Charred oak | Raspberry | Cherry | Cola | Maple syrup | Molasses

Charred oak | Stewed cherries | Raisin | Molasses | Cinnamon apple pie | Cinnamon spice

Charred oak | Dry oak | Black pepper | Stewed cherries | Burnt caramel | Leather | Cigar | Lingering charred oak

Thanks to the now-infamous 2022 Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Special Release Coy Hill High Proof, which saw proof as high as 155, the barrelhouse atop Coy Hill on Jack Daniel’s campus has become a star of its own. Resting at the highest elevation at the Jack Daniel Distillery has caused a higher-than-normal number of barrels to experience a high loss of whiskey due to evaporation, known as Angel’s Share. Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series #17 returns to Coy Hill and, more specifically, to the top floors, where the barrels aging there lost the most amount of whiskey due to evaporation. Though the proof didn’t rise to the levels of previous Coy Hill branded releases, the concentrated flavor profile remains as potent as ever.

Ultra high proof whiskeys are fun but can also be a bit of a novelty. Though the Coy Hill releases have been a treat for any Jack Daniel’s fan, their extremely high proof got in the way of the delivery of its flavors. Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series #17’s 138.4 proof is no slouch, with plenty of intense heat found throughout, but the whiskey actually benefits from this lower proof point compared to prior Coy Hill releases.

For anyone who has tasted a Coy Hill release, the flavor profile of Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series #17 isn’t drastically different. Charred oak dominates every aspect of the sip, but this time there is more pronounced fruit with a concentration of dark fruit, raisins, cherries, and other dried fruit flavors. It also has a stronger hit of spice, with cinnamon and black pepper making their presence known.

Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series #17 is pulls off being both on and off profile for a Jack Daniel’s whiskey. The heavy charred oak brings manageable amounts of dry, light tannic oak that are more intrusive than many Jack fans may be used to. At the same time, the brand’s fruit notes are offered at a higher intensity, brown sugar is replaced with molasses, and cinnamon apple is also present, which is an uncommon flavor in most Jack Daniel's whiskeys.

Jack Daniel's has done a great job keeping their Distillery Series continually fresh and inventive. Though this edition could be seen as a slight retread, few will complain that they were given another chance of tasting a whiskey from the top floors of Coy Hill. The lower (but still high) proof makes this whiskey more drinkable than previous releases, letting the flavor shine through rather than the other way around. Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series #17 wasn’t meant to be a daily drinker but one special one you revisit from time to time. Though past Distillery Series such as a maple-finished Jack Daniel’s is fun, there's definitely something extra special about a highly concentrated Jack Daniel’s whiskey.