Jack Daniel's High Angel's Share review: Dessert flavors in slice of Lynchburg
Jack Daniel's isn't just the iconic square bottle -- but that's a pretty good place to start.
My summer of Jack already included a trip to Lynchburg and the chance to sip straight from the source atop a Coy Hill barrelhouse. Now I've got the chance to go back, at least in a gustatory fashion. While you can only get Jack Daniel's new Distillery Series #17, High Angel's Share Straight Tennessee Whiskey within the Volunteer State, I was lucky enough to have a bottle mailed up to Wisconsin for review.
Poured from a barrel perched high atop those rickhouses, High Angel's Share promises a more concentrated version of the spirit that's defined Tennessee Whiskey. It clocks in at just under 140 proof, throwing you back to humid Lynchburg evenings of long pulls and swatting mosquitoes. This is meant to be an authentic experience in a glass, transported to wherever you may be. Does it pull it off?
Here's what I thought about this big stack of boozy pancakes, in written form.
High Angel's Share: A-
It pours with the gravity you'd expect from a spirit that spent a decade at the top of an oft-sweltering Tennessee rickhouse. It's a bit dense, but the aromas that waft upward are absolutely lovely. There's a bunch of sweet baked goods holding serve alongside the mash, playing off the heat of a 138 proof spirit with some sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and all spice.
The opening sip settles into the sweet side of your taste buds before rolling into the familiar Tennessee whiskey experience. But instead of rolling to a smooth stop, High Angel's Share accelerates. You get those bakery vibes in a big, boozy way. Bananas, cinnamon, clove, caramel... it's a whirlpool of sweet, spicy flavors that weave through that warmth and reward you for sticking with it.
It's dense and a bit oily on your tongue. I dropped an ice cube into my glass and it helps spread out those bold flavors without muting them too much. You trade off a bit of sweetness in the exchange, but the spirit holds up and still brings those spices that stand out when sipped neat.
Ultimately, this is going to be a tricky bottle to find. But it reminds me fondly of my barrel tap experience, all without the stickiness of 20 minutes at the top of a 120 degree warehouse. It's significantly more complex than your standard Jack. That's worth seeking out.
Would I drink it instead of a Hamm's?
This a pass/fail mechanism where I compare whatever I'm drinking to my baseline cheap beer. That's the standby from the land of sky-blue waters, Hamm's. So the question to answer is: on a typical day, would I drink Jack Daniel's Distillery Series #17, High Angel's Share Straight Tennessee Whiskey over a cold can of Hamm's?
Yes. I'm tarnished by memory, but this brought me back to Lynchburg for a tasting and brought new layers to the Jack experience. I'm still of the mind that we sorta take Jack Daniel's for granted in the whiskey space. This is a proper reminder what the distiller is capable of... and what it's starting with.
This is part of FTW's Beverage of the Week series. Here, we mostly chronicle and review beers, but happily expand that scope to any beverage that pairs well with sports. Yes, even cookie dough whiskey .
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Jack Daniel's High Angel's Share review: Dessert flavors in slice of Lynchburg
