If you already know what you want, you can shop the Jack Daniel's range straight away, or jump to the Jack Daniels 700ml and 1 litre bottles.
Is Jack Daniels a bourbon whisky?
Is Jack Daniels bourbon? No: it is whiskey, specifically Tennessee whiskey. People ask "is Jack Daniels whiskey a bourbon" because the two are so alike, and you will even see searches for Jack Daniels bourbon, but the label, the law and the distillery all say Tennessee whiskey. What is in Jack Daniels is very close to bourbon: a mash of 80% corn, 12% malted barley and 8% rye, aged in new charred oak. The difference is the charcoal mellowing before ageing. The Jack Daniel's Tennessee whiskey alcohol content is 40% for Old No.7, 45% for Single Barrel and 50% for Bonded. Compared with a typical Kentucky bourbon, Jack is a little lighter and sweeter, with a faint note from the maple charcoal.
What is Tennessee whiskey?
Tennessee whiskey is American whiskey made in the state of Tennessee to a specific recipe of rules. In 2013 the state passed a law setting out the definition. To carry the name, a whiskey must be made in Tennessee from a grain mash of at least 51% corn, distilled to no more than 160 proof (80% ABV), filtered through maple charcoal before ageing, entered into new charred oak barrels at no more than 125 proof (62.5% ABV), and bottled at no less than 80 proof (40% ABV). The law includes a narrow exemption for one existing distillery that did not use charcoal filtering, but for practical purposes the maple charcoal step is the defining feature.
In Australia the name carries extra weight. Under the Australia–US Free Trade Agreement, both "Bourbon Whiskey" and "Tennessee Whiskey" are recognised as distinctive products of the United States. A spirit made anywhere else cannot be sold here under either name, in the same way only US-made whiskey can be sold as bourbon. That protection is why we always describe Jack Daniel's as Tennessee whiskey: it has its own name, and we use it.
The Lincoln County Process: charcoal mellowing explained
The Lincoln County Process is the step that turns a corn-based American whiskey into Tennessee whiskey. Distillers burn sugar maple wood down to charcoal, break it into small pieces and pack it into tall vats. Fresh, clear spirit straight off the still is then dripped slowly through the charcoal before it goes into the barrel. Jack Daniel's describes its charcoal bed as ten feet deep.
What does it do? Charcoal acts as a filter and a softener. It strips out some of the heavier, oilier compounds and harsher grain notes from new-make spirit, so the whiskey that enters the barrel is cleaner and lighter. Many drinkers find the finished whiskey has a mellow, slightly sweet character with a faint sooty or smoky edge from the maple charcoal. Because the process happens before ageing, the barrel then has a slightly different starting point to work on than it would with an unfiltered bourbon distillate.
The name is historical. The process takes its name from Lincoln County, Tennessee, where the Jack Daniel distillery was located when it began. County boundaries were later redrawn, and Lynchburg now sits in Moore County, but the name stuck. Gentleman Jack, covered in the range section below, takes the idea further by passing through charcoal a second time after ageing.
Tennessee whiskey vs bourbon
The two styles are close cousins. Both start with a mash that is mostly corn, both use new charred oak barrels, and both cap the distillation and barrel-entry strength in the same way. The differences come down to place and one production step. This table sets them side by side.
| Rule | Bourbon | Tennessee whiskey |
|---|---|---|
| Where it can be made | Anywhere in the United States | Only in Tennessee |
| Grain | At least 51% corn | At least 51% corn |
| Maximum distillation strength | 160 proof (80% ABV) | 160 proof (80% ABV) |
| Barrels | New charred oak containers | New charred oak barrels |
| Maximum barrel-entry strength | 125 proof (62.5% ABV) | 125 proof (62.5% ABV) |
| Charcoal filtering before ageing | Not required | Required: maple charcoal (Lincoln County Process) |
| Where the rule comes from | US federal regulations | Tennessee state law (2013) |
| Protected name in Australia | Yes, "Bourbon Whiskey" | Yes, "Tennessee Whiskey" |
In the glass, Jack Daniel's Old No.7 tends to taste lighter and a touch sweeter than many Kentucky bourbons, with a gentle charcoal note. Within the Jack Daniel's family the differences are bigger than the category: Gentleman Jack is softer still after a second charcoal mellowing, while Jack Daniels Bonded at 50% is as bold as most bourbons on the shelf.
A short history of Jack Daniel's
Jasper Newton "Jack" Daniel grew up around Lynchburg, Tennessee, and learned to distil from local preacher and distiller Dan Call and his head distiller, Nathan "Nearest" Green, whom Jack Daniel's now recognises as its first master distiller. Daniel later went into business with Call and eventually took over the distillery himself.
The distillery sits in a hollow where a spring flows from a cave at the base of a limestone cliff. Limestone removes iron from the water, which makes it well suited to whiskey making, and that cave spring water is still part of the Jack Daniel's story today. From that small hollow, Old No.7 grew into one of the most recognised whiskey labels anywhere.
The Jack Daniel's range in stock
We stock the whole Jack Daniel's family, sorted into Old No 7, single barrel, special and limited editions, gift sets and mini bottles. These are the core bottles worth knowing first.
