Jack Daniel’s No. 27 Gold

A little background

Jack Daniel’s No. 27 Gold is a relatively new expression that was originally intended to be a limited-edition, travel-retail bottle sold in international markets. However, in 2018 the bottle became available at the distillery shop in Lynchburg and is now available in select markets throughout the United States.

The juice is the bottle is the standard Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 recipe, but this expression is double mellowed and double barreled. This means the juice follows the standard Jack Daniel’s process where it is mellowed in sugar maple charcoal once it comes off the still and is then aged in America oak. However, in an effort to impart additional flavor and a more smooth, luxurious taste, the distillery finishes this whiskey in maple barrels and then puts it through the Lincoln County process again before bottling.

This bottle originally retailed for $100.

(Tasted neat from a Glencairn Glass)

Color

Golden Honey

Nose

The nose is relatively light and soft, and required some time to open up before I started getting any defined flavors. I found caramel, sweet corn, a few notes of ripe banana, and a hint of rye spice. All of these flavors are wrapped in a prominent note of maple wood from the finishing process.

Palate

On the palate, this whiskey is again relatively soft with a thin mouthfeel. Initially, there is plenty of sweet maple syrup and dry oak, and a mild spice develops mid-palate. Other than the sweet notes and some muted baking spices, I really didn’t find much more flavor. The overall profile was slightly tannic and wood-heavy.

Finish

The finish is medium, dry, and relatively unimpressive. Sweet caramel and maple dominate along with mild alcohol burn that tapers off very quickly. The heavy wood notes define the finish and really prevent any additional flavors from developing.

In conclusion

I was initially intrigued by this double-barreled, double-mellowed experiment from Jack Daniel’s. I guess I was also distracted by all the shiny gold packaging, which is exceptionally well done. However, much to my dismay, there really isn’t anything exciting about this whiskey once it’s in the glass. The entire profile, from the nose to finish, felt somewhat thin and lacking in overall flavor. And while the maple notes were enjoyable, the wood notes dominate the pour and prevent other flavors from fully developing. The result is a relativity dry, tannic experience that left me wanting more.