Jack
Daniel’s newest addition to its Special Release Series is called 2026 Small Batch Rye.
There are five different expressions, launched on Tuesday, that are
distillery-exclusive and available only at its White Rabbit Bottle Shop.
Before
I get into the details of what makes the 2026 Small Batch Rye release special,
we need to talk about how Jack Daniel’s makes its whiskeys.
There’s
something special called the Lincoln County Process. Before the newmake
is placed in the barrel, it drips through charcoal from burnt maple for six
days. That charcoal filtering process mellows the newmake. The Lincoln County
Process (LCP) is the point of contention in the big debate over whether or not Tennessee
Whiskey can be considered Bourbon – but we’re not talking about that today –
this is about Rye, right? Right.
The
largest distiller of Tennessee Whiskey is Jack Daniel’s, owned by Brown-Forman.
Jack Daniel’s also makes the world’s most popular American whiskey. One
ticklish bit of trivia is that Jack Daniel’s is in Moore County, which happens
to be dry. Considering who the county’s major employer is and what the county
relies on for revenue —that’s curiosity, if nothing else.
What’s
different between the Rye and typical Tennessee Whiskey (beyond the mashbill)?
The LCP takes only a third as long with Rye as it does with Tennessee Whiskey.
I asked Master Distiller Chris
Fletcher to explain how that works, and he said
it is due to the reduced amount of corn in the mash. With the Tennessee
Whiskey, that huge corn component can be deeply impacted by the LCP. With the
Rye, it is more of a polishing, with far less influence. The Rye also uses much
smaller vats for the LCP.
“I believe our Tennessee Rye Whiskey recipe is among the most exciting innovations to come out of the Jack Daniel Distillery in the past two decades. In recent years, we began to identify barrels at some of our hidden gem barrelhouses that were simply too low-yielding for other bottlings like Bonded Rye and Single Barrel Rye, but had the potential to produce high character whiskey. This small batch release truly showcases how place and time can create intense, bold flavor that is unmistakably Jack.” – Chris Fletcher, Master Distiller
Now,
we can concentrate on the 2026 Small Batch Rye release. As I alluded earlier,
there are five different expressions: Two from the infamous Coy Hill
barrelhouses, two from the lesser-known Boiler Hill, and one from Fire Brigade Fields. Each of these experiences has its own microcosm,
shaped by variations in elevation, sun exposure, tree cover, wind, and other
environmental factors.
The
cool thing is, much like last year’s Tanyard Hill Rye
release, it allows everyone to explore what makes each barrelhouse unique.
Chris
and his team selected 129 barrels, each averaging 10 years old. Their goal was
to harvest barrels featuring very high proof and intense flavors, and which had
so much angel’s share stolen to create single-barrel offerings.
My
sample bottle came from barrels aged at Boiler Hill’s #2 barrelhouse and is the
second of those two batches. I’m grateful to Jack Daniel’s for providing me
with a sample of this Rye in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest
review. Let’s #DrinkCurious and discover how it turned out!
- Whiskey Type: American Rye
- Distiller: Jack Daniel’s
- Age: NAS (estimated 10 years)
- Mashbill: 70% rye, 18% corn, 12% malted barley
- Cooperage: New, 53-gallon charred oak barrels
- Alcohol Content: 71.35% ABV (142.7°)
- Price per 375mL: $64.99 (only available at Jack Daniel Distillery’s White Rabbit Bottle Shop)
Appearance: I used
a Glencairn glass to explore this whiskey neat. The liquid was deep and dark,
resembling black cherries. The most fragile of rims formed, creating
pencil-thin, tightly packed, slow tears.
Nose: As I
was waiting for the whiskey to oxidize properly, it was impossible to miss the
smell of charred oak wafting through the air. Frankly, it had the classic aroma
of a rickhouse.
When I brought the glass beneath
my nostrils and inhaled, my olfactory sense plucked notes of ripe plums, oak, maraschino
cherries, and a hint of nutmeg. I must admit that I was expecting a spicebomb. I
then drew the vapor into my mouth and let it settle for a few seconds. That’s
when I encountered dark chocolate.
Palate: With my
first sip, I discovered an oily, sticky texture. I could tell this was a
high-proof whiskey; it was warm, yet it didn’t set my mouth and throat afire. The
palate shock was cocoa and oak. The second sip revealed flavors of dark
chocolate, ripe plums, and dense molasses on the front. I tasted cherries, cinnamon,
and rye spice at mid-palate, followed by very sweet oak, English toffee, and
barrel char on the back palate.
Finish: There
was an eyebrow-raising, Energizer Bunny finish here that seemed to hold on for
dear life. It included dark chocolate, cocoa, sweet oak, rye spice, English
toffee, old leather, and ripe plums. Leather was the last to leave. I timed it
at 1:56 – it sure seemed longer than the clock suggested! It was dry, yet it
didn’t suck the moisture from my mouth or throat.
Bottle, Bar, or Bust: First
and foremost, Boiler Hill #2 is remarkably mild for a hazmat whiskey. I even
poured myself a second glass to ensure that I was getting the bigger picture. I
was shocked by how sweet an American (Tennessee?) Rye could be. I’ve had plenty
of very high-proof Jack Daniel’s Ryes; I’ve even picked some barrels myself. Jack
makes great Rye whiskey, and Boiler Hill #2 is an outlier.
What do I hate about it? That
my sample is pretty much gone, and that I have to travel to Lynchburg if I want
more. What do I love about it? Everything else. Simply put, Boiler Hill #2
Batch 2 is a stunningly delicious whiskey that checks off all of my boxes,
along with boxes I didn’t even know that I had. My Bottle rating doesn’t
do this service. I’m also very damned curious what the other four batches taste
like. Cheers!
photo courtesy of Jack Daniel's
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.
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