Editor’s Note: This whiskey was provided to us as a review sample by Brown-Forman. This in no way, per our editorial policies, influenced the final outcome of this review.
I have tried Gentleman Jack by Jack Daniel’s one other time outside of my official tasting for this review; it was a few years ago while on the road with a rock band and we had just finished a show. The leader, knowing my appreciation for scotch, picked up this upper tier offering in hopes of bringing me into the fold of domestic whiskey drinking.
Then, like this time, I politely accepted the drink. I proceeded to participate in the ruckus celebration with my bandmates and friends and fans as we toasted and drank. It is amazing how it becomes apparent so quickly when something is not to your liking. I am pretty sure I set the glass down or even poured off the remainder into someone else’s glass and returned to the very nice pinot noir that I had been drinking before.
This time around, I went in with a much fresher palate and a hope that Jack Daniel’s would be able to finally woo me into their stable of flavors. Charcoal filtering is not a new technique for Jack Daniel’s. With Gentleman Jack, it was chosen to run this Tennessee whiskey through their charcoal system twice. This concerns me a bit as a consumer: When a process is utilized to specifically strip out the harshness and impurities of the alcohol and it takes two passes to get a smooth enough liquor to drink, well…I’m not sure that should have been put in front of drinkers to begin with.
Now onto the reality of what I experienced with this tasting.
Tasting Notes: Gentleman Jack
Vital Stats: 80 proof; double charcoal filtered to promote a smooth drinking experience and to filter out the impurities present after the distilling process; sold for around $32 for 750 ML bottles
Color: Light amber color or fresh cut hay
Nose: The first aroma that hit me was that of banana Laffy Taffy. It also smelled of the dentist’s office when you get a fluoride treatment, which is to say sweet and antiseptic at the same time.
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Palate: Very little character to start off with. Similar to the flavor of chewing on a plastic straw for a while. Also it is a bit watery. I then felt heat on all parts of the tongue, especially the throat. That didn’t linger too long, though the most predominant flavors came through as burnt sugar, a gentle oakiness, and if you search hard enough, you will find a whisper of citrus notes.
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