Jack Daniel’s 12 Year Review

Distillery: Jack Daniel's

Mash Bill: 80% corn; 8% rye; 12% malted barley

Age: 12 years

ABV: 53.5% (107 proof)

Price: $80 MSRP

Bottom Line: This is an exceptional bottle the demonstrates the ability of a historic and storied brand like Jack Daniels to create a complex, layered whiskey that perfectly captures the brand’s essence, while pushing into new territory. At MSRP this is a steal, and worth paying over, if you can find it.

Background: Founded in 1866, Jack Daniel’s epitomizes industrial whiskey production and can be found on any liquor store’s shelf around America. The ubiquitous Old No. 7 is a mixing staple with an iconic label immediately recognizable even to teetotalers. Although the brand produced annual (highly coveted) limited releases, for most of its 157 year history the bulk of the company’s attention was on focused on large-scale commercial distillation. However, in recent years, likely due to the whiskey renaissance reshaping the global liquor market, and a consumer thirst for speciality products, the brand has started experimenting with higher end products such as the Sinatra blend, their Single Barrel Collection, and Coy Hill, and in 2022 released their Bonded Collection. 

In line with these efforts, in 2021, Jack Daniels released a highly anticipated 10 year version of the Old No. 7 mash bill - their first age stated whiskey in recent memory. The 10 year was an immediate success, and in 2023 Jack Daniel’s followed up the 10 year with a 12 year release. The results were spectacular. The 12 year expression has been widely heralded as the culmination of Jack Daniel’s capability as a whiskey producer - 157 years of history in bottle.  Jack Daniels 12 certainly sets a high bar for future Jack Daniel’s releases, but is a an excellent benchmark for the company as it produces more limited bottling aimed at a more discerning whiskey audience.

Appearance: Polished Mahogany.

Nose: The nose is sweet, rich, and vibrant inviting multiple passes to get the full experience. Cherry and honey beautifully layer over classic vanilla, caramel, and brown sugar for a very well-balanced, enticing aroma. As more of the aroma is taken in, hints  of dripping syrup or middle eastern sweets, with warm Christmas  baked goods,  and Tobacco emerge. This is the type of whiskey that deserves time to unpack the layers of aroma to fully appreciate.

Palate: Sweet cherry on the palate, with big oak, tobacco, worn leather, and blackberries create a magnificent profile. There is a lot going on in this whiskey and easy to get lost in the 12 year’s depth of flavor. There is heat on the palate, but it is not overwhelming or unpleasant and syncs Nicole with the overall experience. As testament to Jack Daniels, the sweetness of the palate has the feeling, at times. of a whiskey finished in port or sherry barrels. Incredible what Jack Daniels was able to do with some age and the Old No. 7 mash bill. 

Finish: The long, delicious finish echoes everything on the palate, with a spiciness that sneaks up on you with some lingering heat. Overall, a great finish for an overall outstanding pour.

Overall: Jack Daniel’s 12 year is a delicious, complex whiskey that is a standout in 2023. The nose and palate are both very on brand for Jack Daniel’s, which tends toward a sweeter profile, but the extra time in the barrel and attention from the distillery team works magic on the final product. While it has yet to be seen if future versions of the 12 year will be as good as the 2023, this is an auspicious start for Jack Daniel’s as it starts putting out age stated whiskey and lays down a promising marker for the distillery.