Review: Jack Daniel’s Gentleman Jack (2008)
Review: Jack Daniel’s Gentleman Jack (2008)
Few liquor brands are as heralded as Jack Daniel’s, but it’s never been a favorite of mine. Too harsh for sipping and lacking character even in a Coke, Jack has just not been a big winner for me.
And not for lack of trying. You can’t go to a bar or a party without being surrounded by the stuff. I’ve had it on literally hundreds of occasions, but no matter how I doctor the stuff, it just never does the trick vs. some far better bourbons. (And yes, I know Jack Daniel’s is not bourbon but “Tennessee Whiskey,” but a little shorthand is OK in my book.)
So what’s Gentleman Jack all about? It is, essentially, Jack Daniel’s that’s been through an additional charcoal filtering process with the goal of making the spirit smoother and mellower. (The distillery even calls it “Charcoal Mellowing.”)
And in general, it works. Gentleman Jack is significantly smoother and quite a bit sweeter, taking on a caramel and honey notes and a more gentle smokiness than standard JD. In fact, Gentleman Jack oddly tastes closer to a blended Scotch than a Bourbon. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing, but there it is.
Now in a new and more elegant bottle design (see pic below), GJ isn’t a bad deal at $25 a bottle, but overall I recommend it to people growing tired of standard Jack… or those who think there’s just nothing better out there.
80 proof.
B+ / $25 / gentlemanjack.com [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT] [BUY IT NOW FROM TOTAL WINE]
Jack Daniel's Gentleman Jack (2008)
$25
jack is wack.
Perhaps this is something for all the young male JD fans to drink once they grow up a little.
It’s quite good, only problem is I can’t ever get it at a bar. Bartenders, please spread the word.
Love this stuff. Great for sipping. I have 4 1ltr bottles here as we speak. Also have 3 bottles of silver select. All from manchester airport. Love this stuff but in ireland we are talking €80 a bottle and its only £26 in uk airports so its worth stocking up. Enjoy your christmas everyone, i know i will
GJ is alittle sweet for me, I prefer Black Label JD. Recently tried Single Barrel, and I like everything about it. I like knowing the history, and having the illusion of a pedigree. If anyone has more info on the translation of the numbers on the neck, please inform me.
Actually there is more to it than just the charcoal mellowing. Yes, the charcoal mellowing gives all Jack Daniel’s family of brands a distinct and delightful taste. However, Gentleman Jack unlike its brothers Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey and Single Barrel, comes only from the bottom of the rick house, where it is exposed to least amount of heat variance, thus it is not as exposed to wood as Single Barrell and Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey experiences. This lower part of the rick house and being the only whiskey twice charcoal mellowed is what gives it it’s unique taste and smoothness.
I have relied on my Wild Turkey 101 for over 40 years, and never found anything close to it until now. The GJ is a fine sipping one that really does rival the smoothness and clean finish of WT 101. Comparatively priced, my druthers would be to grab the WT, but when that’s not around, this GJ is the best alternative I have ever found.