceable. However, the binding feature they all share is the smoky, leathery, and charcoal dimension all Jack Daniel’s whiskeys have. 

From the bottle to the color and, ultimately, the taste, everything about Jack Daniel’s whiskeys says refinement, class, and impeccable taste.

Jack Daniel’s

In this article, I will give you some info on the prices and availability of the Jack Daniel’s varieties, as well as discuss their history, making, aging, etc. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Double Barrel Beverages | Wines & Spirits (@doublebarrelug)

History 

The Jack Daniel’s story is filled with tops and turns, ups and downs, but, as we all know, it is still going on. 

Back in 1864, Jasper (Jack) Daniel started the business by distilling grains and took his first shot making this whiskey. Little did he know that, at that moment, he was creating history. He had mastered the craft he learned from a monk and decided to start making whiskey himself. 

Since monks primarily made whiskey for medicinal purposes instead of drinking, Jack Daniel crafted his first whiskey, which has grown to become Jack Daniel’s Old no. 7, tasting more like alcohol than what we are now used to. 

Of course, distillation is a craft that takes time to perfect, which Jack managed to do over the following years. His efforts, commitment, and devotion resulted in crafting the Jack Daniel’s brand whiskey we know today. 

After officially establishing the distillery with himself as a master distiller, the real business started to progress. He became very famous very quickly, again, having no idea what was to become of this brand. 

He won a gold medal for quality at a whiskey fair, making his brand all the more successful. Sadly, Jack didn’t get to live long enough to see his brand going global. For a man who changed history, his death seems very random, as you would definitely expect something more spectacular. 

He tried to open his safe, and he couldn’t, so he kicked and broke his toe. Since times were such as they were and the medical practice was not too advanced, his toe got infected and the infection spread through his body. He died not much longer after he broke his toe. 

Since Jack didn’t have any children, his closest relative, his nephew Lem Motlow, took over the distillery and continued the business.

Also Read: What To Mix With Jack Daniels Honey

Sadly, a short while after establishing himself as the master distiller and getting the hang of the business, he had to keep the business afloat during the Great Depression and the Prohibition.

Lem’s brother Jess takes over the business, and together with his brother, they start the rough years of the Great Depression and Prohibition. There was a huge financial crisis, and people didn’t have money to buy bread, let alone whiskey. 

The Prohibition made it impossible to sell the whiskey since it prohibited all alcohol, so even if someone had the money to buy Jack Daniel’s whiskey, they couldn’t because of the law. 

This resulted in large amounts of stock rendered unusable, much of which they couldn’t sell even after the Prohibition was lifted due to the decreased quality. 

After barely pushing through these two tried periods of American history, the Jack Daniel’s brand started increasing its sales. There was a time when the demand was significantly higher than the supply, so they had to up their production. 

However, WWII came, and they had to stop producing in order to direct all resources in service of the country. 

The universe finally rewarded the Jack Daniel’s brand with a good fortune after the end of WWII, and it’s been a way smoother sailing ever since. 

Jack Daniel’s has become a symbol of revolution and liberation, becoming the favorite drink of the rebels fighting for freedom. It became a part of many bars where rock’n roll music played, and with each new decade, the brand grew and became stronger. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by One Eyed Jacks ☠ (@oneeyedjacks1)

It was also the favorite drink of Frank Sinatra and a symbol of the hair metal movement in the 80s. In 1987 they launched the Jack Daniel’s Gentleman variety, and ten years later came the Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel. In more recent history, in 2011, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey came into existence. 

It is interesting that there is a certain Mandela effect going on about the Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey variety. Namely, many think it has existed for much longer, while, in fact, it is only 11 years old. 

Also, the original Jack Daniel’s, i.e., the Old no. 7 variety, has a certain mystery about the number 7. Allegedly, Jack never told anyone about what stands behind this number. There are speculations, but no one can tell for sure why this number is a part of the name. 

There are theories that Jack had seven fatal women throughout his life. Another theory is that he transferred the bottles with the train number seven, and another claimed that seven was his lucky number. 

Today Jack Daniel’s has other whiskey varieties, such as Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple, Tennessee Rye, Bonded, Tennessee Fire, the Sinatra Select, and Winter Jack, as well as special editions. 

Making

Jack Daniel’s whiskey is made with extreme care and attention to detail. They call the process “water to whiskey,” which is precisely what they make. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Alison Gantt (@alisongantt)

There is not a single thing in the Jack Daniel’s making process that can be singled out as the most important, as it is a chain of activities and processes that needs to be meticulously followed and observed. 

They use cave spring water, which is presumably one of the clearest springs in America. They also make their own charcoal by burning wood in furnaces and collecting it afterward. 

The malt they use contains barley, corn, and rye, and they must get the quantity just right every time, or the result won’t be, well, Jack Daniel’s. 

