Jack Daniel's Green Label

Product of: United States

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Popular belief has it that Jack Daniel’s was originally sold with a green label at a lower age, the black label only launched after Jack’s death in 1911 when Lem Motlow brought out an older aged (4 years) whiskey with a black label as a mark of respect. A touching story but this is not the case.

When Lem Motlow started distilling again after the repeal of Prohibition, he could not wait 4 years for his whiskey to age so brought out a one year old version, giving it a green label to distinguish it from the original Black Label.

Today, the little seen, Green Label is aged a similar period to its ubiquitous black sibling. However, the casks used to make Green Label are drawn exclusively from ground floor the rack houses where there is less variation in temperature, so a less pronounced ageing affect.

In times gone by, Black Label was bottled for sale in the U.S. at 45% alc./vol. and the Green Label was bottled at a lower strength, latterly 40 alc./vol.. Now Black Label is now also 40% alc./vol. so the alcohol strength distinction between the two labels has effectively vanished. However, due to being drawn from barrels in the bottom of the warehouse, Green Label remains a ‘value bottling’ of Jack Daniel’s and is only sold in in around half of U.S. sates. Hence, folk in overseas markets paying a premium for bottles of Green Label due to their perceived rarity should instead throw their money our way.

Review and Tasting

Sampled on 21/07/2012

Appearance:

Golden amber with green tinges.

Aroma:

Buttered corn and nutty, smoky notes (roast chestnuts) with faint notes of wax and shoe polish.

Taste:

Starts hot with chargrilled buttered corn becoming more spicy (sandalwood and cinnamon) as the palate develops.

Aftertaste:

Dry finish with peppery spice and red bell pepper notes. The polar opposite to Gentleman Jack.