Jack Daniel’s is known for Tennessee Whiskey.
That is not exactly breaking news. Say “Jack Daniel’s” to most people, and they probably think Old No. 7, Lynchburg, black labels, square bottles and the kind of whiskey that has been sitting behind bars for generations.
But Jack Daniel’s does not get nearly enough credit for what it does with rye.
That may sound strange if you already know. If you have spent any time with Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Rye, Bonded Rye or Barrel Proof Rye, you probably know exactly what I mean. But for a lot of whiskey drinkers, Jack is still mostly Jack. The ryes get overlooked.
They should not.
On my trip to Tennessee in early June, I picked up two more Jack Daniel’s rye whiskeys: a 90-proof straight rye and a 146.1-proof special release from “Boiler Hill” that was just Hazmat enough that I couldn’t bring it home myself. My buddy Scott later delivered those to me during our recent vacation, along with a second Hazmat Boiler Hill special release at 142.7 proof.
That brought my Jack Daniel’s rye count to six bottles, which seemed like a pretty good excuse for a blind comparison.
Not that I need much of an excuse.
The six bottles were:
Jack Daniel’s Straight Rye, 90 proof
Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Rye, 94 proof
Jack Daniel’s Bonded Rye, 100 proof
Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Barrel Proof Rye, 129 proof
Jack Daniel’s 2026 Special Release Rye, 142.7 proof
Jack Daniel’s 2026 Special Release Rye, 146.1 proof
The samples were poured into small bottles, identical except for numbers on the bottom. They were jumbled, pulled randomly and poured without me knowing which was which.
I figured the two Hazmats would probably identify themselves pretty quickly. When something is over 140 proof, it usually waves hello before it even reaches your mouth.
But the other four? That was the real question.
Bottle A
Color: Light copper.
Nose: Honey, caramel, light bananas and nutmeg.
Palate: Some standard herbal rye notes along with some classic Jack Daniel’s notes. Mint, cinnamon, bananas, caramel and vanilla. Decent, but not amazing.
Mouthfeel: On the thin side. Not terrible, but not memorable.
Finish: A little quick. There are good flavors of cinnamon and caramel, but they fade too soon.
Overall impression: This was a good first dram, but it would function better as a mixer than as a sipper.
Score: 77.14
Bottle B
Color: Solid mahogany. Most likely one of the Hazmats.
Nose: Beautiful. Rich chocolate, bananas, caramel, nutmeg and cherries.
Palate: Oh, yes. Welcome to Hazmat No. 1.
This one carried some serious heat, but I resisted adding water because I wanted a pure tasting. The flavors were worth the burn: caramel- and chocolate-covered bananas, cinnamon, brown sugar and cherries.
Mouthfeel: Nicely oily.
Finish: The proof and viscosity made sure this one stayed around for a while. The cherries and brown sugar moved forward, along with a nice dose of cinnamon.
Overall impression: A definite sipper, and probably a good one with a cigar. I would almost certainly add a small cube or a few drops of water next time.
Score: 89.73
Bottle C
Color: Light copper.
Nose: A wonderfully gorgeous Jack nose. Buttery toffee, chocolate-covered bananas and nutmeg.
Palate: A little spicy, with cinnamon leading the charge ahead of cherries, bananas, chocolate, caramel and light oak.
Mouthfeel: Decent, but thinner than expected.
Finish: A little quick, but with solid notes of bananas, chocolate and toffee along the way.
Overall impression: I guessed this was either the Single Barrel or the Bonded. Either way, it was a solid sipper with delicious Jack-esque notes.
Score: 83.65
Bottle D
Color: Rich mahogany. Perhaps Hazmat No. 2.
Nose: Once again, delicious. Rich, buttery toffee, nutmeg, caramel, chocolate and light bananas.
Palate: Hot, spicy, but delicious. Cinnamon, dark chocolate, cherries, light oak and bananas.
Mouthfeel: Thick and oily.
Finish: Super satisfying. Mint showed up with the tart cherries on the back end, along with some semi-sweet chocolate.
