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Liquor Review: Gentleman Jack

Published on December 23rd, 2008 in Liquors of the Month, Whiskey & Bourbon by Paco

Tis the season. That’s a perfect excuse to spend a little extra cash to get a really good bottle of liquor. How about a bottle of Gentlemen Jack Daniel’s? No, don’t buy this as a gift to a friend. Friends don’t deserve this, only you do. If you have not met Gentleman Jack, you are truly missing out on one of the best sipping whiskeys around. I have enjoyed several bottles of this stuff in the past, and I was quite excited for BoozeBasher to review it. It couldn’t have happened at a better time. It’s the holidays! Yeah, that means there is lots of traffic and tons of people in my way shopping. Here’s my idea of Christmas shopping: wait ’til the last minute, fill up the flask with Gentleman Jack, pick up a few gift cards, then head straight to the bar to catch the bowl games. Okay, enough about that. Let’s get familiar with our new friend.

Gentleman Jack whiskey is distilled at the good ole Jack Daniel’s Distillery located in Lynchburg, Tennessee. What sets Jack Daniel’s Whiskey apart from the rest is that it is mellowed through ten feet of sugar maple charcoal. This process refines the whiskey’s flavor to that great taste Jack Daniel’s fans love. The maturing process takes place in barrels that are actually hand-crafted by the Jack Daniel’s Distillery. Inside these toasted oak barrels, the whiskey draws its distinctive flavor, finish, and rich amber color from the barrel walls. In the case of Gentleman Jack, it gets even better. The Gentleman goes through the mellowing process twice, making it the world’s only “twice mellowed” whiskey.

Let us put this “Rare Tennessee Whiskey” to the test with our BoozeBasher panel of drinkers. The “on the rocks” test yielded a kick-ass beverage that has few rivals. That’s right! It’s that good. Gentlemen Jack takes smoothness to an all new level. Just imagine old No. 7 but super-smooth with the same good charcoal wood flavor and a touch of fruit and sweetness. For the next test, a splash of Coke was added. Unfortunately, Jack and Coke doesn’t quite equal Gentleman Jack and Coke. The BoozeBasher panel agreed that Coke actually took the great smooth taste of the whiskey and tainted it with a slight sourness. This stuff was ment to sip straight.

Now for the infamous drunkability test; this one was going to be extra fun because it happenned to be my birthday. The pours of Gentlemen were heavy, averaging around two plus shots per drink. After enjoying several, I felt soothed and mellow. This stuff is really great to sip. I just sat back and relaxed while everyone else made the terrible mistake of playing that shot game. You can read the rules of Hunter and Wade’s shot game here on our forum. Anyway, throughout the night, the Gentlemen drunk was severely tainted by many other types of liquors, but the hangover was not too bad at all. Gentlemen Jack will hurt you just like old No. 7, but it’s not any stronger. If caution is exercised, then the lucky drinker should feel fine the next day.

Gentlemen Jack was a pretty big hit with the BoozeBasher staff. It will most likely be a part of our liquor stash from time to time. A 750ml example will set you back about $35. Yes, it is a bit pricey, but the holidays are upon us…so why not treat yourself or a special someone? Just keep in mind, it tastes great, and it will disappear fast. Since your friends will probably come over and drink it all anyway, they don’t deserve it for Christmas! Have a safe and happy holidays everyone!

Sipability – 8.5

December 08 Mixability – 5.5