Jack Daniel's Distillery Series #17: High Angel's Share Tennessee Whiskey Review

 

Is Tennessee Whiskey Bourbon or not? That’s a question that is hotly debated among whiskey enthusiasts. Folks on the Bourbon side cite how Tennessee Whiskey meets every legal definition of Bourbon. Folks on the other side will tell you the Lincoln County Process (LCP) adulterates the whiskey and disqualifies it from being called Bourbon. Whichever side you fall on, international agreements consider Tennessee Whiskey to be Bourbon.

 

What is the LCP? Before the newmake is placed in the barrel, it drips through charcoal from burnt maple for six days. That charcoal filtering process mellows it by removing any harshness. The LCP is the point of contention in the debate.

 

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 it relies on for revenue, that’s curiosity, if nothing else.

 

Jack Daniel’s classic mashbill is distilled from 80% corn, 12% malted barley, and 8% rye, and the 6- to 7-day fermentation process utilizes a proprietary yeast. It comes off the still at 140°, then goes through the LCP: 10 feet of maple charcoal made at the distillery. The barrels are toasted for 10-12 minutes, then subjected to a 25-second charring session, resulting in a level between #3 and #4.

 

Today, I am reviewing Distillery Series #17 a/k/a High Angel’s Share Straight Tennessee Whiskey.

 

Coy Hill is home to what are probably Jack Daniel’s most revered barrelhouses. High Angel’s Share was harvested from barrels that rested at the top floor of Barrelhouse 1-13 for most of a decade! Why is that special? Simply put, the top floor of a rickhouse/barrelhouse/warehouse (whatever) is its hottest spot, which means the barrels experience the most evaporation (or “angel’s share”), which, in turn, super-concentrates the whiskey left behind.    

 

These Distillery Series whiskeys (formerly called Tennessee Tasters) are considered experimental and are distillery-only releases available exclusively at the White Rabbit Bottle Shop. Also, instead of being selected by Master Distiller Chris Fletcher, the Distillery Series is chosen by a panel of Whiskey Tasters. In the case of High Angel’s Share, that Whiskey Taster was Dale McGee.  

 

Packaged at a whopping 62.9% ABV (138.4°), a 375mL bottle can be acquired for $44.75.

 

So, before you run to Lynchburg to try and grab one, let’s #DrinkCurious and determine if High Angel’s Share matches up with the hype. Jack Daniel’s was kind enough to provide me with a sample in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review.

 

• Whiskey Type: Tennessee Whiskey
• Distiller: Jack Daniel’s
• Age: 10 years
• Mashbill: 80% corn, 12% malted barley, and 8% rye
• Cooperage: New, 53-gallon #3/#4 charred oak barrels
• Alcohol Content: 62.9% ABV (138.4°)
• Price per 375mL: $44.75

 

Appearance: I poured High Angel’s Share into my Glencairn glass to explore neat. Its color was burnt umber, heavy on reds. Pencil-thin, tightly packed tears slowly worked their way down from a medium-thin rim.

 

Nose: I waited about 20 minutes before engaging with the aroma. That’s a bit longer than usual, but considering this whiskey is almost Haz-Mat, I figured an extra 5 minutes wouldn’t hurt. When I brought the glass beneath my nostrils, it seemed as if a nuclear bomb of cherries detonated as it hit my olfactory sense. As I continued to sniff, I detected brown sugar, old leather, dried tobacco, French oak, and orange zest. Inside my mouth, the air tasted of English toffee.

 

Palate: High Angel’s Share revealed a silky texture with, shockingly, not much of an alcohol punch. While there was a strong presence of brown sugar with that first sip, the second had classic Jack Daniel’s banana, brown sugar, and bold cherry notes on the front of my palate. English toffee, tobacco leaf, and leather took over at mid-palate, leading to flavors of French oak, cocoa, and ginger spice on the back.

 

Finish: Admittedly, I would have been very disappointed if High Angel’s Share had a short finish. Instead, it ran a long 1:39, with brown sugar, tobacco, cocoa, ginger spice, cherries, and French oak. For much of the duration, it was even-keeled; a slow fade began at 1:13.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: If you blindfolded me and suggested that I guess the proof, I’d say maybe 110° or so. It drank nowhere even remotely near what the label suggested.

 

I was prepared for High Angel’s Share to be oaky. While there was French oak, it was more of a complementary component than one that dominated. The density of the cherries was unexpected, but I was thrilled nonetheless. It was fun to experience the Jack Daniel’s bananas with such a high-proof expression.

 

Until today, my favorite Distillery Series was #4 – a barrel-proof Rye from 2019. As much as I enjoyed that, High Angel’s Share soars past #4, leaving it in the dust. The fact that it is only $45.00 is amazing. I wish this one were available beyond the distillery’s store because I’d love to have a second Bottle. 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.