Hello everyone! Today, we're leaving Kentucky behind and heading into the charming state of Tennessee. This time, we're pairing two passions—whiskey and cars—as we take a closer look at one of the most storied names in American whiskey history.

Jack Daniel's often gets dismissed by people who have only ever tried the Old No. 7 Black Label. But here's the thing—Old No. 7 is meant to be a mixer, and in that role, it shines! Beyond that, the distillery produces some truly outstanding whiskies: Single Barrels, Barrel Proof Ryes, the legendary Coy Hill editions, and their newer 10-, 12-, and 14-year-old releases. In my opinion, it's an incredible distillery, and I'll say again: Old No. 7 remains one of the best mixers out there.

I never bothered with the 2023–2024 McLaren Editions since they were just rebranded Old No. 7 bottles. But the 2025 release caught my eye—it's reportedly 2–3 years older, bottled at 43% ABV, and I found it for just €17. LIDL really can have some insane deals! At only 2% less ABV than their Single Barrel 90 Proof—and at half the price—it could be a fantastic alternative, especially at this price point.

Let's saddle up and ride further into the world of bold American spirits with another fine Tennessee pour. 🦅🇺🇲

But before we go any further, please check out my previous reviews.🥃✅

About the distillery

Jasper Newton "Jack" Daniel, born in Lynchburg, Tennessee (exact date disputed — records suggest between 1846 and 1850), lost his mother at a young age and left home early. He was taken in by Dan Call, a Lutheran minister and distiller, where he learned the whiskey-making craft from Call and his master distiller, Nathan "Nearest" Green, an enslaved African-American who specialized in the Lincoln County Process.

At about 14, Jack purchased Call's distillery and later moved it to its present Lynchburg location, where the local spring water proved ideal for whiskey production. He refined his recipe, eventually creating "Old No. 7," a name with mysterious origins — possibly his government registration number, a railroad tracking number, or a simple personal superstition. 

Jack never married and left the distillery to his nephew Lem Motlow, who led the business through prohibition by temporarily relocating production. After repeal, he successfully lobbied to restart operations in Lynchburg in 1938, though local consumption remained prohibited. Following Motlow's death in 1947, his family sold the distillery to Brown–Forman in 1956. Today, Lynchburg remains a dry county, with sales allowed only at the distillery's visitor center. 

Production

Jack Daniel's production remains rooted in 19th-century traditions, using a mash bill of 80% corn, 12% malted barley, and 8% rye (corn and barley from the U.S., rye from Canada). Grain is stored in dedicated silos before mashing begins with mineral-rich, iron-free spring water from the on-site limestone cave. The distillery employs the "sour mash" method, adding a portion of spent mash from the previous batch to maintain consistency.

Fermentation takes place in 64 large fermenters (40,000-gallon capacity each) using a proprietary yeast strain to ensure flavor uniformity. Distillation occurs in copper column stills, followed by a second pass in copper doublers.

The defining step of Tennessee whiskey — the Lincoln County Process — follows. The unaged spirit ("white whiskey") is slowly filtered drop-by-drop through 10 feet (3.3 meters) of sugar maple charcoal, produced on-site by carefully charring hard sugar maple wood. This mellowing stage removes harsh notes and refines the whiskey's character before it enters new, charred American white oak barrels crafted in Jack Daniel's own cooperage.

Aging

Maturation takes place in multi-story barrelhouses ranging from three to seven floors, with temperature variations influencing how each barrel develops. Warehouse placement is carefully chosen depending on the desired flavor profile.

Jack Daniel's typically ages its whiskey between four and six years, though no age statement is listed on most bottles. The brand relies on taste, not age, to determine readiness. All barrels are new, toasted, and charred to enhance the whiskey's color and impart rich flavors of vanilla, caramel, oak, and subtle spice.

