The whiskey wash logo
The World's Most-Visited
Whiskey Website
The World's Most-Visited
Whiskey Website

Whiskey Reviews: Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Travelers Sweet & Oaky, and Bold & Spicy

  • John Dover, creator of "Johnny Scotch," musician, and author.

Jack Daniel’s is one of the most recognized brands in the American catalog of whiskey. Go to any local haunt or high-end drinking establishment, and you will be able to spot it gracing the shelf behind the bar. Aside from its branded black label, Jack Daniel’s continues to craft a myriad of craft-style and flavored whiskeys with the intent of capturing a wide share of the drinker’s market with its established flavor palate. Today, we review Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Travelers and assess whether or not JD has managed to expand the palates of its drinkers.
Based out of Lynchburg, Tennessee, Jack Daniel’s has been a part of the American whiskey experience since the late 1800s. The current distillery was established in 1956 under the ownership of the Brown-Foreman Corporation. Between its inception and the establishment of modern ownership, it was in 1905 that Jack Daniel’s gained a wider name of note by earning a gold medal for the finest whiskey at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair.

Jack Daniel’s has built a sustainable brand and continues to build on their traditions. This time, I sampled two distinctly different varieties of whiskey. The Tennessee Travelers whiskeys are limited edition releases and are meant to showcase attention to detail and growth in the brand beyond their traditional flavor palate. So, with these two offerings, Sweet and Oaky, and Bold and Spicy, what story is Jack Daniel’s writing? Is the story in the glass fresh enough to draw in a new batch of drinkers to their brand?

Tasting Notes: Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Travelers Sweet & Oaky

Vital Stats: 107 proof, limited edition, straight Tennessee Whiskey, $62

Appearance: Dark red amber

Nose: Artificial vanilla extract, cane sugar, brown sugar, a hint of caramel, cough syrup. These sweet notes are very characteristic of my samplings of Jack Daniel’s. Their whiskey leans hard on the sweet. Even in the nose, this one presents more sugar than I tend to prefer.

Palate: Upon the first sip, there is a pleasant amount of heat that lingers. The sweet character is predominant up front but doesn’t hang around once swallowed. There is not much of a lingering aftertaste. A bit of oak and black pepper color in the back end. The sweetness has an artificial note to it. At first, it was difficult to identify individual notes beyond sweet. Caramel and vanilla are not as present as on the nose, just the heat and a medicinal sweetness. There is a bit of cinnamon and clove mixed in, but they play up the heat more than the flavor, in my opinion.

Summary: I would only recommend this whiskey for drinkers with a sweet tooth. It delivers on the sweet and there was a bit of oak, but they were not very well balanced. It would work as a mixer, but if you are looking for a whiskey with a broad flavor palette, this might not be for you.

Score: 4/10

Vital Stats: 107 proof, limited edition, straight Tennessee Whiskey, $62

Appearance: Dark red amber

Nose: Circus Peanuts (the candy), raw sugar, and a hint of baking spices ring in the first wafts. There is a touch of oak and old leather, which is much more of what I expect from a name including “bold.”

Palate: On the first sip it presents a good mouthfeel that coats. It is not overly sweet, which is a departure from Jack Daniel’s in my experience. There is some fruit in here with a hint of orange and banana as well as some dried cherry, all in decent balance with the spicy notes. Oak, white pepper,r and clove are at the front of the pack with the baking spices. This is the first Jack Daniel’s I have sampled that was not overly sweet. The natural character of the rye helps keep it reigned in for sure.

Summary: This is a pleasant whiskey. Venturing past the sweet and leaning harder into the rye notes plays to my palate much more. The price tag is reasonable and makes this a solid entry into the price-conscious arena of American whiskeys.

Score: 7/10

Final Thoughts: The Bold and Spicy is a decent sipper either neat or on ice. It is a fine rye that doesn’t try to be something it is not. The Sweet and Oaky does not deliver on its description and leans too hard on the sweet flavors in my opinion. If you feel like sinking your cash into a bottle of Jack, I say go with the Bold and Spicy. It is a decent bottle and delivers on its promises.

 

John Dover

John Dover, creator and writer of the acclaimed "Johnny Scotch" series, draws inspiration from his immersive experiences as a professional musician and his extensive travels across the US. His Jazz Noir world intertwines with his music, culminating in collaborations such as the "Johnny Scotch Vignettes" with Thomas Barber, blending high-energy fusion with spoken word.

John's latest ventures include "Johnny Scotch #4" illustrated by Dan Schaefer, and the novella "A Song for Charlie." Alongside his music career, he continues to expand the "Johnny Scotch" universe through short stories and comic books.

Beyond "Johnny Scotch," John is a recognized horror writer, contributing to anthologies such as "Tales from the Braided Pony," "Monsters 'N' Things," "100 Word Horrors," and the forthcoming "Tenebrous Tales." He's also a regular entertainment writer for Mythmachine.com.

All Posts
Latest On The Whiskey Wash
Search
  • Latest News
  • Latest Reviews
    • The whiskey wash logo