Jack Daniel’s treats the barrels as an ingredient, not a container. “We don’t keep our whiskey in the barrels; we entrust it to them.”- is what they say. They make the barrels from American oak. 

Each barrel needs to be made according to the Jack Daniel’s standards, and it needs to satisfy their criteria. 

They implement a process called coal mellowing, where they let the whiskey drip through a sugar maple charcoal, which makes the spirit mellow and gain smoothness. This technique was introduced by Jack Daniel’s, and to this day, his successor carries it on with much pride. 

It is a time-consuming and expensive process, but it is definitely worth it, as it is the signature feature of the Jack Daniel’s whiskey. 

Taste 

Even though all Jack Daniel’s varieties have their own features, making them distinct and original, they all have the smoky and leather feel that makes them recognizable as pieces of the same puzzle. 

The classic and pioneering Jack Daniel’s Old no. 7 is a whiskey tasting by the book. It has a pungent alcoholic smell, but not overwhelmingly strong. Instead, you can smell the malt and the charcoal. It has a certain sweetness about it but is nevertheless strong. The finish is smooth and long, with an intense and long-lasting burn. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by 잘먹고 운동하는 곰돌이 (@eatstagram_ann)

The Jack Daniel’s Gentleman is refined and sophisticated. It starts rather sharply, only to continue with caramel, toffee, and vanilla notes. It ends on a somewhat spicy finish, smooth and long, of course. It has a high viscosity, layering the throat and making each new sip gentler. 

The Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel is a little tamer version of the Old no. 7. While still strong and sharp, the Single Barrel variety has a certain gentility in it with a less expressive alcohol flavor, hinting more at vanilla, caramel, coffee, and toast. 

The Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey variety is the gentlest of the four main varieties. It does indeed taste like Honey, with expressive sweetness and a full body.

It also smells like honey with an almost inexistent alcohol aroma. From the main four, it is the easiest to drink and slides gently and smoothly, leaving a vanilla and honey aftertaste. 

Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple is a member of the newer generation of the Jack Daniel’s spirits. It retains the masculine sharpness that is a signature feature but is also supplemented with the fruitiness and freshness of the apple. It also has herbal and natural notes, and it is probably the fruitiest of all Jack Daniel’s varieties. 

Tennessee Rye is a string and pungent whiskey with an intense rye aroma. It is probably the sharpest of all and is recognizable by the burn and smooth finish. It has slight notes of vanilla and caramel, but the rye dimension dominates the taste. 

Bonded is a whiskey blend variety, mixing Jack Daniel’s whiskeys together and aging in a single barrel. This is the most colorful Jack Daniel’s variety, as it contains all the wisdom of the brand collected and sold in a single bottle.

Tennessee Fire has the bold character of the Old no. 7, sizzled with an extra cinnamon edge. It is literally fire, so it isn’t for everyone. This variety is only for those who love the edgy and the hot. This is one of those things in life you either love or you don’t, as there is no middle ground here. 

The Sinatra Select is basically a more refined version of the Old no. 7, which was the first jack Daniel’s variety that Frank Sinatra tried. It captures the age of the jolly age of the 50s in America. 

Winter Jack is an original Jack Daniel’s spirit intended to drink warmed up. Bottled in a white bottle, it instantly reminds me of cold winter nights garnished with snow in front of a roaring fire. It is gentle, with expressive vanilla notes, which come to light even more, when the drink s taken warm.

The Jack Daniel’s varieties also have their own subtypes, differing slightly from one another. Nevertheless, those slight differences mean a lot to a seasoned palate, so the subtypes are listed in the table further on. 

Aging

The aging process of the Jack Daniel’s varieties starts with the making of the barrels. The brand is known for making the maturation barrels according to strict standards and requirements. Therefore each barrel must have certain performances in order to deserve to contain Jack Daniel’s whiskey. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by VILLA BEER CONVENIÊNCIA (@convenienciavillabeer)

The aging process of the Jack Daniel’s varieties lasts from four to ten years in those custom-made barrels. Each barrel is specially prepared for the specific Jack Daniel’s variety, and no two barrels are the same. 

Also, two barrels can contain the same Jack Daniel’s variety, and it won’t taste the same. The brand considers the barrels an ingredient instead of a container, and they take much pride in the crafting of their barrels and perfecting the aging process. 

It is the aging that gives Jack Daniel’s its signature smoothness and longevity of the finish. 

Types of Whiskeys 

The four main types of Jack Daniel’s varieties are Old no. 7, which is the first Jack Daniel’s ever produced. Then comes the Gentleman in the late 80s, followed by the Single Barrel variety ten years later.

In 2011 the Tennessee Honey variety appeared, and since then they have also developed a few more varieties. 