Core Range

Classic Tennessee Whiskeys

• Old No. 7 (Black Label) – The original, charcoal-mellowed Tennessee whiskey (80 proof)

• Gentleman Jack – Twice charcoal-mellowed (pre- and post-aging), silky and smooth (80 proof)

Bonded Series

• Bonded (Jack Daniel's Bottled-in-Bond Tennessee Whiskey) – 100 proof, richer oak and spice, using the classic mash bill

• Bonded Rye – 100 proof using a 70% rye mash bill, balancing rye spice with JD smoothness

• Triple Mash – A unique 100 proof blend combining bonded rye, Tennessee whiskey, and American malt

Single Barrel Collection

• Single Barrel Select – Hand-selected barrels, 90 proof, with deeper caramel, toasted oak, and baking spice

• Single Barrel Rye – Whiskey from the rye mash bill (70% rye), 94 proof; bold and balanced

• Barrel Proof – Bottled straight from the barrel (125–140 proof), intensely rich and powerful

• 100 Proof Single Barrel – Offers high intensity with more consistency than Barrel Proof variants

Age-Stated & Premium Expressions (not always considered "core," but notable)

• 10-Year-Old Tennessee Whiskey – Launched in 2021, aged longer for deeper complexity

• 12-Year-Old Tennessee Whiskey – Released in 2023–2024 as part of the Aged Series

• 14-Year-Old Tennessee Whiskey – The newest in the Aged Series, launched in February

The bottle designs are just so good. The "core range" bottles. - images taken from jackdaniels.com

Jack Daniel's McLaren Edition 2025 Tennessee Whiskey - Natural Color, Non-chill filtered (?), 43%

Classification: Tennessee Whiskey

Company: Brown Forman

Distillery: Jack Daniel's Distillery

Release Date: 2025

Proof: 86

Age: NAS (rumoured to be 5-7 years old)

Mashbill: 80% Corn, 12% Malted Barley, 8% Rye

"Jack Daniel's & McLaren RacingTwo Iconic Brands. One Iconic Partnership

Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey had been an Official Partner of the McLaren Formula 1 Team since the 2023 race season. Since then we have been seen across raceways, billboards, and at watch parties across the globe. You may have spied out our limited edition commemorative bottles and toasted the team on their milestone 2024 Constructors Championship win. Tune in for the 2025 season. It's shaping up to be a great one."

Nose: Classic Jack Daniel's banana bread right up front, followed by charred wood, a touch of ethanol, and plenty of vanilla and caramel. Layers of stone fruits, maple syrup, and a hint of lemon brighten things, while cinnamon lingers in the background.

Taste: After such a great nose, the palate feels a little underwhelming at first — a bit thin, with some alcohol burn and a slight astringency. But give it a second sip and the real charm appears: ripe banana, vanilla, caramel, simple syrup, toasted oak, and a touch of orange peel. Not as deep or complex as I'd hoped, but for €17 it's hard to complain. In fact, I prefer the flavor here to some of the Single Barrel 90 proofs I've had lately.

Finish: Medium to short. Notes of grilled banana, toasted oak, maple syrup, and vanilla pods lead, followed by a hint of dryness and astringency. Some leathery and youthful edges remain, along with a sprinkle of black pepper.

Overall in my view, this is good stuff — comfortably above average and an easy 6.5/10. It's a definite step up from Old No. 7 and surprisingly close in quality to the Single Barrel 90 proof, which is impressive given the price point. The nose is the star, the palate eventually delivers, and while the finish isn't the longest, it's still satisfying. Can't say how it would do in a Jack & Coke, since I didn't try it — but then again, I'm more of a rum-and-coke person anyway. 😄 For around €20, it's a great value sipper that I'd happily keep on the shelf. 

Some of the photos featured in this article are not my own; I've credited the original owners. All other images bearing my logo were taken and are owned by me.

Feel free to check out the scores and rankings I've given to each whisky I reviewed.

Thanks for reading—I hope you enjoyed it! Here's to many more drams. Sláinte!

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