Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey Sinatra Select, 1 L

Product Information

It’s hard to imagine now, but when Frank Sinatra was allegedly first introduced to Jack Daniel’s by comedian Jackie Gleason at New York lounge Toots Shor’s, the company was small and relatively obscure—not quite the equivalent of today’s “craft” brands, but you get the idea. I mean, of course you’re reading this review and have probably guessed it’s Sinatra Select and you’d be correct. Not much later in Sinatra’s life, Jackie Gleason supposedly introduced Sinatra to Jack at Toot Shor’s bar in New York, and it was a perfect match.

Let’s get this out of the way – Jack Daniel’s Sinatra Select costs so much because of the special packaging and the name recognition of Frank Sinatra. What I mean by that is nobody that drinks Jack on a regular basis is going to be persuaded or dissuaded by what I have to say about Sinatra Select. One of the more interesting tidbits was how they asked the TTB if they could modify the barrel like this. It’s achieved by first creating the barrel, then charring it, then removing the top metal hoops and head. It is different and does not rely solely on the overdone banana bread trope that so many other JD products are known for.The spice on the palate was slightly too much (strange of me to say for a 90 proof whiskey) but I’m reducing its score because of that.

The reason I’m saying that is because it’s rumored to be aged longer than standard Jack Daniel’s products. I do not personally believe that Sinatra Select is the best Jack has to offer but it’s also not the worst either. The smooth, bold character of the whiskey embodies the smooth, bold character of the man himself, Frank Sinatra. The Sinatra Barrels are handcrafted with the addition of deep grooves on the inside of the barrel staves. I added a couple of drops of water to it, which smoothed things a touch but also took away any nascent richness.

These factors make a huge difference in the final product, which is far superior to the current watered-down and unbalanced flagship Jack Daniel’s. Jack Daniel’s Sinatra Select is bottled at 90 proof and gains its rich character from specially crafted “Sinatra Barrels” mingled with our classic Tennessee Whiskey. Whether you think it’s worth the ring-a-ding-ding depends on how big a fan you are of Frank and/or Jack. Jack Daniel’s pays tribute to Ol’ Blue Eyes through their Sinatra Select Bold Smooth Classic Tennessee Whiskey. One of the most talked about features of Sinatra Select is how the barrels have special grooves cut into the inside of the barrel.

After all, Hoboken, New Jersey, is where Frank Sinatra was born in 1915 and spent most of his childhood. This exposes the whiskey to extra layers of oak which imparts a rich amber color, bold character and a pleasant smokiness, followed by an incredibly smooth vanilla finish. Today, due in part to the Sinatra connection, Jack Daniel’s is the best-selling American whiskey in the world. Special grooved “Sinatra barrels” allow the liquid to make contact with both charred and uncharred wood for a deeper and more complex flavor. Sinatra Select does not mention which floor the barrels were aged on, but I’m guessing it wasn’t the top.

Description:This Bundle combines two of our crowd favorite products, creating the ultimate travel bundle to bring along your favorite spirits and glassware. It even manages to hold its own when served Sinatra-style, with three ice cubes (no more, no less) and a splash of water.

Here’s a picture of what that looks like (far right) next to a standard charred barrels (the ones on the left). Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Does that mean that the power of a singer/crooner who died 25 years ago and whose last album came out 40 years ago really holds this much power? What I immediately find to be interesting is that rather than it just smelling like banana bread the whole time, I find some lively, fruity aromas like citrus peel and a little bit of cherry.Even with 9 year old stuff like Coy Hill or the 10 and 12 year old versions, the oak is so non-descript it never speaks to its full maturity. It’s bold and flavorful, yet mellow enough to sip neat, and italso shines in classic cocktails like Old Fashioneds or Manhattans. The head is put back on and the hoops are reattached and then the barrel is filled with 125 proof Jack Daniel’s Bourbo, err Tennessee Whiskey.