Posted on 09/29/2004 7:24:43 PM PDT by nypokerface
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - If you've noticed that your Jack Daniel's is carrying a little less kick these days, you're probably right. The famed "sippin' whiskey," which advertises a recipe traced back to the nation's first registered distillery, has lowered the alcohol content of its flagship brand, Old No.7 Black Label.
The whiskey now registers 80 proof, instead of 86 (or 40 percent alcohol versus 43 percent), and some drinkers feel betrayed.
"You can't screw with a legend like that and get away with it," said Frank Kelly Rich, editor of Modern Drunkard magazine. "I'm sure Jack is spinning in his grave."
The company says the switch was made because most customers prefer the less potent mix, which was marketed first in a few states and some overseas markets. The transition was completed earlier this year.
Those who want a stiffer drink can buy specialty versions like Jack Daniel's Single Barrel at 94 proof, the company said.
"We were just doing what we think most of our friends and customers wanted," said Roger Brashears, who has worked at Jack Daniel's in Lynchburg since the 1960s. "Our quality control is very scientific. It comes down to how it tastes."
The company touts Old No. 7 as "a simple reminder that some things just never change. And shouldn't. This is the old-time whiskey made as our fathers made it."
The uproar was started by a few whiskey drinkers who think Jack should stick to that promise. An online petition asking the company to switch back has gathered about 700 signatures.
"If that's what the people wanted, they would have announced it in an ad — 'Look we lowered the proof for you,'" said Rich, who calls his magazine "the voice of the recreational drinker."
Rich said the company pushed the change through without any fanfare and whiskey drinkers are just now picking up on it, saying it tastes sweeter and doesn't pack the same punch.
Jack Daniel's gets to 80 proof by adding a little more water to the raw whiskey that comes out of barrels after four years at roughly 125 proof, Brashears said.
"I can't tell the difference," he said. "We haven't done anything to affect the quality that has made us so many friends over the years."
It is not the first time drinkers have felt burned by Jack. Roughly 17 years ago, the company lowered the proof of its famed whiskey from 90 to 86.
Enough is enough, says Rich.
"I've switched to Maker's Mark since," he said. "I used to drink a bottle a week. Some of our board members drink three bottles a week. Once this gets out, it will be like the New Coke thing — they'll have to bring it back."
Competitors also jumped on Jack Daniel's. Kentucky's Jim Beam noted they have no plans to lower the alcohol content of their 210-year-old recipe.
"I think it's interesting that our primary competitor says they've been true to their roots yet they've lowered their proof and altered their recipe," said Dave Racicot, senior director of global marketing for the Kentucky whiskey.
The whiskey recipe is still the same, including four years of aging in wood barrels. Old No. 7, which Jack Daniel's says is the country's most popular whiskey with 7 million cases shipped last year, continues to sell well.
It is closing in on Johnnie Walker Black Label scotch whisky as the world's No. 1 seller, said Phil Lynch, spokesman for Brown-Forman, the Louisville, Ky.-based company that owns Jack Daniel's.
Lynch said the company uses the same ingredients and time-honored process it always has — including the charcoal filtering that makes Tennessee whiskey different than Kentucky bourbon.
Rich said the company was saving money by adding more water, but Jack Daniel's said any savings were canceled by the expense of having to change its labels.
"We don't think it's appropriate to have a magazine called Modern Drunkard dictate how we make our whiskey," Lynch said.
That's it. Around midnight. Closing up here. Last call for alcohol.
I have to duck this one otherwise as I'm the guy with a nephew who is an executive for Bacardi. Love Christmas presents!
Knob Creek is my fave (the aroma alone is heavenly), and Bookers for those extra-special occasions (both are Beam products). Jimmy with Coke for the football games.
As a devoted JD drinker, I too noted that as of lately ol'#7 had less and less potential. I thought it was me getting more agressive but come to find out that it was the whiskey. It looks like them boys in Lynchburg are trying to make a fast buck by lowering the proof, hence more sale.(noticed that the price of Jack Daniels went up by $2.00 over the past 3 Months?)
Wonder why...this is a bad move on part of the current owners/who ever entity, to mess around with an American Icon at the altar of PC's-ness. I already moved over to Jameson, an excellent Irish Whiskey and at times to Bushmills! Great stuff!
To the schmucks in Lynchburg...go back to basics, as Jack want it to be and do not mess around with a proven recipe!
Its better straight anyway!
Ever notice that the best writers in history have always been raging alcoholics?
What? Do you live in a box or something???
/just kidding there
Modern Drunkard is one of my favorite sites.
This was one of my favorites:
http://www.moderndrunkardmagazine.com/issues/01-02/01_02_booze_rules.htm
Weird world, eh? I had some Jack a few weeks ago, and I noticed that it tasted different. Now I know why!
Bad as non-alcohol beer. It's for people who don't want to get drunk, but still like to piss a lot.
HAW HAW HAW HAW!!!
One day in the early 90's, I met my lawyer girlfriend for a pitcher on her lunch hour. We ran into one of the firm's senior partners at the bar, and he told her to take the rest of the afternoon off, so we proceeded to get smashed.
Later on that afternoon, I hooked up with a buddy of mine, and all we could find in his fridge were a few bottles of that gawd-awful O'Dooles.
I swear, that stuff was worthless. Even if it HAD alcohol in it, it would qualify as one of the worse American beers of the 20th Century.
They chose the less expensive option of watering down their product rather than making the bottles smaller (the more costly option). Profits may be watered down too if people quit buying it. Bad timing for them too with the upcoming holidays. Comparison shopping for booze should give their competition quite a sales boost
Modern Drunkard is one of my favorite tagline sources.
Now I know why we are fighting the towel heads.
You know, people can bad mouth the beer in this country all they want, but they'd better not say anything about our bourbon.
Heheh well no where else in the world can make Bourbon.
Bourbon can only be made in Kentucky (Its some rule or law of the whiskey making industry)
It is funny I 've noticed that lately I drink more Jack and get less of a buzz. I thought I was just getting older and I was just building up a tolerence.
I've been a Jack Drinker for near thirty years.
I guess it is time for a change, when this current bottle is empty I am trying something different.
That's right - if I remember correctly, it is named after a county in Kentucky. But it's still great stuff that rivals anything else out there.
Dump the Jack and go with Maker's. You won't regret it!
The Kipling story is "Friendly Brook" - about a providential murder committed by a stream in rural England. Kipling's late stories are often confusing, but always the best.
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