We've been effectively out of stock of the 750ml for months. When it does come in, it is usually a case or two and it's gone in a flash. This single barrel barrel proof bottling of Tennessee's most famous distillery makes abundantly clear why Jack Daniel's remains one of the the most popular American made whiskies in the world. Despite the difficultly of finding it at the moment in the more traditional 750ml format, we've managed to secure nearly every 375ml bottle currently available in California. If it were possible to bottle this liquid under a Kentucky Bourbon label, I would bet large sums of money that it would take home every medal and top spot honor on the year end lists. It would be obscenely marked up at every corner liquor store. It would be the prized tater in all the locked cabinets of unopened bottles of America's finest hooch. Bizarrely, and fortunately for fans of drinking good liquor, this oddly large shipment of half bottles has made its way to our shelves - and at less than the 1/2 the cost of the 750ml to boot! So, git it while the gittin' is good. Stocking stuffers, client gifts, apocalypse booze bunker restock, locked display cabinet, whatever you need fine hooch for, now is the time to put these away. Please note proofs will vary by bottle. Bottle tasted for this review was 131.4 proof. Here it is: Color - Macallan 18. Nose: Maple sugar, cinnamon, pepper, saw dust, cherry cola, fresh cream, ripe corn. There is a sexy savory note just under all the sweeter barrel and corn notes that is hard to pinpoint. Tarragon? It feels fresh and lively. It plays wonderfully well with the robust dark cherry notes that seem to tickle even the most jaded palates. If you've ever had the pleasure of walking around a Jack Daniel's barrel house on a very hot humid Tennessee day, it smells EXACTLY like this. You can almost taste the whiskey in the air. The palate is big. It's burly. It's in your face. But somehow it still treats you like an old friend - kindly, but with a little razzing. Caramels and butterscotches come rolling out. Sweet Coca-Cola spices zip around like you dropped a Mentos in your mouth while drinking it. The finish is lengthy, reprised sweet and savory, and inviting of another sip. Or bottle, cause ya know, they're small. Take 2.

Is it just me, or is this really approachable for sitting at 131.4 proof? It might just be me. The nose is treacle, caramel syrup on vanilla ice cream, rich coconut, and juicy crushed cherries. A little spice box and balsa wood adds weight and depth, and there's a hint of something savory just before the dessert aromas return. There's much more spice on the palate, but again this doesn't hit me as alcohol burn - it's quite enjoyable like finding extra chili peppers in your Mexican or Thai food. Black cherry dominates the palate for me with a bit of medicinality, then more caramel and notes of burnt sugar like the crusty top of creme brulee. Barrel spice and varnish make for a drying and somewhat tannic finish, but it stops short of being excessive. With water (let's be honest that's how a lot of folks with want it), banana arrives on the scene with dried coconut flakes, and the spice gets more oriented towards black pepper. The caramels come through more as well, while the texture is more rounded and the finish less tannic. Big black pepper and cinnamon stick hang out for a very long finish. That's good Jack!

This single barrel is quite enjoyable. The aromatics of this whiskey come off strong with notes of cinnamon, toasty oak, cloves, toffee, and chocolate. It is not too intense on the pallet, and you get subtle hints of citrus, banana chips, caramel, and baking chocolate. It rounds out mid-pallet with a lingering white peppercorn heat on the finish.