REVIEW: Jack Daniel's Tennessee Travelers Whiskey & Rye

REVIEW: Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Travelers Whiskey & Rye

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Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Travelers Sweet & Oaky Straight Tennessee Whiskey ABV: 53.5% Average Price: $34 (Heineman Travel Shops Only) The Whiskey: This limited edition, traveler’s exclusive is classic Jack Daniel’s at a much higher ABV. The mash is 80 percent corn, 12 percent malted barley, and eight percent rye. That whiskey is then aged in Jack Daniel’s vast warehouses after going through the iconic Lincoln County Process of sugar maple charcoal filtration. The barrels are then hand-picked by Master Distiller Chris Fletcher for their uniqueness and flavors that lean into what’s advertised on the label. Tasting Notes: The nose draws you in with a creamy mix of vanilla pudding drizzled with soft caramel, a dose of rain dampened oak, and a hint of sour cherry that slowly becomes Cherry Coke spritzed with tart lemon as you go back to the nose over and over again. The palate opens with a woodiness that’s almost almond shells that turn into Brazil nuts with a hint more of that cherry but now it’s tied to wood. The mid-palate really leans away from the heavier wood and nutty notes towards thin but dry wicker that’s dramatically smoothed out by a rush of vanilla creaminess on the finish. The very back end has this lingering sense of Brazil nut and almond shells and a slight Cherry Coke vibe that’s more like a soaked oak stave than drinking it from the actual can. The Bottle: The bottle is a smaller version of the classic Jack bottle. The off-white label stands out and gives you exactly all the information you need about what’s in the bottle. Still, the bottle feels very much like it was made for a non-English speaking market, making sure the simplest terms are front and center. Bottom Line: This is like Jack Daniel’s turned up to ten but pulsed through the clearest of speakers. It’s so distinctly what it says while layering in familiarity, nuance, and something new. Pour this over a rock and you’ll really be in for a treat. Ranking: 95/100 — This is just a really freakin’ good pour of Tennessee whiskey. Maybe all Jack Daniel’s should be 53.5 percent? I’m just putting that out there. Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Travelers Bold & Spicy Tennessee Straight Rye Whiskey ABV: 53.5% Average Price: $34 (Heineman Travel Shops Only) The Whiskey: This version is Jack’s essential Tennessee Rye Whiskey, also at a higher ABV. That whiskey has a mash bill of 70 percent rye, 18 percent corn, and 12 percent malted barley. The spirit is then rested in those warehouses until it hits just the right mark to be bottled as the limited-edition “Bold & Spicy” rye. Tasting Notes: The nose on this is super subtle and you really have to dig in there to find notes of sassafras that turn into black Necco Wafers next to a light leather and the plastic wrap from a box of caramel candies. There’s a nice vanilla layer on the top of the glass when you nose it that adds a nice creamy element that’s almost like a pitcher of fresh, full-fat cream with the slightest hint of fresh butter. The palate starts off subtly as well then explodes with flavors with dried dill leading towards dried mint that supports a savory note of what could be bison jerky with a slight dusting of white pepper.

What’s wild, when you go back to the nose after that first sip, you’re greeted with a dried chili powder and a hint of cumin right at the bottom of the Glencairn. Then back on the mid-palate that vanilla leads towards a soft stewed peach with mild dark spices, an echo of nuttiness, a hint of whiskey-soaked applewood, and a very small whisper of black truffle on the very, very back end of the finish. The Bottle: The bottle is a smaller version of the classic Jack bottle. The off-white label stands out and gives you exactly all the information you need about what’s in the bottle. Still, the bottle feels very much like it was made for a non-English speaking market, making sure the simplest terms are front and center. Bottom Line: This was a wild ride. At first glance, I didn’t think much would be there, and then it really opened up, kind of like the clouds parting to reveal sunbeams and rainbows but everything was still dripping wet and fresh … replenished. Ranking: 96/100 — This is a killer rye whiskey. Again, this higher proof really works to help this rye shine. That black truffle savory note on the finish (if you really give it time to linger and settle) is still kind of blowing my mind.

Whiskey Reviews: Elvis Whiskey’s “Tiger Man” and “The King”

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Editor’s Note: These whiskeys were provided to us as review samples by Grain and Barrel Spirits. This in no way, per our editorial policies, influenced the final outcome of this review. It should also be noted that by clicking the buy links towards the bottom of this review our site receives a small referral payment which helps to support, but not influence, our editorial and other costs.

