Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series Twice Barreled Rye Review

Jack Daniel’s
Distillery Series
Selection #013
Twice Barreled
Tennessee Straight Rye Whiskey
107 Proof
MSRP: $41.99
Review

Please enjoy our Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series 13 Twice Barreled Rye Review!

Selection #13 in Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series line of experimental whiskeys is barreled twice in new, charred American white oak barrels. Released, July 2024.

Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series

Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series is JD’s line of experimental and innovative whiskeys. They are released in limited quantities, and are available only at the White Rabbit Bottle Shop at the Jack Daniel’s Distillery and at select Tennessee retailers. The best I can tell, the Distillery Series used to be called “Tennessee Tasters”. For whatever reason, the name changed between Selections #7 and #8. Regardless, the latest release, and the topic of this review, is Selection #13, Twice Barreled Tennessee Straight Rye Whiskey.

Mash Bill & Process

Distillery Selection #13, Jack Daniel’s Twice Barreled Rye, uses the same unique rye mash bill as the other Jack Daniel’s ryes. It is made up of 70% rye, 12% malted barley and 18% corn. Like all Jack Daniel’s whiskeys, the rye is “charcoal mellowed” (aka the Lincoln County Process) and then aged in a new charred American white oak barrel.  After maturation, the rye whiskey was entered into a second new, charred American white oak barrel, and aged for an additional two and half years.

Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series Twice Barreled Rye vs Special Release Twice Barreled Rye

I was wondering, and you might be, too, how this Distillery Series Twice Barreled Rye differed from the Special Release Twice Barreled Rye released in 2023. The names are quite similar, so it seemed a bit confusing. It turns out, that while the 2023 release was also matured and then transferred into a second barrel, that second barrel was Jack Daniel’s so called “Heritage Barrel”. The “Heritage Barrel” is heavily toasted and lightly charred. However, the second barrel used for this current Distillery Series release is the same type of barrel that the whiskey was originally aged in. Therefore, it is a standard Jack Daniel’s new charred American white oak barrel. If you are interested, you can read more about the Heritage barrel in my review of the first Jack Daniel’s Heritage Barrel Tennessee Whiskey.

Tasting Notes – Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series Twice Barreled Rye (Selection 013)

Let’s taste it:

🛏 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn

Color: Dark amber

👉🏻Nose: Vanilla, sweet brown sugar and hints of maple syrup; light dry oak and cedar; subtle rye spices; sweet dark cherries; moderate alcohol
👉🏻Taste: Brown sugar, vanilla, tannins, dry oak
👉🏻Finish: Long, with growing, and then lingering, black pepper, tannins, mild char, dry oak and hints of rye spices. Moderate warmth.

The nose is rich with vanilla and brown sugar, with a touch of maple syrup, too. There is also dry oak, some cedar and sweet dark cherries. However, there are only subtle rye spices. The taste starts off sweet with brown sugar, and vanilla, too. Fairly rapidly, quite a bit of tannins appear, along with dry oak. Finally, the long finish has growing and lingering black pepper spice along with tannins, mild barrel char and oak. Subtle rye spices are there, as well.

Where Is All the Rye?

With 70% rye in the mash bill, one would expect Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series Twice Barreled Rye to be more, well, rye forward. However, it is not. If tasted blindly, one might even think this was a bourbon, particularly in the nose, where there is all of that sweet brown sugar, maple, vanilla and sweet cherries. However, later on, in the taste and finish, as the spices become more dominant, one could lean towards a rye. However, the characteristic rye spices remain quite subtle throughout.

Conclusion

Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series Twice Barreled Rye has quite a bit to it. I am really enjoying the rich flavors in the nose. Furthermore, those flavors evolve throughout the sip, ultimately becoming more dry and spicy at the end. Moreover, the effects of 2 1/2 years in a second new charred oak barrel are definitely highlighted by this release. If this all sounds intriguing to you, then definitely give this Twice Barreled Rye a try! However, you’ll likely have to head to Tennessee to do so. Cheers!🥃

We hope you have enjoyed our Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series 13 Twice Barreled Rye Review! If you woud like to read about a couple of other Jack Daniel’s whiskeys, then check out my Jack Daniel’s Barrel Proof Rye Review and my Jack Daniel’s Heritage Barrel Review.

Note: This bottle was graciously provided by the brand for my review.

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