Swahili1
Reviewed
January 1, 2019 (edited January 25, 2020)
Tasting: 1.5 oz pour, neat in rocks glass.
Nose (3.75): Apricots, apple, vanilla are forward. There is smokiness in the background. Not especially mind blowing on the nose, but enough to entice.
Palate (4.0): Lots of vanilla and perhaps peach and honey. It has a sweetness much different then I get from regular Jack which was good. Oily mouthfeel that coats the palate well. The signature Jack Daniels smoke comes in at the back of the palate but not in the aggressive "charcoal and sticks" way the traditional JD does. Much smoother.
Finish (4.25): Shines on a medium to long finish. The smoke continues with just a puff but then gives way to honeycrisp apples, and a bit of sweet tea. Lingers on the taste buds for a good long time making you want more.
Overall: A very good dram. Not sure if the bottle price justifies it. I would like to try side by side with the barrel select and judge the difference. My thought is that the barrel select is the better bargain. Advice- try it first before you invest in a bottle. At under $100 it would be a hit. But where it is currently priced it is in with some competition. I would say though Jack Daniels has upped their game.