What Proof Is Jack Daniel's Whiskey?
There are few whiskey brands with as much inherent name recognition as Jack Daniel's. On top of being one of the most well-known whiskey brands, Jack Daniel's has also enjoyed time on the bar shelves of celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, who enjoyed the Tennessee whiskey as part of his regular order when eating at his go-to steakhouse in Las Vegas. "Jack," as you may hear it called more simply, is a perfect whiskey for classics such as the whiskey sour. But, before you get into cocktail crafting, one basic but important question must be answered: How strong is Jack Daniels, exactly?
While "proof" is a word you hear attached to whiskey terms such as "full proof" and "barrel proof," the term itself is quite easy to understand nowadays: The proof number is just twice that of the alcohol by volume percentage. In the case of regular old Jack Daniel's, you have an 80-proof whiskey on your hands. This means that a bottle of Jack is 40% ABV, the standard for many simple whiskeys and even other liquors such as tequila and vodka.
Exploring beyond the 80-proof standard
Even though regular 40% ABV Jack Daniel's might be the most recognizable offering from the Lynchburg-based company (and may be perfect in a simple but delicious whiskey cocktail), that's by no means the only bottle of Tennessee whiskey that the company produces –- nor is it the only one worth talking about. As it turns out, Jack Daniel's has a variety of whiskeys to give you a decent range of proof points.
Bottled-in-bond whiskeys are unique spirits that must follow strict legal guidelines. One of those guidelines is that the liquor must be 100 proof (50% ABV), so it's no surprise that Jack Daniel's' bonded whiskey sits right at that 100-proof threshold. If you want something stronger still, you could search for a bottle of Jack Daniel's single-barrel "barrel proof" whiskey. It ranges in potency from 125 proof (62.5% ABV) to 140 proof (70% ABV), but you'll be spending quite a bit more on that bottle than your standard bottle of Jack. Even so, whether you want a solid "rail" whiskey or something with a fair bit more kick, there should be a bottle of Jack Daniel's that can do the trick.