Special whiskey release marks Jack Daniel's 150th

The commemorative product

It's been around for a century and a half, but people still screw up the name.

Jack Daniel's -- the possessive "s" tacked on the name Jack Daniel -- is marking its 150th anniversary with a new limited-edition Tennessee whiskey released from its Lynchburg, TN, distillery.

The distillery was founded in 1866 by Jasper Newton "Jack" Daniel. He got into distilling just after the Civil War as a 16-year-old orphan taken in by Dan Call, a prosperous local farmer and shopkeeper who operated a distillery with the help of his former slave Uncle Nearis Green, as noted in my book "Barrels & Drams: The History of Whisk(e)y in Jiggers and Shots" (Sterling Epicure NYC).

Jack Daniel

Current Master Distiller Jeff Arnett says, “For this 150th anniversary whiskey, our coopers slow-toasted the barrels to bring out the rich flavors and aromas of the wood, creating a contemporary expression of an 1866 barrel char. We wanted to offer a unique whiskey that we think collectors and consumers alike will enjoy for their own celebrations and is as special as the anniversary that it celebrates.”

Arnett says the grain bill is the same as the iconic Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 -- 80% corn, 12% barley, and 8% rye. The spirit was filtered and mellowed through 10 feet of sugar maple charcoal -- known as the "Lincoln County process," before going into specially-crafted new American oak barrels, adhering to the guidelines required of a Tennessee whiskey. The barrels then were placed in the “angel’s roost” of one of the oldest barrel houses at the distillery where whiskey has matured for generations at an elevation and with the exposure to sunlight that creates a specific climate for interaction between the whiskey and barrel.

Jack Daniel’s 150th Anniversary Whiskey was barreled and bottled at 100 proof (50% alcohol abv). It went on sale Thursday at a suggested retail price of $99.99 for a 1-liter bottle.

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