Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel – Barrel Proof Rye 2020 Special Release, 65.80%
Nose: Burnt sugar, oak, mint, maple syrup, overripe banana
Palate: Rich and full-bodied, cinnamon and baking spices followed by a wallop of spearmint, brown sugar, woody almost toasted, allspice
Finish: Long, tannic, chalky and drying, more rye spice, banana chocolate chip pancakes with maple syrup
Rating: 89/100 – Excellent | Really quite exceptional
Easily the best thing I’ve tasted from JD. Drinks well at 130 proof and hits most of the rye notes I look for while also adding a unique dessertiness. The chalky finish and slightly burnt notes are my minor nitpicks and keep the score just below the 90s. I wouldn’t recommend paying secondary, but at ~$67 this release blows the competition out of the water and I hope Jack Daniel’s considers making it a permanent release.