I wasn’t sure I saw this one coming: On the heels of Jack Daniel’s first two age-stated releases, JD 10 Years Old and JD 12 Years Old, the Lynchburg, Tennessee-based distillery has added a third sibling, Jack Daniel’s 14 Years Old. Intriguingly, it’s the first 14-year-old expression of Jack Daniel’s produced since Jack Daniel himself was alive. Also intriguingly, unlike JD 10 (97 proof) and JD 12 (107 proof), JD 14 is bottled at cask strength (126.3 proof), a fact which will surely only add to its significant appeal on the market.
As with Jack Daniel’s 10 and 12, Jack Daniel’s 14 Years Old will be an annual release denoted with a batch number. JD 10 is now on Batch 4, while JD 12 is on Batch 3. We’ve reviewed every batch of all these whiskeys since they were launched, and with this review we add three more to that collection. As always, these are all charcoal-mellowed Tennessee whiskeys made from a mash of 80% corn, 12% barley, and 8% rye — the classic JD bourbon mash.
What’s next? JD master distiller Chris Fletcher has eyes on a 16 year old and a 21 year old expression down the line, assuming the quality holds up and the angels are aligned. That would complete the family of age-stated whiskeys that Jack Daniel released during his lifetime.
JD’s age-stated release have a considerable variation from year to year — on purpose — so let’s dive into this trio with no expectations attached. The MSRPs for these whiskeys are $150, $95, and $85, but (unfortunately) more representative street prices are reported below. Availability begins this summer.
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 14 Years Old Batch 2 (2026) Review
Again this 14 year old expression finds Jack Daniel’s at its most aggressive and barrel-forward, a woody exploration of leather and tar — and not a small amount of alcohol. That said, there’s more restraint with this 2026 batch than the over-the-top 2025, owing perhaps to a significantly lower abv this time around — not a bad thing here, for the record. There’s plenty of black pepper in the mix, along with well-toasted corn and a spray of herbs. The greenery takes a turn toward mint with time in glass.
The palate is drying with a persistent oakiness, with herbal notes meandering into clearer baking spice — cinnamon and allspice, with some red pepper sprinkled in. The sweet-and-spicy vibe hits nicely, though the balance is still more on the savory side of things. The biting heat of Batch 1 is considerably lessened here, but be careful with water. Anything more than a few drops dulls the experience completely, pushing the whiskey into obscurity. Tempered appropriately, it showcases layers of almond butter and more effusive cinnamon, giving the palate a bready cinnamon toast texture in time.
The finish is milder than expected, and relatively short, but it positively glows under the right light (that is, the right dosing of water). A big step up from the inaugural release, it flirts with an A- but still feels like it has a little growing to do. Can’t wait to see what 2027 brings. 117.6 proof. B+ / ~$600 (700ml) [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Jack Daniel’s 14 Years Old Batch 1 (2025) Review
This is much a different animal for this series, in large part because of the cask strength presentation but also clearly thanks to the extra aging. Fletcher notes that JD’s top-floor ricks get so hot that older stock is now being moved to lower floors to reduce the impact the barrel has on the whiskey and prevent overly wood-driven notes from dominating. But round one for JD 14 nonetheless showcases the distillery at its most aggressive, a heavy exploration of the barrel from the start. This is more in line with some of the cask-strength Jack Daniel’s bottlings I’ve encountered in prior tastings, all earth and pepper and leather from the start. Tobacco and peppery roasted meat notes dominate, giving the nose a distinct roast beef aroma that is hard to shake. Tannic and tough, elements of dark chocolate at least add some level of nuance with air time.
The palate is very hot, sharp, and biting. Notes of gunpowder and hot asphalt are matched with fiery red pepper notes, before, at last, some sweeter spices come into focus — cinnamon, cloves, and anise. Black cherry notes provide some needed fruit, though a thyme element continues the sharper, somewhat tannic theme. Fans of bruising cask strength experiences will be in hog heaven, but the whiskey is desperate for water, as the finish is oaky and extracted without it. Appropriately tempered things settle down a bit, the conclusion evoking clear flavors of sweetened black tea. This unfortunately comes at the expense of some of the whiskey’s sense of vibrancy, rendering it comparatively inert. It’s a nice try but it just isn’t showing its best, particularly in comparison to two younger, standout companion releases. I’m already looking forward to seeing what happens with Batch 2. 126.3 proof. B / ~$500 (700ml) [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
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