Jack Daniel’s Just Dropped Its First-Ever Coy Hill Rye—and It’s a Monster Proof
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Coy Hill is not your typical Jack Daniel's .
The limited-edition series, started in 2021, utilizes barrels from the Coy Hill rickhouse, which is the highest elevation point at the Lynchburg, Tennessee property. These expressions also contain the highest proof points of any Jack Daniel's release , often getting into hazmat territory (meaning, above 140 proof). This year's edition, announced today, marks the first time the distillery has released a rye in the series—although there have been other ryes matured on that hill without that Coy Hill name attached.
The 2026 Single Barrel Special Release is a barrel-proof Tennessee rye whiskey that undergoes the Lincoln County charcoal mellowing process, albeit a much briefer one than the distillery's famed No. 7 Tennessee whiskey goes through. Matured for 10 years in Barrelhouse 1-13, the liquid was subject to intense temperature swings. Depending on the bottle, you'll find the proof range anywhere from 128.7 to 148.5 (our sample was a modest 133.1).
This Coy Hill release admittedly does share some similarities with other Jack Daniel's rye bottles—that mash bill of 70 percent rye, 18 percent corn, and 12 percent malted barley. "We started distillery rye whiskey for the first time in 2011," says Chris Fletcher, the master distiller at Jack Daniel's. "We only have one rye spec when we're making whiskey and getting it into barrels. Then, from there, Mother Nature takes over."
The Coy Hill releases have skyrocketed on the secondary marketCourtesy Brand
Admittedly, while I love Jack Daniel's, I'm not a huge fan of their rye. This Coy Hill release changed my mind. "I think at this age and from the upper floors of House 13 on Coy Hill, you're going to get much darker, heavily candied fruit notes," Fletcher told us during a recent media tasting. And that's not all. I found a complex mélange of brown sugar, toasted gingerbread, black pepper, cherry candy, mint, molasses, black tea, caramel, and cream soda. Add a drop or two of water, and the peppery notes and fruit shine through more.
Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Special Release Coy Hill Rye is available now in 700 ml bottles in limited quantities for $70. As we've mentioned before, these bottles tend to skyrocket in price on the secondary market, so you'll probably want to buy one now if you can find it.
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This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Oct 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the Drink section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