Old No.7 (50mL, 700mL and 1L)
The classic. Jack Daniel's Old No.7 is bottled at 40% and charcoal mellowed through the maple bed before ageing. It is balanced, sweet and easy to mix, which is why it is the default for Jack and Coke. The 50mL mini is ideal for tasting, and the 1L bottle is the better buy for a party.
Gentleman Jack
Introduced in 1988, Gentleman Jack is charcoal mellowed twice. The second mellowing gives it a softer, lighter taste of caramel, vanilla, toasted oak and a hint of spice.
Bonded
Jack Daniel's Bonded uses the traditional recipe of 80% corn, 12% malted barley and 8% rye, made to the standards of the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897: one distilling season, at least four years in a federally bonded warehouse and bottled at 50%. Barrels are chosen for deeper colour and a darker, oak-forward character.
Single Barrel Select
Single Barrel Select is bottled from one barrel hand-selected by the Master Distiller, so each bottling varies slightly. At 45% it shows cereal sweetness, a noticeable rye presence, cigar box, nut oils and a long finish with a hint of citrus.
Single Barrel Select Rye
With a 70% rye grain bill, Single Barrel Select Rye is a rye whiskey rather than a Tennessee whiskey or bourbon, because rye replaces corn as the main grain. Jack Daniel's calls it its first new grain recipe since Prohibition. It is spicy and surprisingly sweet at 45%.
Sinatra Select
Frank Sinatra was famously loyal to Jack Daniel's, and Sinatra Select marks that association. It is a 1L bottle at 45%, presented in a carton with a booklet, with vanilla, toasted oak, caramel and spice.
How to drink Jack Daniel's
There is no wrong way, but different bottles suit different serves. As a rule, use Old No.7 for mixing and save Gentleman Jack, Bonded and the single barrels for sipping.
| Serve | How to make it | Best bottle |
|---|---|---|
| Jack and Coke | 30mL whiskey over ice in a tall glass, topped with cola, lime wedge | Old No.7 |
| Neat | A small pour in a tulip or tumbler at room temperature | Single Barrel Select or Gentleman Jack |
| With water | Add water a few drops at a time to open the aroma | Bonded |
| On the rocks | One large ice cube to chill with slow dilution | Gentleman Jack |
| Lynchburg Lemonade | 30mL whiskey, 30mL triple sec, 30mL lemon juice or sour mix, ice, topped with lemon-lime soda | Old No.7 |
| Manhattan | Stirred with sweet vermouth and bitters, served up | Single Barrel Select Rye |
Jack and Coke is the simplest serve and still one of the best. Use plenty of ice so the drink stays cold and fresh, and squeeze in a wedge of lime.
Neat and with water. Pour around 30mL, nose it gently, sip, then add water a drop at a time. The higher-strength Bonded opens up noticeably with a little dilution. A tulip-shaped glass such as the Glencairn, which comes with our Single Barrel Select gift pack, concentrates the aroma.
Lynchburg Lemonade is named after the distillery's home town. Build it over ice in a tall glass, garnish with a lemon slice, and add a little sugar syrup if you use fresh lemon juice and like it sweeter. For a Jack Daniels and Coke, keep it simple: 30mL of Old No.7, plenty of ice and cola, and a squeeze of lime. For an Old Fashioned, stir 60mL of Bonded with a sugar cube and two dashes of bitters over ice, and finish with orange peel.
Once opened, store the bottle upright, sealed and out of direct sunlight. A bottle that is more than half full keeps well for a year or more; once it is down to the last quarter, finish it within a few months, as the air in the bottle slowly flattens the aroma.
Which Jack Daniel's to buy: from everyday to collector
The range is easy to navigate by occasion. Start with how the bottle will be drunk: mixed with cola at a barbecue, sipped neat after dinner, or kept as a gift. Every bottle below is for sale online and can be delivered across Australia, so you can order a mixer and a sipper in the same cart.
| Occasion | Bottle | Why buy it |
|---|---|---|
| Try it first | Old No.7 50mL | A taste, a stocking filler or a hamper extra |
| Everyday mixing | Old No.7 700mL | The everyday mixing bottle |
| Everyday sipping | Gentleman Jack | Charcoal mellowed twice for smoother sipping |
| Parties and entertaining | Old No.7 1L | The bigger bottle for a party or a well-stocked home bar |
| Step-up sipping | Bonded | Full 50% strength, four years minimum |
| Gift and special occasion | Single Barrel Select | One hand-picked barrel, a fine gift |
| Cocktail lover | Single Barrel Select Rye | A spicy rye for cocktail lovers |
| Collector and milestone | Sinatra Select 1L | The collector's and big-occasion gift |
A simple rule for choosing: buy Old No.7 if the bottle will mostly meet cola, ice and lemonade, Gentleman Jack if it will be sipped by someone who likes a soft, sweet pour, and Bonded or Single Barrel Select if they enjoy bolder oak and a little more strength. Sinatra Select, in its carton with a booklet, is the one to order when the bottle itself is the occasion.
Buying a present? Our Jack Daniels gift set page has boxed bottles, glasses and cradles, and the Jack Daniels mini bottles make small gifts. Looking for Jack Daniel's near me? Order online and we deliver across Australia.
We sell alcohol only to adults aged 18 and over. Please enjoy whiskey in moderation and read our responsible drinking page for standard drink guidance.