Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Select

N: Well, it smells like Jack Daniel's. But where I find the Old No. 7 to have an almost comical banana candy character (which I still like), here that banana turns into a banana custard creme brulee with an extra thick torched brown sugar cover. There's also toasted marshmallow, vanilla cream, wood notes, mineral water, cola, and a dash of root beer concentrate. Finally, decent amount of ethanol, but it's well behaved and doesn't ruin the nose. (Edit off the bottle kill pour: aftershave on the nose. I'm not mad though. It works.) P: Sweet with more of that banana - now leaning more bananas foster with caramelized brown sugar and a light but crispy flambeed crust. Healthy drizzle of milk chocolate in there too. Then there's some toasted nuts, toffee, molasses, and baking spice. Finish is hot-ish with plenty of cinnamon, little bit of cayenne, and then more toasted nuts tossed in a medley of baking spices. Good bit of oak and barrel tannin too. Not long ago I tried the Old No. 7 after years of avoidance (because I remembered it tasting like olives - no idea why), turns out I really like the JD profile (for the price, anyway). So, guess I figured I should try others in the line. This is an appropriately grown up JD for the step up in price. In fact, I think it's actually kind of a bargain - 94 proof, single barrel (with barrel and rick numbers at the neck), and plenty of complexity for around $40? It's not quite as good as like a Russell's Reserve Single Barrel, but it's not far off, it's interestingly different from the Kentucky single barrels, and the price is right. I'll be picking this up again.

Corn, caramel, cherry, and prominent honest with a bit of mustiness on the nice nose; corn, oak, and some caramel, but there’s nothing after that but water; medium finish that is just oak and caramel; too thin texture, a little burn; not impressed, very simple for a barrel proof

I'm new to reviewing this stuff, so bear with me. This smells great, sweet and full with honey, vanilla, and caramel on the nose. The taste is smooth with only a hint of spice (I usually love spice in my whiskey). There is oak and a trace of char in the back of my mouth. The finish is very smooth and effervescent ,very little burn. For a whiskey under $50 this is quite good. I hope the initial impression lasts.