Dark fruits | Black cherry | Raisin | Apple peel | Banana | Cinnamon | Dark chocolate

Black cherry | Raisin | Cinnamon | Baking spices | Barrel char | Dense aged seasoned oak | Big & bold | Thick mouthfeel

Baking spices | Tobacco | Clove | Leather | Raisin | Brown sugar | Long

Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Special Release Tanyard Hill Rye is the company’s latest entry in their annual special release series. According to Jack Daniel’s, “Tanyard Hill, located next to the acclaimed Coy Hill at the Jack Daniel Distillery, is home to four barrel houses built in the early 1960s. This Tennessee Rye Whiskey entered new handmade American White Oak barrels in November 2015 and matured in Barrel House 1 atop Tanyard Hill.” According to Jack Daniel’s Master Distiller Chris Fletcher, the release totals approximately 15,000 bottles.

Like Jack Daniel’s Tennessee whiskeys, their ryes also undergo their charcoal mellowing process. However, unlike their Tennessee whiskey counterparts, the charcoal mellowing for ryes is only about 3 feet and lasts only minutes, versus the standard 10 feet and 6-day process the company uses for their Tennessee whiskeys. The single barrels selected for this release were all distilled and barreled the same day, then aged in the top floors of the Tanyard Hill rickhouses. According to Fletcher, the barrels have been carefully watched for a number of years as they came of age. A total of 200 barrels were in the original lot; however, due to significant evaporation loss, it’s estimated that about 20-30 did not yield any whiskey, leaving only 170-180 barrels at an estimated average yield of only 83-88 bottles per barrel. Considering a 53 gallon barrel can hold approximately 286 700mL bottles worth of whiskey, that equates to an evaporation loss of around 70%.

This rye whiskey is as bold as whiskeys come, with loads of dark fruits, cherry, cinnamon, and baking spices throughout. The particular barrel in review has noticeable cinnamon and dark chocolate notes, which, according to Fletcher, were varied in intensity across the lot of barrels. The density of the flavors, especially at the midpoint, amplifies the boldness of the sip, which is further intensified by its thick mouthfeel. Savory notes creep up in the finish, including clove, tobacco, and leather, though they are complemented by raisin and brown sugar. While the overall intensity of the whiskey is high (the barrel in review is over 145 proof), the ethanol is manageable and does not overshadow the flavors. This is an excellent showcase of how far Jack Daniel’s ryes have come and why they continue to stand out among the ever-increasing number of high-aged ryes on the market.

Jack Daniel’s continues dropping hits with their latest release, Single Barrel Special Release Tanyard Hill Rye, proving once again this legacy distillery has plenty of tricks up their sleeve.