Peanut butter, banana, and bacon sandwiches as well as all kinds of rich foods come to mind when thinking of Elvis. But whiskey does not. In fact, not much in the way of alcohol comes to mind when thinking of The King. I found a clip of Charlie Hodge talking on the matter. So it seems an odd choice to brand your whiskey with his image. That hasn’t stopped this collaboration between Grain and Barrel Spirits and Elvis Presley Enterprises from making Elvis Whiskey a thing.

Recently released are the Elvis Tiger Man Whiskey, a Straight Tennessee Whiskey, and Elvis The King Straight Rye Whiskey. This brand is being produced by Grain and Barrel Spirits, a company based out of Charleston, South Carolina. They have partnered with Elvis Presley Enterprises for the use of Elvis’ name and likeness on the bottle. While Grain and Barrel Spirits does not appear to distill any of their own products, they are behind several labels.

The rye is being sourced from MGP in Indiana while the Tennessee whiskey is coming from an undisclosed location. Both whiskeys make their way to Tennessee for bottling. These bottlings are 45% ABV and are aged the minimum two years needed for the straight whiskey designation on their label. There isn’t much more to speak of the production and brand of the whiskey, so I guess let’s look at the history behind the names?

While Elvis is most known from his title of The King (of Rock and Roll) I found it interesting looking into where this name came from. It was not a name he accepted and there are several sources that mention times he rebutted this title. One to honor another musician, Fats Domino. The other to honor his religion and reserve that title for Jesus Christ. Either way it is a name that has stuck with him long after death. The other nickname, Tiger Man, seems to have much less history and sources behind it. Grain and Barrel Spirits states the ambiguity of the origin along with the thought of it being a nickname that Elvis’ own father called him. But I find myself skeptical of this as the song of the same name was not even an Elvis original, but a cover of a song from Joe Hill Louis and Sam Phillips.

But I guess that’s enough poking at the ambiguity of this odd partnership that has resulted in a whiskey named after a man that did not drink. Let’s taste the liquid in these two bottles.

Tasting Notes: Elvis The King Rye Whiskey

Vital Stats: Straight rye whiskey, Aged 2 years, 45% ABV, mash bill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley, $49.99.

Appearance: This is a golden raisin color. Tears are surprisingly thick and slow to form for the age of this whiskey.

Nose: It smells of apple juice, grain, and ethanol. There is something a bit musty.

Palate: The palate on this is fascinating. It goes from a bubble gum sweetness to a savory earthy note on to a dry peppery flavor and switches back and forth between these. The finish is mellow with a bit of oak, vanilla, and caramel. This stays pleasant and mellow the whole way through.

Score: 3/5

Tasting Notes: Elvis Tiger Man Whiskey

Vital Stats: Straight Tennessee whiskey, aged 2 years, 45% ABV, mash bill of 80% corn, 10% rye, and 10% malted barley, $49.99.

Appearance: A clear light golden yellow in color. Tears create a nice beaded ring and take their time falling

Nose: Overripe banana, caramel, clove, and ethanol.

Palate: Pretty straightforward with this one. I get the banana and caramel up front. It gives way to a bit of heat, black pepper, and oak. The finish stays pretty light with a hint of spice and just a wisp of acetone. The addition of water just amps up all of the flavors: it becomes overly sweet up front with a less pleasant finish.

Score: 2.5/5

Final Thoughts:

While these two bottles have a weird branding, the liquid is decent. There are things I’d rather grab at the $50 price range, but for someone looking for a sweeter rye or to try a new Tennessee whiskey these might be worth checking out. Especially if you have a love of Elvis.

P.S. I don’t recommend drinking these two whiskeys back to back. I revisited them side by side after having tasted them individually, and I don’t know what happens between the two, but they become horribly unpleasant. Then I went back to them a third time individually, and they held up to my initial tasting notes.

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Kane Brown Drowns Out The Pain Of Heartbreak With A “Whiskey Sour” In New Song

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Kane Brown Drowns Out The Pain Of Heartbreak With A “Whiskey Sour” In New Song

Kane Brown is serving up something strong with the release of his new song, “Whiskey Sour.”

On Friday (Jan. 14), the award-winning country superstar gave fans another taste of what’s to come on his forthcoming new album with the release of the sorrow filled track.

