Review: Jack Daniel's Tennessee Blackberry Is The Sweet Whiskey You Need To Wrap Up The Summer

Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 is one of the most iconic American whiskies out there. You'd be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn't instantly recognize the label based on the font and color alone, not to mention how many songs, movies, and TV shows reference it. But while Old No. 7 is legendary, Jack Daniel's doesn't stop with the original recipe, flavoring its whiskey with cinnamon, honey, and apple. And now, the classic is getting another sweet — and tart — twist.

Enter the brand's latest drop: Jack Daniel's Tennessee Blackberry. Its purple violet label might catch you by surprise, but going with blackberry makes sense given the brand's other flavor forays — it's not overly complex, and sweet/sour mixers tend to work well with whiskey anyway. Luckily, I had the chance to try it for myself and conduct a thorough taste test (along with a few friends). As someone who bartended for a decade, I've certainly had my fair share of whiskey over the years, but this is the first blackberry-flavored one I've ever sampled. So how did this new Jack stack up?

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

A quick online search in several United States regions revealed that Jack Daniel's Tennessee Blackberry shouldn't be hard to find — I even checked in a few rural areas. It may be a new release, but it's widely available and ripe for the picking, so you shouldn't have any trouble tracking down a bottle if you feel so inclined.

A 750-milliliter bottle of Jack Daniel's Tennessee Blackberry costs about $25. Savvy shoppers may be able to find it for a bit less, but that will likely take some extra effort, and it'll likely only save you a couple of bucks. All things considered, though, $25 for a bottle of flavored whiskey from a well-known brand like Jack Daniel's is not bad at all. After all, a regular bottle of Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 costs around $20 to $23, so the added flavor only adds a marginal amount to the overall cost.

Jack Daniel's Tennessee Blackberry tells us a lot by the name alone, but what exactly goes into a bottle? Well, as the label states, Jack Daniel's Tennessee Blackberry consists of blackberry liqueur blended with Jack Daniel's Old No. 7. That definitely sheds some light on things, but to be more exact, Jack Daniel's Old No. 7's mash bill (aka recipe) features 80% corn, 8% rye, and 12% malted barley. It's also a sour mash whiskey, something that means the distiller used a small amount of the ingredients to start a new batch (yup – just like a sourdough starter).

Jack Daniel's Tennessee Blackberry is not as strong as Old No. 7 due to the addition of blackberry liqueur. It's 70 proof, or 35% alcohol by volume, and Old No. 7 is 80 proof. The slightly lower ABV of Tennessee Blackberry won't bowl you over with booze, but a drink or two won't go unnoticed, either. It may be extra flavorful and easy to drink, but make sure to imbibe responsibly, or it just might sneak up on you.

When I opened my bottle of Jack Daniel's Tennessee Blackberry, I immediately detected a sweet blackberry aroma emanating from within — to be expected, I suppose! After pouring myself a glass, the scent only got stronger. It was hard to pick up on the whiskey, though — I sensed a note or two at the end of a long sniff, but that's it.

After getting all I could from the nose, I went in for a sip of my neat pour of Jack Daniel's Tennessee Blackberry. After a single taste, it instantly created a warming effect on my entire palate, and a few moments later, my belly started to warm as well. This is where the bold blackberry flavor really began to stand out — it's sweeter than it is tart, and tastes like quality blackberries were used to make the liqueur. The classic Jack Daniel's flavor still held its own, but it certainly wasn't at the forefront of this tasting experience, playing a supporting role to the blackberry's star turn.

After sipping neat, I also enjoyed a generous pour of Jack Daniel's Tennessee Blackberry on the rocks. The addition of ice mellowed out the flavors quite a bit, as expected, but it really wasn't necessary. Even without rocks, Tennessee Blackberry lacked the harsh burn associated with your typical budget bourbon or whiskey — a major plus.

I'll admit: I enjoyed Jack Daniel's Tennessee Blackberry much more than anticipated. Straight whiskey doesn't do it for me anymore — I enjoy a well-crafted whiskey cocktail, but drinking it straight isn't my preference. However, I could definitely see myself sipping a neat pour of Jack Daniel's Tennessee Blackberry. It's almost shockingly smooth and easy to down. Honestly, it sent me back to my glory days without reminding me of why I had to take a break from the brown spirit in the first place.

While I certainly liked that it was blackberry-forward, I can also see how whiskey purists, particularly those who prefer Jack, might have an issue with Tennessee Blackberry. Old No. 7 is a bit player in this show, no doubt about it. Perhaps it's cold comfort to Jack lovers that a spirit like this has the potential to introduce the brand to a new audience — folks who might never have given its whiskey a chance before, or who simply need something a little sweeter to buttress its powerful punch. Maybe it's even colder comfort that this stuff is actually really good. (I think it would make a super tasty Jack Daniel's Liquid Cake Shot, too.) Not everything needs to be geared toward the connoisseurs. Jack Daniel's Tennessee Blackberry is sweet proof of that.