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Technically, JDs is not bourbon, but only because they charcoal filter it. Without this step in their process, it would be bourbon. JDs, years ago, decided to distinguish themselves as Tennessee Whiskey.

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Legally, JD is a bourbon. The law defining a bourbon does not distinguish between any type of filtering.

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(1)(i) “Bourbon whisky”, “rye whisky”, “wheat whisky”, “malt whisky”, or “rye malt whisky” is whisky produced at not exceeding 160° proof from a fermented mash of not less than 51 percent corn, rye, wheat, malted barley, or malted rye grain, respectively, and stored at not more than 125° proof in charred new oak containers; and also includes mixtures of such whiskies of the same type.

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http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2004-title27-vol1/xml/CFR-2004-title27-vol1-sec5-22.xml

Still tastes like crap.

I thought that nothing could be added to the whiskey other than water. The filtering through charcoal adds something other than water. Will have to research that one.

They still call that "American Honey" stuff whiskey. They are adding honey or some kind of flavoring to that, right? Same thing with Beam's Red Stag, among others.

ETA: Also, cheap whiskies add neutral grain spirits (which is basically vodka) in order to produce the product cheaper. A quick google search tells me only 20% of the bottle needs to be straight whiskey to be considered "blended whiskey".

I may have just answered my own question, you can add stuff to whiskey, but it needs to be labeled as "blended". Never mind, carry on.

[This message has been edited by Brenner (edited 4/30/2014 12:08p).]

The Lincoln County Process of filtering does not add anything new that is not added to bourbon. The only thing unique about it is that the whiskey is filtered through charcoal before it is aged, and the amount of charcoal it is filtered through. Most bourbons are chill filtered after aging, but some are charcoal filtered. All bourbon is aged in charred barrels, so it is all exposed to charcoal. All bourbon is filtered in some manner, so it is essentially filtered over the chunks that were floating around in the barrel.

There is an argument that excessive charcoal filtering before aging should prevent it from being labeled bourbon, but I think it is really just a marketing choice.

Not all bourbon is filtered.

Fine, maybe I do have a water bottle full of unfiltered Four Roses, taken straight out of a few barrels.

What I meant was the vast majority of commercially bottled bourbon passes through some sort of mesh screen to remove particulate. There are many bourbons that are not chill-filtered, but are still filtered for particulate.

Quantum,

Yes, you are correct. Most bourbon does pass through a screen when being dumped from the barrel and prior to bottling. I just happened to be looking at a bottle of Stagg, Jr. earlier. Ya'll are likely correct relative to the charcoal filtering... some of the rhetoric from Buffalo Trace may have sticking in my head...

[This message has been edited by austinag1997 (edited 4/30/2014 5:41p).]

There is a lot of malarkey out there, so I can forgive you for not being 100% correct all of the time. You are probably still ahead of plenty of people in the industry.

The Lincoln County process is not just any charcoal filtering - it is a sugar maple charcoal thag adds no additional flavor to the blend. Oak charcoal from the barrels adds a significant amount of flavor to the juice.

And while it may not be a legal definition in the eyes of the feds, Tennessee did pass a law a few years ago differentiating Tennessee whiskey from bourbon via the Lincoln County process. Withsome exceptions of course.

Tennessee can pass laws regulating what can be classified as Tennessee Whiskey, but that has no effect on whether it could also be classified as bourbon.

Jack Daniels could call their product Tennessee Whiskey or Bourbon; it doesn't matter. They sell quantity based on name-recognition at this point. They aren't interested in the high-end craft market; they are interested in moving quantity.

Sure, they distribute Gentlemen Jack, Single Barrel, and specialty bottles from time to time. But, without their black label quantity... it all goes away.

The product is what it is... an inexpensive whiskey with a distinctive flavor profile. That isn't a swipe at JDs. I have been to their facility and enjoyed the tour. I respect what they do. Personally, I don't distinguish them all that greatly from Wild Turkey. Quantity sales. I would lump Jim Beam into that category, but the Beam family is so pervasive in the KY bourbon industry that I can't find myself doing that... but Jim Beam has their "quantity sales" product also.

So, is JDs a Bourbon? Yeah, I guess it fits the legal definition of a bourbon.

I wouldn't exactly call their black label inexpensive for what you get in the bottle. Probably barely legal on age and proof. Probably better bottles on the shelf for half the price.

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I wouldn't exactly call their black label inexpensive for what you get in the bottle.

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That may be so... I wasn't making an argument on value of the product. Just saying it is a fairly inexpensive bottle in the grand scheme of bourbon. And, yes, I agree that there are better values (in fact, much better values as you point out).

If you're buying JD or Beam your best bet is to pour it into a glass of Sprite or Coke because that's all it's good for.

Beam makes a tolerable old fashioned. I just can't bring myself to mix good bourbon with anything more than a rock or two.

Beam and caffein free diet coke in a styrofoam cup for me.

Times a handful times everyday.

Not gonna lie, a little Weller 12 and coke or george Dickel and ginger ale hits the spot every once and awhile.

Weller 12 and Coke is a guilty pleasure.

I bought a bottle of Dickel Barrel Select for the first time and was not impressed. It has an odd after taste, similar to what I tasted with Larceny.

My main goal in life is to find a beer as cold as a woman's heart

Have the pit cranking this evening with an Old Fashioned of Willett Rye. Only way I enjoy Willett Rye. As far as any bourbon mixed with soda... I would rather drink gasoline. Gave up soda a couple years ago, and have enjoyed spirits so much more since. No knock on those that do, but I would encourage those on this board to quit mixing spirits and soda for two months. Report back! Of course your bar budget will increase because you can't tolerate crappy spirits.

Drunk rant... Sorry.

I agree for the most part, but I am drinking a bulleit rye and coke zero right now to start my night. Next I will be pouring myself a glass of four roses single barrel on the rocks followed by Elijah Craig 12 year. Who knows what I decide on after that; Willet? Blantons? More four roses?

I almost never mix anymore but if I am drinking with dinner I still prefer something with soda or a beer.

Working on three fingers of Pappy 20 year neat right now. Even better, it's my buddy's bottle, and mine is safe at home.

PVW20, very tempted to crack open the '09. I think I will settle for finishing off the FR Private Selection Single Barrel by Poison Girl in preparation for the horses running tomorrow..

Tomorrow is always a special bourbon day for me.

I actually bought some mint for tomorrow!

... For the wife!

Lmfao

Why wait until tomorrow? I'm sampling tonight. Blowhard, Bowman SB, Millennium, Port Finish, now Willett Rye... May not be done...

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I broke down and opened my 4 roses 125...Wow. Some real good juice

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Absolutely. I'm generally not a high rye recipe as I generally prefer wheaters, but this blew my socks off. I had a chance to buy a ton of it too and I passed and just got one bottle. My single biggest whiskey buying mistake.

My biggest buying mistake was not loading up on PVW a decade + ago when it would just sit on shelves like it was no big deal.

You would have probably drank it all by now any way.

Agreed on Four Roses 125th. It's one of the best bourbons I've ever had.

File this under dumb question: but will there be another release of the 125th FR next year? (126th? Idk)