Co-written by Josh Hoge alongside Jaxson Free and Adam Craig, the track tells the story of a man drowning out the pain of a difficult breakup. The couple was “two heartbeats away from wedding rings” and what they thought would be forever. Instead, he’s left alone drinking “whiskey sour / sitting bar side after hours / thinking how can I get over / if the love was never ours.”

The father of two made his debut as a co-producer on the track alongside Ilya Toshinskiy.

In addition to releasing the new song, Brown also shared a music video for the track, which features Runaway June’s Natalie Stovall on fiddle while Brown sings the somber tune.

While Brown didn’t have a hand in writing the track, he did share that he loves “getting to sing other people’s stories,” and his emotion-filled performance in the clip perfectly conveyed the song’s message.

With a fiddle-infused melody and relatable lyrics, “Whiskey Sour” showcases Brown’s country roots, while displaying an emotional side of Brown that fans have not yet seen.

Click above to watch Brown’s “Whiskey Sour” music video.

The song was first introduced to fans in December 2021, when he shared a clip of himself singing the breakup ballad in his kitchen of his Tennessee home.

“Whiskey Sour” follows Brown’s current Top 10 hit, “One Mississippi” and he and Chris Young’s multi-week No. 1, “Famous Friends.”

The track is set to appear on Brown’s yet-to-be announced album, which will follow his ACM-nominated EP, Mixtape Vol. 1. Mixtape Vol. 1 has gone on to earn several hit singles including “Cool Again,” “Worldwide Beautiful” “Worship You” and his Top 40 radio single, “Be Like That” featuring Khalid and Swae Lee.

Previously, Brown shared that the new record will include “12-15 songs,” all brand-new tracks except for “Worship You.”

“I can’t give away too much yet on the new music but I def want to keep pushing myself and making music for my fans,” Brown told Music Mayhem. “I think it will surprise people, but it’s still me.”

Recently, Brown joined Kelleigh Bannen for the year-end episode of Today’s Country Radio on Apple Music Country, where he revealed that he decided to push back the album’s release date because he wanted to play around with different styles and make each song different from one another.

“I will say I pushed it back literally the other day. I think I am going to release songs hopefully once every other month leading up to it,” he shared. “None of them sound the same, which is another thing that I’ve been thinking about.”

Additionally, the “Worship You” singer is currently in the midst of his massive 35-date headlining ‘Blessed & Free Tour.’ The tour kicked off on October 1 in Sacramento and will visit all 29 NBA basketball arenas throughout 2022, marking the first country artist in history to headline every NBA basketball arena on a single tour.

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Top whiskey expert hosts blindfolded bourbon tasting at Jergel’s

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WARRENDALE — Blindfolds and bourbons will make for a uniquely entertaining and educational night Jan. 20 at Jergel’s Rhythm Grille.

Fred Minnick, a preeminent expert on whiskey, will lead the ticketed Blind Bourbon tasting at the Warrendale roadhouse.

“I’m going to teach people to taste like a pro,” said Minnick, an Iraq war veteran who has shared his expertise on spirits by authoring seven books and guesting on Bravo’s “Top Chef,” Discovery’s “Moonshiners,” Amazon Prime’s “Bourbon Up,” along with “CBS This Morning,” “Fox and Friends,” NPR and the BBC.

“Here’s how it works: In this case, I actually do have blindfolds for people to wear.”

With their sense of sight temporarily taken away, Jergel’s ticket buyers will learn to refine their sense of taste as they blindly sample five bourbons.

But before that they’ll sip Tennessee’s most famous whiskey, clearly identified.

“First, I’ll train them on Jack Daniel’s,” Minnick said. “Because everyone has had Jack Daniel’s.”

Participants won’t be downing these Jacks diluted by Coca-Cola, or gulped with gusto out of a shot glass. Minnick instead will guide guests into sipping that charcoal-filtered, 80 proof whiskey that meets official requirements of a bourbon, and is sold as such in Pennsylvania liquor stores.

“The reaction people have when doing a shot is, ‘Oh, that burns,’ or, ‘Hey, that’s smooth,’ but if you actually taste it and put a little on your palette it’s a different experience,” Minnick, the senior contributor on spirits for Forbes, and founding editor-in-chief of Bourbon+ Magazine, said.

