Jack Daniel's & Coca-Cola RTD Cocktail Review & Tasting Notes

Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey is the best-selling whiskey in the world, American or otherwise, and has been for the last several years after Old No. 7 knocked Johnnie Walker off its pedestal. Jack Daniel’s is made at the oldest-working distillery in the United States in Lynchburg, Tennessee, and owned by Brown-Forman.   

 

Coca-Cola soft drinks. There may not be a more iconic American brand than Coca-Cola. Formulated in 1866 by John S. Pemberton, Coca-Cola maintained a high-profile marketing campaign that always kept it fresh in peoples’ minds.

 

Then there’s the Jack & Coke cocktail, a marriage between the two. It may be one of the most basic and dates back to 1907. You pour the Coke, add a shot or so of Jack, and voila, it is ready to drink!

 

And now, these two powerhouses joined forces for the second or so to offer this cocktail in a can. It was first presented at 5% ABV (10°). It then disappeared. It was re-released at the end of March at a more potent 7% ABV (14°). Also, this incarnation utilizes caffeine-free Coca-Cola in the recipe.

 

Jack Daniel’s & Coca-Cola Ready To Drink (RTD) cocktail comes in four-packs of 12-ounce cans and a suggested retail price of $13.00.

 

Before I crack open a can, I must thank Jack Daniel’s for providing me with a sample in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s #DrinkCurious.

 

Appearance: I poured this into a Coca-Cola-branded glass without ice. It was as close to black as you could get while still being brown.

 

Nose: I could smell Jack Daniel’s influence over the caramel and sugar from the Coke.

 

Palate: Despite being 7% ABV, there wasn’t a “kick” that I might have expected. But there was Bourbon to taste that the cola didn’t drown out. Lots of caramel, lots and lots of it, along with a slight tingle on the tongue. There’s no bite from the Coke side that I’d otherwise expect. I tasted cinnamon. Was there some oak? I thought I found its ghost beneath everything.

 

Finish: The caramel flavor hung around longer than I anticipated.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Why buy the RTD version considering that you can make this drink at home all day long? Because you’re going somewhere else; the beach, the park, watching the big game, surviving a kid’s birthday party – whatever. It is ready, and it is portable 24/7. It is also unassuming; it resembles any other soft drink can in size and shape, so it won’t garner unwanted attention.

 

Frankly, I like this more than several other RTDs I’ve had. I enjoyed it more than any Jack & Coke I’ve made at home. It has been way too many years since I ordered one at a bar for me to make a comparison.

 

If there’s a downside, it escapes me. I’d grab a box of Jack Daniel’s and enjoy it on a day out where I wasn’t planning to wind up at a bar. It is a class act and takes my Bottle rating. Cheers!

 

 

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you do so responsibly.