Back in 2012, Jack Daniel’s released a limited edition Unaged Rye Whiskey, their first new grain recipe since before Prohibition. Then in 2014, they released that same whiskey, except this time it had been aged in oak barrels for two years. That was the one-off, work-in-progress Rested Tennessee Rye. Now, we get the full life cycle of that product, the 94-proof, fully-matured Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Rye Whiskey.
With a mashbill that’s 70% rye, 18% corn and 12% malted barley, this new whiskey sports a grain forward character as opposed to one that relies more heavily on the barrel itself, says Master Distiller Jeff Arnett.
Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Rye joins other relatively recent additions to the category by major players, including Woodford Reserve Rye and Knob Creek Rye. With rye whiskey sales continuing at a rapid pace–The Distilled Spirits Council shows that rye whiskey sales grew 609% from 2009 to 2014, with an additional 20% growth in 2015–it’s no surprise that Jack brought a rye whiskey to market. And by releasing their unfinished versions along the way, they were able to remain a part of the conversation since 2012.
So while they’re not exactly early to the party, the launch of this fully-matured rye whiskey allows Jack Daniel’s to capitalize on the booming rye market as well as the ever-popular cocktail market while offering easy brand recognition to loyal drinkers and those who are new to the category.
Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Rye Whiskey is hitting shelves this month with a suggested price of $49.99. It will be available across the country, so if you missed the precursor releases, you should have no problem finding the final product.
UPDATE: See our review of Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Rye