Once coached through the sensory training, participants will move on to a flight of five bourbons, not being told which brands they are sampling.

Interviewed Tuesday, Minnick said one bourbon he’s featuring specifically for this western Pennsylvania event is distilled and produced by Terry Bradshaw, the Pittsburgh Steelers hall-of-famer.

Bradshaw Kentucky Straight Bourbon recently took silver-medal honors at both an Oklahoma competition, and a separate Blind Bourbon hosted by Minnick.

“It’s not very widely available, so I was pretty excited to see how it ranked,” he said.

As experts like Minnick do at professional bourbon-judgings, Jergel’s participants will rank the bourbons they try to see which one takes top honors.

“In many cases, it’s a little bit of affirmation. They’ll say, ‘Oh, I’ve always loved that one.’ When you’re in your seat at Jergel’s, you’re going to be a critic.”

He feels compelled to add, “It’s really not a frat party. It’s sipping. We do have fun, but it’s not a wild night where you’ll stand up on the bar dancing and taking your clothes off.”

Minnick hopes to turn these Blind Bourbon tastings into a full-on national tour determining one top bourbon.

“Kind of like a battle-of-the-bands,” said Minnick, who’s co-creator and curator of the Bourbon & Beyond Music festival (91,000 attendees in 2019), in Louisville, which has featured Zac Brown Band, Lenny Kravitz, John Mayer, Robert Plant and other great musical acts.

Sounds like Minnick has a fantasy job, getting to drink and talk about whiskey.

“I don’t disagree with that. It is kind of like a dream job,” Minnick, a former Army journalist. “But if you’re not careful it will burn you out real quickly.”

As for Do’s and Don’ts of whiskey sipping, he says “do it however you want” at home, but for tasting comparisons it’s best to leave out the ice.

“And glassware is very important,” he said.

“There’s only one glass I recommend for American whiskey and that’s Glencairn. And they don’t pay me to say that,” Minnick said.

Liquor.com agrees the Glencairn whiskey glass — “light, tulip-shaped and durable” — is the clear-cut choice of connoisseurs.

In these past few years of pandemic isolation with the bar scene laboring to rebound, whiskeys and bourbons — a particular style of whiskey — have seen an uptick in popularity.

“Retail sales have been through the roof,” Minnick said.

An escalation of spirits-themed podcasts and YouTube shows has helped with the upsurge said Minnick, whose “The Fred Minnick Show” pod has featured celebrity guests like Ludacris, Daryl Hall, Mick Fleetwood, Lee Brice, Slipknot’s Clown, NFL star Ndamukong Suh, Ashley McBryde, Harry Shearer and tennis legend Andy Roddick.

“The pandemic has really driven fanship through to the next level.”

Minnick roots for Pennsylvania to re-establish its prominence as a whiskey producer, noting that pre-Prohibition, the Keystone State and Kentucky debated who made the better booze.

“Historically, Pennsylvania rye was a cornerstone for American whiskey,” Minnick said.

He’s a big fan of contemporary Pennsylvania whiskeys like Wigle Whiskey of Pittsburgh, Dad’s Hat Rye of Bristol, and Liberty Pole Spirits Peated Rye of Washington. The latter two made his Top-100 Whiskeys list last week; Wigle appeared on that list previously.

“It’s nice to see Pennsylvania whiskey coming back,” he said.

Of all the gin joints and vodka distilleries and rum-makers in all the world, Minnick prefers bourbon.

“Bourbon is truly American, just like Pennsylvania rye is truly American,” he said.

He believes bourbon brings a bang-for-your-buck. A $40 bottle of bourbon offers the comparative quality of liquors double, triple or more than that.

“But mainly it’s the people I love. Bourbon drinkers are genuine and come from all walks of life. When bourbon drinkers get together, politics very rarely comes up,” he said.

To gather with Minnick and other bourbon fans, buy a $50 ticket in advance for the Jergel’s event ($70 the day of the show.) There’s also a $265 post-show VIP private tasting with Minnick featuring high-end bourbon.

“That will include a bottle of Smoke Wagon that’s 14-years old. There are only 329 bottles in existence. It’s incredible,” he said. “A bottle just sold at auction for $3,400.”

Scott Tady is the local Entertainment Reporter for The Beaver County Times and Ellwood City Ledger. He’s easy to reach at stady@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @scotttady.