Jack Daniels????

[TheSlashFiveTourer]

DAMN!! :cry

DRINKERS OBJECT TO JACK DANIEL'S WATERING DOWN THEIR OLD NUMBER 7

Associated Press (Sept. 29, 2004)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - If you've noticed that your Jack Daniel's is carrying a little less kick these days, you're probably right.

The famed "sippin' whiskey," which advertises a recipe traced back to the nation's first registered distillery, has lowered the alcohol content of its flagship brand, Old No.7 Black Label.

The whiskey now registers 80 proof, instead of 86 (or 40 percent alcohol versus 43 percent), and some drinkers feel betrayed.

"You can't screw with a legend like that and get away with it," said Frank Kelly Rich, editor of Modern Drunkard magazine (http://www.moderndrunkardmagazine.com). "I'm sure Jack is spinning in his grave."

The company says the switch was made because most customers prefer the less potent mix, which was marketed first in a few states and some overseas markets. The transition was completed earlier this year.

Those who want a stiffer drink can buy specialty versions like
Jack Daniel's Single Barrel at 94 proof the company said.

"We were just doing what we think most of our friends and customers wanted," said Roger Brashears, who has worked at Jack Daniel's in Lynchburg since the 1960s. "Our quality control is very scientific. It comes down to how it tastes."

The company touts Old No. 7 as "a simple reminder that some things just never change. And shouldn't. This is the old-time whiskey made as our fathers made it."

The uproar was started by a few whiskey drinkers who think Jack should stick to that promise. An online petition asking the company to switch back has gathered about 700 signatures....

...Rich said the company pushed the change through without any fanfare and whiskey drinkers are just now picking up on it, saying it tastes sweeter and doesn't pack the same punch.

Jack Daniel's gets to 80 proof by adding a little more water to the raw whiskey that comes out of barrels after four years at roughly 125 proof, Brashears said.

"I can't tell that difference," he said. "We haven't done anything to affect the quality that has made us so many friends over the years." ......

....The whiskey recipe is still the same, including four years of aging in wood barrels. Old No. 7, which Jack Daniel's says is the country's most popular whiskey with 7 million cases shipped last year, continues to sell well....

...."We don't think it's appropriate to have a magazine called Modern Drunkard dictate how we make our whiskey," the company said.


Anybody out there ever drink "Jack Daniel's Single Barrel" whiskey at 94 proof and live to tell about it?

[James.A]

Back in the late 70's, Jack Daniels green label was 80 proof. I liked it much better than black label which was 90 proof at the time.

[YB in IN]

I prefer Maker's Mark.

[gambrinus]

Single Malt for me... none of the KY swill...

RW

[username]

hear hear, makers is the worst bourbon im willing to drink. jack daniels is a good high school drink, but it's the bourbon equivalent of white zinfandel wine.

are these same people keeping a close eye on the formulation of southern comfort and mad dog 20/20? :D

note: i realize that there are likely bizillions of jack daniels fanatatics, and i group these people with sports fanatics, religious fanatics, and political fantatics. essentially dogmatism. the quieter they are, the better.

note: obviously, bmw fanatics are superior and not included. ;)

[Hodag]

I've had the single barrel several times. Its very good, but kinda pricey when compared to old #7. I've had Makers mark and it ain't bad. Prefer the "Jack" however. Puts snakes in your head.
Mark

[1flyer]

I've never had anything that compares to Black Jack. Everything else is just somethng else. Not that anything else wouldn't be good, just it's not the same.

One point to consider. I'm sure the good folks at the Distillery would have just as soon left the mix as it was. But I suspect it was the book keepers and the marketeers at Brown Forman in Kentuck that dictated the change.

[Win3855]

Modern Drunkard Now that is a magazine I have not subscribed to. Yet!!! :clap :1drink

[Braddog]

But all this talk about sippin' whiskey is making me thirsty!:1drink

[jgr451]

Yeah single malt.
sorry but bourbon is like drinking perfume.
I have done it and there are times..

[gambrinus]

Modern Drunkard is based right here in Beer-Friendly Denver (Home of the Great American Beer Fest)... Yes, our Mayor owns a brewery..

Modern Drunkard even has a web site

http://www.drunkard.com/index.html


Enjoy...

RW

[DarrylRi]

Coincidentally, there is this travel story over at MSNBC (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6141001/) about the restoration of the distillery at Mt. Vernon, and attempts at recreating George Washington's personal whiskey recipe.

As a past homebrewer, I knew that Washington, like most land owners of his time, was an avid beer brewer. His recipe for porter is available for those interested in trying it. He apparently swapped recipes with Thomas Jefferson.

