Distillery: Jack Daniel’s
Proof: 107
Age: 12 years
Mashbill: 80% Corn, 12% Rye, 8% Malted Barley
Price: ~$80
Company
Located in Lynchburg, Tennessee and owned by Brown-Forman, Jack Daniel’s is one of the most well-known names and highest-selling brands in whiskey. They’re most known for creating sour mash Tennessee whiskey—which is like bourbon but the distillate goes through an extra step called the Lincoln County Process (charcoal filtering).
Production
This is the first ever 12 year release from Jack Daniel’s and it comes in at a higher proof than you’ll normally see a JD bottle at 107.
Jack Daniel’s 12 Year Review
Nose – 4.5/5
Deep brown sugar and caramel chews with slight vanilla and oak. Similar to the standard JD notes but on steroids. Much richer and sweeter.
Palate – 4.25/5
Much less heat than JD 10 which is really surprising given that it’s higher in proof. Incredibly sweet, balanced, and rich with deep caramel, brown sugar, and vanilla with a slight heat to make it well-rounded.
This is like Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel on steroids, even. It’s legit.
Finish – 4.25/5
Medium length with deep brown sugar and vanilla with lingering oak and baking spice. It’ leaves a great taste in your mouth and caps off a great pour. One of the few sweet and spicy finishes that I’ve found with great balance.
Value – 4/5
You likely won’t find this for it’s $80 MSRP. Since it’s allocated, and since it’s JD, you can expect to pay upwards of $100 – $150 for this bottle.
If you can get it for $100 and like the higher end Jack Daniel’s flavor profile, you’ve gotta try this. This is well worth it’s MSRP and provides you with a consistent and delightful sip that finds a great balance between sweetness and spice. If it were definitely only $80, which is almost impossible due to the allocation craze, this might get a 5/5 for value.
Jack Daniel’s 12 Year Review: The Verdict
4.25/5
We score each bourbon based on nose, palate, finish, and value.
Scoring System:
- Platinum – 4.25 – 5
- Gold – 3.25 – 4.24
- Silver – 2.75 – 3.24
- Bronze – <2.75
Hunter Branch is the Founder and Director of Editorial for Bourbon Inspector. He has been writing about and professionally reviewing bourbon since 2020 (and has been drinking it for much longer). He’s been able to interview big names in the bourbon industry like Trey Zoeller from Jefferson’s Bourbon and his work has been featured in publications like TastingTable, Mashed, and more.