Overall impression: I was not sure whether I liked this more than the previous Hazmat, but it was close. Very close. I would love to have a pour of this with a few drops of water and a little more time to let it settle down.
Score: 89.51
Bottle E
Color: Decent copper.
Nose: Chocolate-covered bananas, buttery toffee, toasted oak and nutmeg.
Palate: A repeat of the nose in the best possible way. Chocolate-covered bananas with a drizzle of caramel and a cherry on top. A sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg to boot.
Mouthfeel: Nicely creamy.
Finish: The oak jumped to the front, along with toffee, caramel and tart cherries.
Overall impression: The Hazmats packed a punch, but this one was easy-sipping dessert in a glass.
Score: 87.02
Bottle F
Color: Light mahogany.
Nose: Rich toasted oak, dark chocolate, toffee, nutmeg and a faint trace of bananas.
Palate: A burst of cinnamon, tart cherries, semi-sweet chocolate and butterscotch.
Mouthfeel: Nicely creamy.
Finish: Nicely tart in several ways: dry oak, tart cherries and dark chocolate.
Overall impression: Another dessert sipper. This one packed a bigger punch than some of the others, but it would be very satisfying at the end of a long day.
Score: 89.08
The Reveal
Here is how the blind bottles matched up:
Bottle A was Jack Daniel’s Straight Rye.
Bottle B was Jack Daniel’s Special Release Rye 2026, the 146.1-proof bottle.
Bottle C was Jack Daniel’s Bonded Rye.
Bottle D was Jack Daniel’s Special Release Rye 2026, the 142.7-proof bottle.
Bottle E was Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Rye.
Bottle F was Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Barrel Proof Rye.
I predicted most of them correctly, with the exception of the two special releases, which were easy to confuse with each other. When two Jack Daniel’s ryes are sitting north of 140 proof and both are bringing chocolate, bananas, cherries, cinnamon and heat, there is no shame in mixing them up.
That is not failure.
That is survival.
Finish Order
My final order was:
- Jack Daniel’s Special Release Rye 2026, 142.7 proof
- Jack Daniel’s Special Release Rye 2026, 146.1 proof
- Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Barrel Proof Rye
- Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Rye
- Jack Daniel’s Bonded Rye
- Jack Daniel’s Straight Rye
The top three were packed tightly together, and all three were excellent. The Hazmats had the highest ceiling, especially if a few drops of water opened them up. The Single Barrel Barrel Proof Rye was probably the best pour exactly as it came out of the bottle. It had enough proof to bring serious flavor, but it did not feel like it was trying to melt my face off.
That is always appreciated.
The regular Single Barrel Rye may be the easiest straight sipper of the bunch. It has enough richness to feel special, but it does not require negotiation. You pour it, sip it and enjoy it.
The Bonded Rye is a budget sipper, and a good one. It did not finish near the top of this particular lineup, but that says more about the competition than the bottle. There is no shame in losing a dunk contest to Michael Jordan.
And the Straight Rye? It finished last, but I do not mean that as an insult. It could be sipped, but I suspect its highest calling is probably an Old Fashioned. At 90 proof, with those Jack Daniel’s banana-caramel notes and enough rye spice to stand up in a cocktail, it could be exactly what that bottle is supposed to be.
Final Thoughts
Is there any question that Jack Daniel’s makes great whiskey, including great rye?
There should not be.
All five of the top bottles belong on any whiskey-lover’s shelf, and even the Straight Rye has a clear purpose. The Special Releases are the showstoppers. The Barrel Proof Rye is the bruiser that also knows how to behave. The Single Barrel is dessert in a glass. The Bonded is a terrific value. The Straight Rye is probably begging for bitters, sugar and an orange peel.
When my budget formula is applied, all of them jump into the upper echelon of my collection. That matters, because great whiskey is one thing. Great whiskey that makes sense for the price is even better.
But once again, the biggest winner is me.
Because I get to look at the shelf to my left and see an amazing collection of Jack Daniel’s rye whiskeys.
And whenever I choose, I get to pour one.
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Copyright © 2026 Doug DeBolt.