Since whiskey is distilled beer, I suppose it's no surprise that he would have made his own, as well. What is surprising, perhaps, is that the professional distillers who have been working on this seem not to have that much information about techniques of the past. Since some tastings report that their attempt has "an edge" to it, one might assume that it's closer to moonshine than to good sipping whiskey.

[kbasa]

I'm a bourbon guy, myself, though Jack isn't bad. I like WL Weller 19yo Wheated the most, I think. There are a few varieties of wheated bourbon, which seem to be my favorites, which I think soften the astringency out of the whiskey.

If you're looking for a good value in whiskey, check out Evan Williams Single Barrel or Elijah Craig Single Barrel. I think the Evan Williams is about $20 or so and is smooth and tasty. The Elijah Craig, like the WL Weller, is company whiskey for sipping with a little ice.

As far as proof goes, I generally prefer whiskeys with a somewhat lower proof. I have some Baker's that's 107 proof and it's difficult to drink without a little branch water or melted ice. So if they want to drop the proof 6 points (3% Alc. by vol.), that's fine with me. That's not why I drink it.

[jmerlino]

Blanton's.

Nuff said.

[kbasa]

Originally posted by jmerlino
Blanton's.

Nuff said.

:thumb :thumb :1drink

[tom56]

Jack Daniels reduced their Old Black Jack from 90 to 86 in the early 90's, Being a Tennessee Squire, I complained, and then brought all of the Old stuff I could find (15 large bottles), Now they did it again, I sent a email objecting.
A bit of America down the tubes.


Tom Sells
00 K1200RS, 03 F650GS
Southfield, Mi:cry

[username]

maybe JD has a huge inventory glut, and so they decided to announce that theyre going to "reduce" the alcohol by 2% so all you folks that have decided to care about this will go and strip it off the shelves, and fight over it on e-bay, and give them a great 4Q04. then they sell the "bad" stuff for a little while, and realize their "mistake" and put the 2% back into the whiskey, and all the while they generate a ton of discussion about their products, and most regular people try it and can't tell the difference, but still buy it.

you guys are just being manipulated.

quite american, actually. :D

[RT_guy]

Originally posted by 1flyer
I've never had anything that compares to Black Jack. Everything else is just somethng else. Not that anything else wouldn't be good, just it's not the same.

One point to consider. I'm sure the good folks at the Distillery would have just as soon left the mix as it was. But I suspect it was the book keepers and the marketeers at Brown Forman in Kentuck that dictated the change.

I've always liked JD too, but the last time I was up to their distillery, I was invited to the "boardroom." While there, I had a few neat glasses of "Gentleman Jack." Please give it a try. I promise you, you'll never again give a damn what they do with Old No. 7.

Gentleman Jack is double-filtered by one of their "secret processes," and is indeed, nectar of the gods. The taste and nose of JD is there, the bite is not.

[Gnome]

I live in Tennessee and come from whisky making roots. If you want good Tennessee Whisky buy George Dickel white Label at 90 proof,it's the very best here in Tennessee. For Bourbon, in my opinion there is no better than Maker's Mark.
Jack Daniel's is Greedy and their whisky tastes burnt,nuff said.

[1flyer]

I’m not so sure about George Dickel. They were doing OK for a while after they reopened the distillery in the late 50’s early 60’s (Anyone remember the Goose Neck bottle that looked like a powder horn?) but production was shut down several years ago. They have only reopened, for the second time, recently after being bought by Diageo. You have to wonder where this 12 year old stuff is coming from.

[RT_guy]

I tried Dickel once. To me, it tasted like a bad Scotch strained through wet straw... :p

[gambrinus]

For blends, I'm suprised there hasn't been more mention of Johnny Walker. Worked with a fellow who was a big fan of the Johnny Walker Blue. Big $$ but he would buy one bottle per year and break it out for special occasions.

For fans of any kind of Whiskey, I have to recommend an excellent book ;

Still Life With Bottle, Whisky According To Ralph Steadman.

Very funny, with the usual Steadman illustrations.

ISBN for those interested..

0-15-100310-6

Cheers
RW

[GeoffMiller]

Might I suggest Booker's?

[jmerlino]

Kbasa, I see you are a man of discrimination and taste. :rocker

[kbasa]

Originally posted by jmerlino
Kbasa, I see you are a man of discrimination and taste. :rocker

Life's too short to drink bad whiskey, man.

[jmerlino]

Originally posted by KBasa
Life's too short to drink bad whiskey, man.

Agreed. :brow