November 2005 - Jack Daniels
It is as
American as Rock ‘n Roll and Baseball, with a taste that can be
confused with no other. Yes folks, I’m talking about Bourbon Whiskey,
more specifically, Jack Daniels.
An awful lot has changed in America since 1866 when
a very young (only 16!) Jack Daniel perfected the process of mellowing
his whiskey over Maple Charcoal. Jack was raised by a family friend,
and at a very young age went off to work for a Lutheran minister who
also owned a Whiskey still, a man by the name of Dan Call. Over time,
pressure was put on Mr. Call to get rid of his Whiskey still, and so he
sold it to Jack when he was only 13.
Jack was more on the ball in his 16 years then most
of his fellow distillers were at 60–He registered the distillery in
1866, after anticipating a whole slew of Government taxes. His
reputation as a whiskey maker grew, and in 1904 the old “Number 7" won
it’s first gold medal at The Worlds Fair, and was proclaimed the best
whiskey in the world–no small accomplishment for anyone, leastways a
tiny Tennessee based brewer like Jack!
In 1905, Jack made a fatal kick–quite literally. He
couldn’t open his safe, so in his anger, he kicked it and broke his
toe. The injury became infected, and Jack died in 1911 of blood
poisoning. His grave marker consists of two chairs; though Jack never
married, the second chair was supposedly designated for the many women
who mourned his passing.
The beverage has won several medals worldwide over
it’s 130 year history, and has established itself as one of the premier
bourbon whiskeys in the world. The reason for Jack’s popularity is it’s
charcoal mellowing. Most bourbons are put into the casks for aging
right away, but Jacks is filtered, drop by drop, through a specially
made Charcoal filter, which gives it the unique flavor enjoyed by
whiskey lovers around the world.
And lets not ignore the number of cocktails that
Jack Daniels can be used for! Some feel it is almost sacrilegious to
mix any whiskey with anything; that it ruins the flavor. But let’s be
honest here folks: You are the one drinking it, you are the one who
paid for the bottle (unless your lucky!), so you can drink it any way
you please!
There is of course the ever classic Jack and Coke. 1
Ounce Jack Daniels No. 7 and 5 ounces of coke–fairly straight forward!
Try mixing it up a little bit, though. One of my all time favorites is
Jack Daniels and Dr. Pepper. It’s absolutely delicious, though it tends
to hide the flavor of the Jack a lot. Try this if you’ve had bad
experiences with Whiskey before, it will phase you back on to it
without the upset stomach.
Less popular is the Jackarita–think Margarita with
Jack Daniels. Optional salted rim, 2 ounces, of Jack, 2 Ounces, of
Triple Sec, 2 Ounces of Lime Juice and 2 ounces of Sweet and Sour mix
garnished with a slice of Lime. It’s definitely not sweet, but for
those of you with an aversion to Tequila (or a love of Jack!) This is a
good option.
Then there is the Downhome Punch. 1 ounce each
of Jack, Peach Schnapps, Sour mix, and 7-up with 2 ounces of OJ and a
splash of Grenadine. It’s very tasty, and is a wonderful compliment to
a summer evening.
And the final poplar cocktail with Jack Daniels is
called the Lynchburg Lemonade. 1 ounce Jack and Triple Sec with 3
ounces of sweet and sour mix, topped off with Sprite. I’ve never
personally had this one, but again, I’ve been told it is ideal for a
hot summer day–which from my understanding there is no shortage of in
Tennessee!
Of course, there are plenty of other drinks that
require Bourbon to make, but the above listed are the ones that require
Jack Daniel’s brand–if a guest in your residence or establishment asks
for a Jack and Coke, it better be a Jack and Coke! Seasoned Jack
drinkers can tell the difference.
Jack Daniels has gotten a solid consumer basis in
America and abroad as being the premier bourbon whiskey. And, for those
who know nothing about whiskey at all, the down-to-earth image of the
Tennessee Sipper lures them in to try it. Of course, the ‘evil twin’ of
this image, the Rock star passed out with a bottle of Jack in hand,
lures in some people, but few will argue that once they are in, they
are hooked.
By Craig Whitton.
Any questions/comments/omissions are very welcome! E-mail Craig at info@m3bartending.com.
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