Jack Daniels has been "tweaking"

[Wurm]

http://www.moderndrunkardmagazine.com/arch...s_rant_jack.htm

A snippet from the editorial...

Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 is a simple reminder that some things just never change. And shouldn't’. This is the old-time whiskey made as our fathers made it. Remaining true to Jack Daniel’s original recipe and charcoal-mellowed character means folks today enjoy the same sipping whiskey awarded seven international gold medals.

So says Jack's Daniel's web site. Rather inspiring, isn't it? Such noble sentiments should warm the cockles of the most cynical drunkard's heart.

Unfortunately, not a word of it is true. For the second time since the Brown-Forman Corporation acquired the distillery in 1956, they have lowered the proof of Jack Daniel's Black Label Tennessee Whiskey. Fifteen years ago they dropped its original 90 proof to 86, and very recently, and might I say with zero fanfare, they degraded it to 80 proof.

Thats kinda wrong isn't it? I inherited a bottle of 90 proof when my dad died, I didn't know it was the last of its kind, oh well its already almost empty and my wife enjoyed every drop, so there is no looking back.

 

[NullSmurf]

AVB, isn't this tantamount to watering the booze?

 

[bmd34202]

Sounds like an instant, almost cost free, way to increase capacity!

 

[Razorback]

Sounds like an instant, almost cost free, way to increase capacity!

[snapback]300316[/snapback]​

Exactly what I was thinking! Robbing the consumer to make an extra buck!

Charmin (the Toilet Paper people) did the same thing with TP rolls. They tried to take as many sheets out of each roll as they could without the consumers being able to tell.


Nick

 

[AVB]

Look at the date, I posted on this 2 years ago.

Once again Jack Daniels recently lowered the proof of Black label. It is now the same rating as Green Label. It used to be that Black was 90 proof and Green was 80. Black dropped to 86 and just recently to 80 proof itself.

Since the formula and process are exactly the same (as admited by Jack Daniels) the only difference now could be age. However, neither version has an age statement and unlike bourbon has no legal minimum of ageing. (Bourbon has to be aged 4 years to be called bourbon, JD is not bourbon).

Here is the reply to an email I sent questioning the latest change.

ME: Now that you have ruined Black Label by lowering (again) the
proof, when will you lower the price to the level of Green Label? They
are now the same exact product.

JD: Our Black Label and Green Label Label Tennessee Whiskey are two different products. Both come from the same recipe and through the same process, but the difference comes into play when the whiskey is aged (from four to six years) in the warehouse. Different locations and temperatures within the warehouse can affect how some barrels mature. Black Label is a more mature whiskey with a darker color and character and is priced to reflect that difference.

HOWEVER, they provide no proof of this statement. Notice that JD didn't say that Black label was older, just more mature based on the storage and temperature location in the warehouse? Scotch bottlers could never get away with that. For years the assumption was the proof difference and JD never did anything to counter that assumption. I can't prove this but having talked to people who have drank JD for years and years, this is their feeling too.

If you have any thoughts on this please email jack_daniels@lynchburg.jackdaniels.com and let them know how you feel.

 

[MichaelPCo]

I've worked in distilleries all my life, including barrel warehouses.

To claim that the location and temperature of a barrel dramatically affects the end product, is utter nonsense.

To change a proof from 90, to 86, and then to 80, all boils down to one thing. Taxes. FET (Federal Excise Tax).

Let me try and explain this in layman's terms. Federal Excise tax is computed on a PROOF gallon. A PROOF gallon is a gallon (as you know it), times the proof.

1 times .90 @ $13.50 = $12.15
1 times .86 @ $13.50 = $11.61
1 times .80 @ $13.50 = $10.80

A case of 12 750ml bottles contains 2.377548 gallons.

At 90 Proof it's 2.14 PROOF gallons or (2.14 x $13.50) $28.89 in FET
At 86 Proof it's 2.04 PROOF gallons or (2.04 x $13.50) $27.54 in FET
At 80 Proof it's 1.90 PROOF gallons or (1.90 x $13.50) $25.65 in FET

When they can reduce the price/tax obligation of each case by $1.89, they will do it. When they're bottling 3-4-5 thousands cases or more per day, it can dramatically increase a company's profit margin.

Does it affect the taste of the product? Absolutely.
Does it affect the stability of the product over time. Absolutely.

Remember when most whiskey products were 86.8 proof? Why was that? Because it was determined by the industry that that was the optimum alcohol content for a stable product.

 

[Mustang]

Yeah...I'm not a huge fan of Jack anyways...more of a bourbon guy myself. But...when I do go with a Tennessee whiskey...I go with George Dickel. Tastes better than Jack, costs less...and is 90 proof.

 

[ELA]

I've worked in distilleries all my life, including barrel warehouses.

To claim that the location and temperature of a barrel dramatically affects the end product, is utter nonsense.

To change a proof from 90, to 86, and then to 80, all boils down to one thing. Taxes. FET (Federal Excise Tax).

Let me try and explain this in layman's terms. Federal Excise tax is computed on a PROOF gallon. A PROOF gallon is a gallon (as you know it), times the proof.

1 times .90 @ $13.50 = $12.15
1 times .86 @ $13.50 = $11.61
1 times .80 @ $13.50 = $10.80

A case of 12 750ml bottles contains 2.377548 gallons.

At 90 Proof it's 2.14 PROOF gallons or (2.14 x $13.50) $28.89 in FET
At 86 Proof it's 2.04 PROOF gallons or (2.04 x $13.50) $27.54 in FET
At 80 Proof it's 1.90 PROOF gallons or (1.90 x $13.50) $25.65 in FET

When they can reduce the price/tax obligation of each case by $1.89, they will do it. When they're bottling 3-4-5 thousands cases or more per day, it can dramatically increase a company's profit margin.

Does it affect the taste of the product? Absolutely.
Does it affect the stability of the product over time. Absolutely.

Remember when most whiskey products were 86.8 proof? Why was that? Because it was determined by the industry that that was the optimum alcohol content for a stable product.

[snapback]300677[/snapback]​

Great post. I had heard about this from various friends/clients in the industry. Thank you for the info. What do you expect? Great info from another North Jersey CP member, LOL.


Eric

 

[Ralph]

I emailed JD when this happened and I received a canned response saying that their reserch concluded that the majority of JD drinkers add water to the whiskey and that is what prompted them to lower the proof to 80. It was a beautifully orchestrated cop-out.

I responded with "THEN LOWER THE PRICE!"

You can still get the 90 proof stuff in special edition bottles, (like the 1954 Commemorative bottle) but you'll pay through the nose for it. I think it's around $35.

 

[celt]

F*ck them!

the only reason i will ever buy jack again is for my best friend, because it's always been his favorite.

oterhwise, they won't get my money again.

 

[AVB]

I agree, if I wasn't given JD I wouldn't have any.

 

[Ralph]

F*ck them!

the only reason i will ever buy jack again is for my best friend, because it's always been his favorite.

oterhwise, they won't get my money again.

I feel the same way. It's a shame, because I have always enjoyed it's unique flavor.

 

[MJL]

Thats sad reading. I like Jack Daniels. The brand represents many good memories to me. Still, with companies like Jack Daniels acting like this there is no wonder the multitude of small batch upstarts are making inroads into what was the big guys exclusive market.

It is Jack Daniels market to lose and it sounds to me like they have given up competing for a certain market audience (those who consider themselves knowledgeable about booze) for the mass market retailers who demand they produce a certain product (or facsimile) for a certain price per unit on a huge scale.