Proof is the new age statement in the whiskey world. A certain sector of bourbon fans are less interested in how old the liquid in the bottle is, and more interested in whether or not it can melt your face off and set your tongue on fire. That’s why distilleries are releasing barrel-proof expressions that qualify as hazmat whiskey, or whiskey that’s bottled above 140 proof. For the past couple of years, Jack Daniel’s Coy Hill expression has fit that bill, and last year’s whiskey was so strong they had to make a special cork to contain it. This year’s version is not quite as aggressive, but it’s a very robust whiskey nonetheless.
Coy Hill is a single-barrel release, so the whiskey’s proof will vary depending on the cask. This year, the whiskey ranges from 122 proof to 137.5 proof—just a few degrees short of hazmat, and for some that’s a welcome respite from the alcoholic burn. The whiskey was made from Jack’s standard mashbill of 80 percent corn, 12 percent malted barley, and 8 percent rye, charcoal mellowed using the Lincoln County Process, and put into barrels in September of 2013. These barrels were aged on the fifth and sixth floors of Coy Hill Barrelhouse 8, a special vortex on the distillery’s campus that results in some flame-throwing Tennessee whiskey. “This year’s release builds upon the mystique of the Coy Hill barrel houses that see such drastic temperature swings throughout the whiskey’s maturation,” said master distiller Chris Fletcher in a statement. “Coy Hill Barrelhouse 8 is the same recipe as our Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey, but the unique elements, time, and mother nature have helped to craft a whiskey with an incredible range of flavors and proofs that would be impossible to replicate.”
The sample we were able to try clocked in at 134.7 proof, which for context is higher than most Booker’s releases, but not as strong as some recent barrel-proof whiskeys from A. Smith Bowman. There is no age statement, but according to Fletcher the whiskey is just three weeks shy of 11 years old (compared to about four to five years for Old No. 7). “There is purity and transparency in this type of release, but also the added wrinkle of allowing people to explore whiskey depending on where it’s at in a given barrelhouse,” said Fletcher on a recent Zoom call. Personally, I liked this whiskey better than the past Coy Hill releases, and not just because the lower proof is a bit more manageable. That banana and nut Jack Daniel’s character is still there, but there are notes of old leather, tobacco, dusty wood, barrel char, dark chocolate, and overripe stone fruit on the palate to liven things up. Add a bit of water if you prefer, and the flavor opens up even further.
Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Special Release Coy Hill Barrelhouse 8 is available now in limited numbers nationwide with an SRP of $80. Check your local liquor store to see if they have a bottle, and you can find the rest of the growing lineup from Jack Daniel’s available to purchase from websites like ReserveBar now.
