Here’s the First Look at Jack Daniel’s New Single Barrel Rye Whiskey

Jack reaches for the rye with a 94-proof bottle.

Jack Daniel’s is jumping on the red-hot rye bandwagon with a nationwide roll-out of Single Barrel Rye—the Tennessee mega-distillery’s first new grain recipe in more than 100 years. 

Maxim scored a sneak peek at the official photos and details for JD’s only fully-matured rye, which was initially spotlighted by the astute whiskey watchers at Bourbon Blog last week. 

Let the ogling begin.

“There is a reemerging trend of rye whiskeys and we are excited to be able to give friends of Jack Daniel’s a chance to experience it,” Jeff Arnett, Jack’s Master Distiller, said in a statement announcing the brawny bottle.

The 94-proof Single Barrel Rye is crafted using 70 percent rye, 18 percent corn and 12 percent malted barley grain bill. The $49.99 Lynchburg elixer also uses the same cave spring water, yeast and charcoal-mellowing process employed in the brand’s signature Tennessee Whiskey.

“You never want to over-barrel a rye whiskey so it was important for us to stay true to the style with grain forward character rather than barrel character while still allowing our barrels to interplay with the whiskey,” Arnett said.

Rye has lately experienced a serious surge in demand, so it’s no surprise that Jack seeks to capitalize on the popularity of bourbon’s spicy cousin, which often muscles its way into Manhattans, Old Fashioneds and Sazeracs.

According to the Distilled Spirits Council, U.S. Rye consumption has shot up from $15 million in supplier revenues in 2009 to more than $106 million in 2014.

The new rye, which hits liquor store shelves this month, is the third offering of Jack’s Single Barrel Collection, joining Single Barrel Select and Barrel Proof. 

Jack Daniel’s previously offered limited release batches of Rested Rye in 2014 and Unaged Rye in 2012.

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