The new generation of Jack Daniel’s whiskeys includes Jack Daniel’s Apple, Bonded, Rye, Tennessee Fire, and Winter Jack. They also have limited editions circulating, none of which are available regularly. 

What Are the Sizes of the Jack Daniel’s Bottles?

Jack Daniel’s mostly comes in 750 ml. bottles; however, it comes in other sizes as well. There are 1 l bottles, 1.75 l bottles, and 350 ml. bottles. There are also mini bottles containing 50 ml. of Jack Daniel’s whiskey. Another size is a 200 ml. bottle, whereby it is mostly available in bars instead of stores. 

What Are the Bottle Sizes of Liquor?

Liquor bottles vary in size, but most liquor comes in 50, 200, 350, 750 ml., and 1.75 L bottles. Usually, the higher the quality of the alcohol, the smaller the bottle.

Of course, you can buy a high-quality liquor in a larger amount, but usually, those a pre-contracted issues that you need to discuss with the company. 

It is against the policy of certain producers to bottle their products in larger bottles, as they consider it to be harmful to their overall reputation. 

How Much Is a Jack Daniel’s 750 ml. Bottle?

The 750 ml. bottles of Jack Daniel’s vary in price, from $25 to about a $100. For example, The Jack Daniel’s Old no. 75 is about $25 per 750 ml.

Green Label is the most expensive, costing $100 per 750 ml. The Tennessee Honey variety is priced at $35, and the Gentleman Jack costs about $30. 

What Are the Sizes of Whiskey Bottles?

The way whiskey is kept and sold had changed a lot since the middle ages when it was used solely for medicinal purposes. However, the containment material remained the same.

Back then, they kept whiskey in casks, barrels, carboys, clay pots, ceramic jugs, stoneware jugs, metal flasks, or leather flasks.

Nowadays, the bottle is the only container for whiskey. The bottle sizes vary, and there are sizes tailored according to everyone’s needs. 

The smallest bottle size is the miniature bottle, fitting only 50 ml. of whiskey. These were very popular during the prohibition period and are still used in flights or in hotels. You can buy such small bottles of whiskey in the stores too. 

A half pint is the second bottle size of 200 ml. It contains roughly two drinks of whiskey. The shoulder contains 350 ml. of whiskey, which is the same amount as that of the flask. 

The tenth holds 378 ml. but it is outdated and no longer used. 

The half-liter is 500 ml. and it is used in Europe, but not in the USA. The European spirit bottle is currently mandated by the European Union and holds 700 ml. of whiskey. 

The liter or 1000 ml. bottles are rarely sold in the stores, and you can mostly find them in the free shops at airports. 

The imperial quart is 1.14 ml. It is also an outdated bottle size. 

Half gallon or 1.75 L is known in Europe as “the handle,” as it has a handle on it to carry it more easily. 

The Texas Mickey is the largest one and it has a pump so that you can pour whiskey directly from it. 

Jack Daniel’s 750 ml. Bottle Dimensions

The Jack Daniel’s 750 ml. bottle is 25 cm or 9.8 inches tall and 8 cm, i.e., 3.14 inches wide. Its neck is narrower than the rest of the bottle and is about 5 cm, i.e., 1.9 inches in size. 

Jack Daniel’s 5-Liter Bottle Price

The 5-liter bottle is not a standard Jack Daniel’s size and is therefore not available on the regular market. To get you would have to participate in an auction, search it on e-bay, or have it custom-made. 

The largest Jack Daniel’s bottle is 3 liters, and it comes in a box. It costs about $200. 

Biggest Bottle of Jack Daniel’s 

The biggest bottle of Jack Daniel’s is the 3-liter bottle. 

Best Selling Jack Daniel’s 

Even though all Jack Daniel’s whiskey varieties have high sales, the Old no. 7 has the highest sales of all. Right below the Old no. 7 is the Tennessee Honey variety, along with the Gentleman and the Single Barrel varieties. 

The newer generation of Jack Daniel’s whiskey varieties sell great but they will need some time to establish on the market and stand firm on their own. 

Best Jack Daniel’s Variety

It wouldn’t be fair to say that there is one Jack Daniel’s variety that is above all others, as it is only a matter of preference which one you choose. 

If you like bolder tastes, go with the Old no. 7, while the Tennessee Honey is for you if you like milder, gentler, and sweeter flavors. 

The Apple variety should do you nicely if you like fruity and refreshing whiskeys, such as Irish whiskey. 

The Rye variety, as well as the Single Barrel, are strong but elegant, so if you like the Old no 7, you will like them as well. The Winter variety is excellent for cold weather as a warm drink to snuggle under a blanket with. 

Resources: 

1. https://www.jackdaniels.com/en-us/our-products
2. https://www.jackdaniels.com/en-us/whiskey/bonded-experience
3. https://www.jackdaniels.com/en-us/vault/our-barrels