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.