**#1 WHISKEY OF 2022**
TASTING NOTES:
Vital stats: Bottled in Bond, meaning that it was aged at least four years, bottled at 100-proof, and both distilled and bottled on site.
Appearance: Packaged in Jack Daniel’s signature, rectangular bottle – except this is a liter in volume instead of the usual 750mL – with some gold in the label design to make it a bit more eye-catching than Old No. 7. The whiskey itself looks like a dark copper in the bottle, but brightens up a bit in the glass.
Nose: The whiskey’s initial scent is exceptionally sweet and decadent, entering the nasal passages with a light and sugary caramel, a bit of tangerine adding tartness, and notes of wheat and hay. After a moment, the aroma mellows into a richer, more mature caramel with a floral undertone reminiscent of lilac, a strong note of oak, and a vague, herbal spiciness evening out the bouquet.
Palate: Entering even sweeter than the nose, the first sip is more like a bright but rich vanilla, though mostly nondescript apart from a vaguely floral note. Over the next few moments on the tongue, the whiskey begins to take on a mild oak flavor with a bit of smokiness. The slightly above average proof shows itself if in the form of a clove-like burn that develops only when the sip sits on the tongue long enough, 10 seconds or so. Swallowing leads to a rush of that clove – mostly flavor while easy on the burn – that lingers for a moment and starts to give way to a creamy, smoky caramel, which also gradually fades away.
