Jack Daniel's McLxJD Tennessee Whiskey Review (2025)

 

I’m pretty sure everyone, including non-whiskey drinkers, has heard of Jack Daniel’s. Its Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey is the best-selling whiskey of any kind in the world. Founded in Lynchburg, Tennessee, in 1866, the distillery sources water from the Cave Spring Hollow, two miles beneath its campus. It is also the first registered distillery in the United States.

 

Jack Daniel’s starts with a mash of 80% corn, 12% malted barley, and 8% rye. It then goes through a six-day fermentation process. When that’s complete, it is sent through the copper pot still, which exits at 140°.

 

It then goes through the Lincoln County Process (LCP), making Tennessee Whiskey a subset of Bourbon. Much debate surrounds this; however, nothing in the rules disqualifies Tennessee Whiskey from being Bourbon. In the case of Jack Daniel’s, the LCP process takes between 3-5 days. After the LCP, the whiskey goes into barrels. Jack Daniel’s has its own cooperage, giving it greater control over barrel quality and consistency.

 

When Old No. 7 was first released, it was packaged at 45% ABV (90°). As the years passed, the proof was lowered, finally resting at the legal minimum of 40% ABV (80°).

 

That is until Jack Daniel’s partnered with the McLaren Racing Team. Founded in 1963 by Bruce McLaren, the team has since won 20 Formula 1 world championships, 183 Formula 1 grand prixes, the Indianapolis 500 three times, and the Le Mans 24 Hours at its first entry.

 

The result of this collaboration is Jack Daniel’s McLxJD 2025 Edition, built on the Old No. 7 brand but bottled at 43% ABV (86°) – a proof not seen in over two decades. If you think six proof points don’t mean much, it can be the difference between night and day.

 

Before I #DrinkCurious to discover what this version of Old No. 7 is all about, I must thank Jack Daniel’s for providing me with a sample in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review.   

 

• Whiskey Type: Tennessee Whiskey
• Age: NAS (at least 4 years, the average is 4 to 6)
• Mashbill: 80% corn, 12% rye, 8% malted barley
• Cooperage: New, charred white oak casks
• Alcohol Content: 43% ABV (86°)
• Price per 1000mL: $34.99

 

Appearance: I poured this whiskey into my Glencairn glass to sip neat. Inside, it was a golden orange amber. A bold rim formed widely spaced, slow droplets along with thick, crazed tears.

 

Nose: The classic banana-infused aroma made this unmistakably Old No. 7. Cinnamon, brown sugar, maple, and raisins were part of the sniffing experience. As I drew the vapor into my mouth, I found fried plantains.

 

Palate: McLxJD’s texture was rich, dense, and creamy. I tasted tobacco, fried plantains, and caramel on the front of my palate. Midway through, it included flavors of spiced nuts and brown sugar. Leather, mild oak, and cinnamon hit the back of my palate.

 

Finish: Weighing in at 1:01, the medium-length finish featured dry leather, cinnamon spice, tobacco, fried plantains, and oak. Cinnamon held out the longest.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: While Jack Daniel’s McLxJD has some similarities to the standard Old No. 7 we’re used to, there are enough differences to captivate your attention. It is superior in every way, shape, and form to the 80° you’ll find at every bar and liquor store on Earth. This 86° sibling’s mouthfeel was closer to Gentleman Jack than Old No. 7, and that’s just the start. It was more flavorful, enjoyable, and something you’d not want to add “and Coke” to.

 

For $35.00, you’re getting one heck of a good whiskey. I’m thrilled to have this in my whiskey library and can’t wait for someone to come over and tell me to “pick something” for them. It earned 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 to do so responsibly.