Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select vs Single Barrel Barrel Proof: Head to Head!

Discover the differences between Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select vs Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Barrel Proof and decide which is better for You!

Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select

Nose	Banana, caramel, oak
Palate	Vanilla, caramel, cherry, oak
Finish	Medium length, cherry, caramel, oak spice
Alcohol content	94 proof (47% ABV)
How to drink	Rocks
Similar to	Four Roses SB, Sinatra Select

The nose brings more of that banana note which is the common theme among Jack Daniel’s whiskeys. The banana note is followed by caramel and a tad oak.

On the palate, the Single Barrel shows a good body without becoming creamy. First sip delivers vanilla and caramel up-front, followed by a cherry cough syrup note and a bit of oak.

The finish has a medium length, with a bit of oak spice char, along more of that cough syrup note and caramel.

There is some warmth as it pleasantly burns a bit on the way down yet it drinks nicely neat. Adding water releases more caramel and oak making it easier to drink.

Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel is the same whiskey as the traditional Old No. 7 crafted from a single barrel as opposed to blending from various barrels.

The barrels are hand-picked from the upper-level of the warehouse and the whiskey is bottled at a higher proof, meaning it suffered less water-dilution.

The result is an improvement over the traditional No. 7 as it has more texture. Better rounded and free of some the weird tasting notes of the classic Jack Daniel’s.

There are a few facts worth knowing about the Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel:

• Aged between 4 and 7 years.

• Single Barrel uses an 80% corn, 8% rye, and 12% malted barley mash bill.

• JD Single Barrel is filtered for up to 12 days through 10 feet (3 meters) of homemade sugar maple charcoal. This process removes some of the harshness from the spirit.

Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Barrel Proof

Nose	Ethanol, banana, caramel
Palate	Banana, brown sugar, vanilla, spice
Finish	Long, banana, spice
Alcohol content	130 proof (65% ABV)
How to drink	Add water
Similar to	Old Forester SB, Blanton’s

The nose kicks-off with a hit of ethanol that fades into banana and caramel as you let it breathe.

On the palate, the Single Barrel Barrel Proof has a nice creamy feel as the body has a good texture. First sip feels warm, rich in candied banana, vanilla and fair amount of spice giving balance to the pour.

The finish is long and warm, with more banana sweetness and spice.

It definitely feels warm on the palate and the finish, although it gets better with a dash of water as it tunes down the heat by a notch.

Despite its warmth this is a nice whiskey (not a bourbon), it offers some of the traditional Jack Daniel’s flavors, but not the ugly notes of the cheaper offerings.

It has a good creamy body, while sweetness is well balanced against rich spicy notes making a satisfying whiskey for those fond of warm drams.

Overall, this is a good Barrel Proof whiskey, not the best in its class but quite competent and a must-try for fans of Jack Daniel’s.

There are a few facts worth knowing about the Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Barrel Proof:

• Aged between 4 and 7 years.

• Single Barrel uses an 80% corn, 8% rye, and 12% malted barley mash bill.

• Jack Daniel’s is owned by Brown-Forman, along Old Forester Bourbon and Woodford Reserve Bourbon; each whiskey is crafted independently.

What’s the difference between Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select and Barrel Proof?

They are the same whiskey but Select has been watered-down

1. They are the same whiskey, as they have been made from the same mash, aged for the same length and drawn from the same barrels.
2. The difference is that Select was watered-down before bottling, hence the lower proof.

Single Barrel Select vs Single Barrel Barrel Proof: Price comparison

Prices are approximate and stated in USD:

Whiskey	Price
Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select	$55
Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Barrel Proof	$68

Jack Daniels Single Barrel Select vs Single Barrel Barrel Proof: Which is better?

Single Barrel Barrel Proof is a richer version than Select

Whiskey	Single Barrel Select	Single Barrel Barrel Proof
Nose	✅
Body		✅
Palate		✅
Finish		✅
Value		✅

• If I had to choose between these two I would go with the Barrel Proof.

• Is not the smoothest dram but a large ice ball is enough to make it easier to drink and a more satisfying whiskey than its watered-down sibling.

• Ultimately, they are the same whiskey just that Select was watered-down. Hence, you can do the same thing by adding water; over time you will grow accustomed to it!

Learn more about this brand by reading my post: Discover the Best Jack Daniel’s Whiskey where I rank every release!