Cherry | Cinnamon churro | Maple syrup | Caramelized sugar | Graham cracker | Banana bread | Sweet oak

Leather | Cherry | Cinnamon powder | Vanilla | Burnt sugar | Black peppercorn | Sweet oak | Touch of hickory

Aged dry oak | Stewed cherries | Leather | Baking spices | Lingering cinnamon spice

Introduced in 2022, Jack Daniel’s 12 Year Tennessee Whiskey is the middle of the three current aged expressions, with the others being aged for 10 years and 14 years. These ongoing annual releases afford consumers the opportunity to try not only Jack Daniel’s age stated whiskeys that the company produces but also see how age and proof impact the brand. The company plans to continue releasing additional higher aged whiskeys in the years to come, including 18 and 21 year old whiskeys.

Jack Daniel’s Aged Series releases so far have offered many nuances from year to year and age to age. They have some similarities, but you can’t bank on a single release being consistent from year to year. Nowhere is that more apparent than Jack Daniel’s 12 Year.

We didn’t quite know how good we had it with the 12 Year Batch 1. The release was flushed with rich red fruit notes against sweet aged oak notes to near perfection. Each subsequent release has shed some of its red fruit goodness and gently moved forward its aged oak notes, and Batch 4 once again follows suit.  

A strong scent of cherry emanates from the glass, giving way to cinnamon churro, maple syrup, caramelized sugar, graham cracker, and light banana bread. Overall, it's quite effective. Leather is up first for the palate, with cherry, cinnamon powder, vanilla, and burnt sugar. Peppercorn pops next, introducing a spicy pop that will continue into the whiskey’s finish. Aged dry oak comes out in force at the start of the finish, followed by rich, stewed cherries, leather, and baking spices, concluding with lingering cinnamon spice.

We definitely got spoiled by Batch 1, as the following batches still haven’t risen to the high bar it set. But that is not to say 12 Year Batch 4 isn’t successful in its own way. Oak lovers will enjoy the more prominent role it plays and how it interacts with the whiskey’s flavor profile. Although the red fruit notes aren’t as prevalent and as sweet, they still play an important role. There is a lot to enjoy about the latest Jack Daniel’s 12 Year, and although its price increased slightly this year, it is still an easy recommended purchase at or near its SRP.