Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey is wretched swill...ersatz bourbon. Defend or refute

[gfweb]

I'm trapped on USAir and forced to drink their hideous alcohol selection. This otherwise decent airline has some of the worst hooch in the air. Tonight's offender is the aforementioned best friend of Mr. Frank Sinatra, John Daniels. Not a bourbon, its a corn whiskey that is harsh on the refined palate...cannot be drank neat. A waste of cooperage in my view.

[annabelle]

Blech. No Maker's Mark?

[gfweb]

Nope. Delta wins the bourbon war with Woodford Reserve.

[Martin Fisher]

...its a corn whiskey that is harsh on the refined palate.

Well, if it's the only choice you need to drink enough to get past that.

[gfweb]

I think you need to be a cigarette smoker to like the stuff.

You have revealed my strategy, DDF.

[scubadoo97]

These days technically a bourbon but JD is glad to be a Tennessee whiskey. Less competition

[scubadoo97]

When I fly Southwest at least I can get a Wild Turkey 101.

These days I've been filling small 2oz plastic bottles with my favorite whiskey and tossing them in my carry on. Drinking well at 30,000 feet. Never had a problem in security or in the cabin

[gfweb]

JD isn't > 50% sour mash so though not from KY it still wouldn't make the grade even if distilled in Lexington. I don't know what the rest of it is...harsh enough to be rye.

[scubadoo97]

Jack's mash bill is greater than 51% corn so it meets the definition of bourbon as well as it being aged in new American oak charred barrels

[judiu]

I love a good spicy rye, dislike JD immensely, and yes, I smoke tobacco. Bourbon is my preference, but I'll take a Canadian blend if all else fails!

[janeer]

I'm no expert but I think Gentleman Jack is quite good. I spent 3 hideous years in Nashville and it was one local comfort

[gfweb]

Jack's mash bill is greater than 51% corn so it meets the definition of bourbon as well as it being aged in new American oak charred barrels

Is that a change?

[annabelle]

That's only because you were surrounded by Nashville, Jane.

[gfweb]

FWIW

Pappy > Van Winkel 15> Noah's Mill > Woodford > Knob Ck > Maker's >>> Beam > Rebel Yell > OGD

[scubadoo97]

Jack's mash bill is greater than 51% corn so it meets the definition of bourbon as well as it being aged in new American oak charred barrels

Is that a change?

Tennessee whiskey must be a straight bourbon under the North American Free Trade Agreement

The "it's bourbon or not" stems from the prebarrel Lincoln County Process charcoal filtering. Lord knows they chill filter Kentucky Bourbon after dumping without issue

[scubadoo97]

I'm no expert but I think Gentleman Jack is quite good. I spent 3 hideous years in Nashville and it was one local comfort

The Silver Select which we can't get here in the US is one of their best products. The Single Barrel is pretty good. They all have that banana note due to the esters they produce in their distillation.

Edited November 8, 2013 by scubadoo97 (log)

[Plantes Vertes]

I discovered this cocktail in the book Trolleyed Dollies: A Flight of Cocktails, Lushouse & Co., 1958. I think it could prove appropriate in your situation. It's created from equipment and ingredients readily available on your flight or from in your hand luggage. Just make sure to pack a manicure kit.

Tennessee Mule in Flight

5cl Tennessee Whiskey (Jack Daniels)

15cl ginger ale

15-25 lemon slices (depending on thickness)

2mg Xanax

1 sugar sachet

While still at home, take a few sprigs of mint from the garden or purchase from a suitable supermarket or greengrocers. Wrap the mint in clingfilm and swallow it (you don't want to be caught with anything green and planty-looking at the airport). The clingfilm will protect the mint from stomach acid.

Before boarding, take a wooden cocktail stick from the airside bar and file it down using your emmery board (sharp points can cause injury while travelling). Secrete it about your person.

Board the plane and take your seat as directed by the flight crew. Don't forget to fasten your seatbelt - the preflight demonstration will show you how.

Once in the air, first obtain a sugar sachet. Your host/ess will gladly give you one during the hot drinks service. Muddle the contents in a pill crusher along with the Xanax. The sugar should help to disguise the flavour of the pills.

Next, when cold drinks are offered, ask the host/ess for a bottle of water (still or sparkling), a miniature of Jack and a separate glass containing ice and lemon. Be sure to specify the requisite 20 slices of lemon; this large number is necessary because a lot of the juice will be lost during preparation. If s/he doesn't provide a napkin, ask for one of those too. Drink the water; this will prevent in-flight dehydration.

Improvise a high-ball glass by cutting the top off your bottle using nail scissors (make certain that you have drunk all the water first or your seatmate could become your enemy). Add sugar and Xanax.

