Jack Daniel's

USATennessee WhiskeyCharcoal-mellowed

Founded1866

DistilleryLynchburg · Tennessee

OwnerBrown-Forman

StyleTennessee Whiskey

SignatureSugar-maple charcoal

CoreOld No.7 · Gentleman Jack

The world's best-selling American whiskey. Filtered through charcoal before it ever ages.

Flavourofficial / critical

BananaVanillaCaramelOakLight smokeSweet corn

Glossaryfor beginners

Tennessee whiskeyA whiskey that meets the bourbon rules but adds the Lincoln County Process — charcoal filtering before ageing — and is made in Tennessee.

Lincoln County ProcessDrip-filtering the new spirit through sugar-maple charcoal to smooth out rough notes — the secret behind Jack's softness.

Old No.7The black-label flagship. Even the company leaves the origin of the '7' an open question.

Mash billThe grain recipe. Jack's is 80% corn with rye and malted barley.

Range & Collections

Old No.7The black-label flagship. The base of the 'Jack and Coke' and the best-selling single bottle in the world.

Gentleman JackCharcoal-mellowed twice for an even softer premium.

Single BarrelBottled from one barrel for sharper, individual character.

Tennessee Honey · Apple · FireLiqueur-style line with honey, apple or cinnamon added.

Bonded · Aged100-proof Bottled-in-Bond, plus recent 10 and 12-year age-stated and higher-proof releases.

Value by AgeData-based2026.6 as of

Old No.7Flagship · mixing~£28

Gentleman JackTwice-filtered premium~£35

Single BarrelPer-barrel character~£55

★ 10yo (Aged)Age-stated limited · Revived 2021~£100

Jack Daniel's strength is volume, not an auction record — it is the best-selling American whiskey in the world. Collaborations and limited editions like Sinatra Select or Eric Church fill the collector end, and from 2021 the brand revived age-stated bottlings (10, 12) to step toward the premium tier.

Prices are approximate retail / duty-free · Limited editions at brand list price (volatile) · Not a personal tasting score

How It’s Made

Jack Daniel's meets the bourbon rules (51%+ corn, new oak) but calls itself a Tennessee whiskey, not a bourbon. The difference comes before ageing — the Lincoln County Process, drip-filtering new spirit through sugar-maple charcoal to smooth the rough edges. The result is a soft banana-and-vanilla sweetness that holds its balance even cut with cola.

Oldest registered distilleryJack Daniel registered with the US federal government in 1866 — said to be the country's first registered distillery.

Filtered through charcoalThe Lincoln County Process — passing new spirit through sugar-maple charcoal — is what sets Tennessee whiskey apart from bourbon.

A glass with colaThe mixing culture epitomised by 'Jack and Coke' grew the brand into a rock-and-party icon.

The black labelThe square bottle and Old No.7's black label became a mark even non-whisky drinkers recognise.

History

In 1866 Jasper Newton 'Jack' Daniel founded his distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee — held to be the oldest registered distillery in the United States. Through the 20th century its square bottle, black label and rock-star image carried it worldwide; today, under Brown-Forman, it is the best-selling American whiskey there is.

How It’s Drunk

In its American home and around the world, Jack Daniel's is a bar staple and a party drink. Many meet whiskey for the first time through a Jack and Coke or honey-laced Jack Honey, and a free-wheeling, rock-and-roll image follows the brand. It is less about chasing single-malt aromas than the easy pleasure of mixing and sharing.

◆The Right GlassSignature

Old No.7 is in its element as a highball with cola or ginger ale — a tall glass, ice and fizz, served cold. When you want to nose Gentleman Jack or a Single Barrel, a Glencairn, neat or over one large cube, serves better. One bottle, two rituals, depending on the glass.

→ The science of the highball → The on-the-rocks glass