Two years ago Jack Daniel’s released its first age-statemented whiskey in a century — Jack Daniel’s 10 Years Old — and now it’s back with a second batch, plus a friend. Today we check out JD 10 Batch 2 as well as the first batch of an older sibling, Jack Daniel’s 12 Years Old.
Both will be annual releases that we hope to cover regularly in the years to come.
As for what’s in the bottle, master distiller Chris Fletcher has said that the 80% corn, 12% malted barley, and 8% rye Tennessee whiskeys (which have undergone charcoal mellowing before aging) are essentially drawn from barrels that would have otherwise ended up as JD Single Barrel releases. JD also notes that fans of last year’s 10 year old should not expect “more of the same” with this year’s release, which came from different production runs and different warehouses.
While we bemoan the fact that the secondary market has already driven the prices of the 12 year old to the moon (current prices are reported below), let’s give them a taste.
Update 2025: We’re shuffling these reviews up so JD 10, 12, and 14 all appear on their own pages. All batches for each release will be covered on their own landing page.
Jack Daniel’s 12 Years Old Batch 4 (2026) Review
Powerful menthol leads the nose with this 2026 edition, giving it a modestly industrial character that’s tough to shake. In contrast to last year’s dessert-like expression, Batch 4 is quite burly and spirit-driven, almost pungent with ashy smokiness and notes of hot asphalt. The palate is much more interesting, driven by flavors of brown butter and cinnamon, though quite hot. Fruit and cereal combine to offer a bold, nutty banana bread character, with notes of ginger and clove emerging later. Woody char surrounds the whole thing, as does ample heat: This drinks much punchier than 53.5% abv would suggest, which tends to take the whiskey a bit out of balance, particularly toward the more bitter, peppery finish. I figured water would be the solution to all of this, but found it dulled the whiskey more than I wanted, instead showcasing less thrilling notes of peanut and creamed corn. There might be a perfect formula of whiskey and water to highlight this Batch’s charms perfectly, but I never quite found it with my sample. 107 proof. B+ / $260 (700ml) [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Jack Daniel’s 12 Years Old Batch 3 (2025) Review
Aggressive vanilla up top makes for a nose that’s heavy with sweetness and which is complemented by lashings of orange peel, ginger, and a toasted marshmallow character that evokes some modest, latent barrel char. That gingery quality really impregnates the palate, where it pairs beautifully with a doughy, buttery quality that ventures eventually into notes of marzipan, dusted with baking spice. The barrel influence becomes more insistent with some air time, though again the char has a significant burnt sugar character to it rather than anything approaching austerity or tarriness. There’s plenty of classic JD corniness here, but even that hits all the right spots, evoking Cracker Jack and, later, more of a cinnamon toast note. Lots of dark brown sugar and a pinch of red pepper on the finish make for a sweet-and-spicy experience that is ultimately very hard to put down. The top batch to date for the 12 year old, without question. 107 proof. A / $300 (700ml) [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Jack Daniel’s 12 Years Old Batch 2 (2024) Review
Spicy, racy — this is Jack at its most effusive and vibrant. Aromas of black pepper, allspice, and nutmeg open the door to a baked apple and toasted pie dough character. A mix of sweet and savory on the palate evokes plum pudding, spiced pecans, and a pinch of cloves. A reasonably balanced mix of juicy and brooding, the whiskey vibrates between the two states, eventually settling down on a sheet of peppered jerky, tarry barrel char, and more cloves. Rather tannic on the back end, but not without some level of noirish appeal. Less spice-laden than Batch 1, but still a big departure from the JD formula. 107 proof. B+ / $320 (700ml) [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Jack Daniel’s 12 Years Old Batch 1 (2023) Review
This is immediately an exotic, unusual expression from JD. The nose is fruity and a bit sharp, melding notes of apple, cinnamon, and pink peppercorns with an orange peel quality that curiously evokes oloroso sherry. Many of these elements appear on the palate, which builds on the sherry quality by folding in more of a Christmas spice character. Increasingly oaky and a bit tannic as it develops, the whiskey continues to diverge from the JD formula, culminating in a vanilla bomb laden with ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Again, had I tasted this blind, I would never have guessed it was a Jack Daniel’s product — for better or for worse. 107 proof. B+ / $650 (700ml) [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
The post Review: Jack Daniel’s 12 Years Old (All Batches, Updated 2026) appeared first on Drinkhacker: The Insider’s Guide to Good Drinking.
