Jack Daniel’s & McLaren Racing Launch Ultra-Premium Halo MK1 Whiskey
The $600 limited-edition bottle features carbon fiber packaging and a 58.7% ABV spirit inspired by Bruce McLaren’s first race car.
Jack Daniel’s is serving up an upscale addition to the F1-inspired collectibles launched ahead of the Miami Grand Prix with the Halo MK1 Tennessee Whiskey, a limited-edition collaboration with the McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team.
Retailing at $599.99, the whiskey is the “most premium and limited global release in Jack Daniel’s history,” according to a statement by the brand, which noted the shared commitment to engineering and craftsmanship between the Tennessee distiller and the British racing team.
The bottle is housed in a structure that reimagines the Halo safety system of a McLaren Formula 1 car. The packaging incorporates materials used in race car construction, including alloy metal, micro-suede, and carbon fiber prints, topped with a hand-finished cork and custom medallions.
Mark Bacon, senior vice president and global managing director for Jack Daniel’s, said the bottle was designed to be a collector’s item that embodies the shared values of innovation and ambition between the two brands. “Halo MK1 Tennessee Whiskey embodies our shared values of innovation, excellence and ambition,” he said.
The whiskey begins with the traditional Jack Daniel’s grain bill of 80% corn, 8% rye and 12% malted barley. After undergoing the signature charcoal mellowing process, the spirit was aged in handcrafted new American white oak barrels. The staves for these barrels were aged in the open air for an extended period to soften wood tannins, a process the distillery said results in a smoother palate and bolder color.
The spirit collaboration is bottled at 117.4 proof, or 58.7% alcohol by volume. That specific proof is meant to be a subtle tribute to Bruce McLaren, whose first race car was an Austin 7 Ulster that carried the number 58.
Master Distiller Chris Fletcher described the whiskey as having a nose of sweet maple and toasted oak; a palate featuring caramel, chocolate, pipe tobacco, and baking spice; and a finish characterized by lingering notes of barrel spice and brown sugar. Jack Daniel’s Halo MK1 is available now while supplies last through the whiskey brand’s site and select retailers.