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Whiskey Review: Jack Daniel’s 12 Year Old Tennessee Whiskey

We review Jack Daniel's 12-Year-Old, a new age statement addition to the Jack Daniel's portfolio.

OVERALL RATING

7
$80.00
  • Jason McBeth, hospitality expert and consultant with 15 years' experience in fine dining beverage programs.
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Tasting Notes

About:

107 proof (53.5% ABV); 12 years old; mash bill: 80 % corn, 12% malted barley, 8% rye; 750ml; $80.
Appearance:
Polished mahogany. Low viscosity and a brilliant clarity.
Nose:
That extra two years in oak really kicked the strong banana notes of the 10 year into the background and gives the 12 year a much more classic tobacco, leather, and toffee aroma right up front. It’s a very pleasing aroma too, not super aggressive, and the banana notes gently intertwine themselves around the smoke and leather. Time in the glass gave way to more pure vanilla and a touch of candied strawberry and wet cement.
Palate:
Aggressively oaky. Lots of very grippy tannin here and a little too much tannic astringency for my taste. (A touch of water softens that and releases some cherry and Kola nut flavors.) But there is lovely tobacco and leather all over the palate too (I haven’t wanted to smoke a cigar this bad in a long time). It’s hot, and the alcohol still comes on without the roundness I’d hope for after 12 years in the barrel but it does give way to nice cinnamon, caraway, and clove notes.
Finish:
The finish has a decent length and really leaves that smokey touch sitting in your brain as though begging you to light a pipe, pick up an old William Faulkner book and relax against the night reclining in your favorite leather-bound chair.
Comments:
It’s kind of wonderful what an extra, unrestrained, two years of sitting in oak and heat can do to something you thought you knew so well. Yes, this is Jack Daniel’s but it’s a Jack Daniel who learned how to refine his exuberance into something that, while still forceful (sometimes overbearingly so) feels more like a world-travelled twin brother than merely the man himself dressed in new clothes. While I like the ways in which the oak has relegated some of the sweeter, fruitier notes to the background, the oak itself is now being a bit of a bully in ways that aren’t always the most pleasant. All in all however, it is again a welcome addition to the Jack Daniel’s club and, amongst their current offerings, likely the one I would reach for first.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Jason McBeth

Jason McBeth, a seasoned hospitality professional and consultant, boasts nearly 15 years of experience curating fine dining beverage programs. His impressive resume includes collaborations with six Michelin Star and/or James Beard award-winning restaurants. As a consultant, McBeth has conceptualized and implemented distinctive cocktail programs across diverse markets, ranging from Los Angeles to Lincoln, Nebraska, and Richmond, Virginia. Beyond the realm of spirits and hospitality, his passions lie in poetry and basketball. When not indulging in his professional pursuits, McBeth finds solace in shucking oysters for his wife, accompanied by a bottle or two of grower Champagne.

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