The honeyed tones of a new Jack Daniel's liqueur

Jack Daniel's new liqueur is a versatile spirit that goes well with cocktails

The 147-year-old Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey finally launched its liqueur, Tennessee Honey, in India last week. For Indian bourbon and whiskey aficionados, this liqueur isn’t new. Indian fans tell me that they’ve been getting their fix from international sources till recently — it was launched in the US four years ago. The reason it caught everyone’s attention was three-fold. First, the Tennessee distillery doesn't debut new liquors often. In fact, they’ve unveiled only a handful of new brands since Old No 7 Tennessee Whiskey in 1866. Second, critics seem to like the drink. And third, it’s the fastest spirits brand to sell one million cases since its launch.

Tennessee Honey is the first flavoured variant of Jack Daniel’s and is technically a liqueur, not a whiskey. This is because it is 70 proof, or 35 per cent alcohol by volume — spirits are generally at least 80 proof — and it tastes, looks and smells very different from its rockstar parent’s distinctive caramel, spice, banana and vanilla notes. The Old No 7 Tennessee Whiskey is mingled with a proprietary honey liqueur that the distillers created for its own unique flavour. The amber yellow liquid looks like clover honey and has a mellow taste. I could definitely smell melon, cinnamon and, of course, honey, which allowed for a delicious butterscotch and chocolate finish. And unlike a lot of liqueurs, it didn’t coat the palate with a heavy after note or residue.

I’d call it a lovely drink for women, but Tim Young, the marketing director for India, Middle East and Africa for Jack Daniel’s parent company, Brown-Forman Worldwide, doesn’t agree. According to him, “The chilled Jack Daniel’s Honey shot is slowly becoming a favourite with both men and women drinkers.” He adds that the growing cocktail culture, “premiumisation of the retail environment and the lifestyle of consumers in India” make him believe that the company can replicate the global success of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey in India. “We’re also excited about offering it to Indian consumers because it not only gives our current fans more choice within our family of brands, but it will attract new consumers into the Jack Daniel’s franchise that we’re selling in India, such as Gentleman Jack, Silver Select Single Barrel and Sinatra Select,” he adds.

And just to make sure that I enjoy the whole range of flavours, Roger Gomes, a mixologist from Goa, creates a small selection of cocktails for me to try. I think it goes very well with Ginger Ale, although the Lynchburg Lemonade was too sweet for my taste and the Hot Toddy was just not right for this season. I personally think the best way to drink it is with ice, though others around me prefer the chilled shot.

This versatility, perhaps, will be one of the most important reasons for its success in India. It offers Indian fans more choices in the way they can drink it. It’s clear, however, that it moves easily between a summer refresher, an after-dinner liqueur and the warm drink with honey that one tends to love during winter. In the US, the top cocktail that goes with this liqueur is the Jack Honey Lemonade. In the UK, it’s a Whiskey sour and in Japan, they often drink it with milk. Gomes says that “it works great in most cocktails because you don’t need to add more sugar to the cocktails if you’re using Tennessee Honey”.

While it’s drink I would definitely have it if I’m offered a glass, it is pricey. Unlike Bailey’s and the Rémy Cointreau liqueurs that cost around Rs 2,800 for 750 ml, a Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey bottle of the same size will the cost Rs 4,000 in New Delhi and Rs 5,100 in Mumbai.