Painstakingly squeeze the juice from all but one of your lemon slices into the 'glass'. Again, this operation will require care as flying drops of lemon juice could squirt into your neighbour's eye and cause temporary blindness, not to mention annoyance or even hate. Pour the Jack Daniels in with the sugar and pills, then add the ice. Cover the top of the 'glass' with your hand, and making sure not to let your drink go spraying out, shake vigorously for 20 seconds. (Keep your movements small - sudden jostling might be mistaken for a terrorist attack. You don't want to be shot before experiencing your beverage.) At this point you can ring for a hot towel to clean yourself with.

Next, take a biro from your hand luggage and pull out the nib and ink stem. Wrap them in the napkin to prevent staining. Add the ginger ale and stir it briefly with the remaining 'pen-swizzle-stick'; this can also be used as a straw.

Now take some Vaseline from your hand luggage and go to the bathroom to retrieve your mint and cocktail stick. Make sure there is no-one queuing behind you and dispose of the clingfilm discretely. Back in your seat, arrange the mint sprigs into an attractive garnish and insert it into the side of the glass. Secure the lemon slice with the cocktail stick and add that too.

Voila! Your beverage is served. Toast your seatmate. The Tennessee Mule is best enjoyed in a single long sip, so apply your sleep mask, make sure your tray table is secured, lie back, and down it in one. Relaxing music on your in-flight headphones is a nice accompaniment to this drink.

As a final precaution, wiggle your toes and rotate your ankles in both directions before drifting painlessly away on the wings of Morpheus. This measure can prevent deep vein thrombosis.

Have a good flight!

Edited November 8, 2013 by Plantes Vertes (log)

[patrickamory]

Plantes Vertes - hilarious!

I enjoy Jack Daniels. Harsh, yes, but so much less sweet than, say, Maker's Mark.

My preference is Bulleit Rye, or even better, Templeton Rye, but I'll take Jack over most of the premium KY bourbons that you get in your average upscale bar.

[Rafa]

The tone of this topic amuses me. "'Gentleman' Jack Daniel's is no true whiskey! PROVE ME WRONG GOOD SIRS! And fie upon you if you propagate the chicanery that such swill is bourbon!"

Jack Daniel's is okay. If I'm going to drink a bourbon with most of its luscious congeners stripped off by maple charcoal, I'll choose George Dickel nine times out of ten.

[gfweb]

Well said.

[scubadoo97]

Has been at least 40 yrs since I put Jack to my lips. I take that back. While going trough my FIL's liquor cabinet, I found an Olr Taylor from the 70's and a bunch of Old Fitz from our wedding 1980. The Old Fitz is SW juice and a most recent find was an Old Crow from the 60s before they went metric. He also had a bunch of old JD which I passed on but did take a taste and confirmed my decision

[KD1191]

Jack's mash bill is greater than 51% corn so it meets the definition of bourbon as well as it being aged in new American oak charred barrels

Is that a change?

Tennessee whiskey must be a straight bourbon under the North American Free Trade Agreement

The "it's bourbon or not" stems from the prebarrel Lincoln County Process charcoal filtering. Lord knows they chill filter Kentucky Bourbon after dumping without issue

My understanding (perhaps erroneous) was that the specific charcoal filtering process is considered to add flavor, and thus Jack might not be eligible to be called straight bourbon (which precludes added flavors).

[Tri2Cook]

If I'm going to drink a bourbon with most of its luscious congeners stripped off by maple charcoal, I'll choose George Dickel nine times out of ten.

Me too... only I'd make that ten times out of ten.

Edited because sometimes I can't type as well as your average trained monkey.

Edited November 8, 2013 by Tri2Cook (log)

[Adam George]

Jack's mash bill is greater than 51% corn so it meets the definition of bourbon as well as it being aged in new American oak charred barrels

Is that a change?

Tennessee whiskey must be a straight bourbon under the North American Free Trade Agreement

The "it's bourbon or not" stems from the prebarrel Lincoln County Process charcoal filtering. Lord knows they chill filter Kentucky Bourbon after dumping without issue

My understanding (perhaps erroneous) was that the specific charcoal filtering process is considered to add flavor, and thus Jack might not be eligible to be called straight bourbon (which precludes added flavors).

Allow me help in clearing this up for you

http://bittersandtwisted.com/content/tennessee-whiskey-other-bourbon

[scubadoo97]

When I fly Southwest at least I can get a Wild Turkey 101.

These days I've been filling small 2oz plastic bottles with my favorite whiskey and tossing them in my carry on. Drinking well at 30,000 feet. Never had a problem in security or in the cabin

Just wanted to add, it's amazing how many 2 oz bottles you can cram in a 1 qt. zip bag. I just ask for a bottled water to take high proofers down a notch and two cups during drink service. Three if my wife is drinking with me. Bless her heart, she can sip em neat right along with me!