Green Vs Black Label Jack Daniel's: What's The Difference?

Jack Daniel's is arguably the most famous American whiskey brand with a fascinating history and an extensive line of products with something for nearly every budget and taste. Its best-seller is Old No. 7 with its signature black label. But have you seen Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 with a green label? No, I'm not talking about the green-label Bonded Rye or Tennessee Apple. The now-discontinued Green Label is still Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 whiskey with a slight variation: age. Actually, perceived age, as the barrels used to make both are the same age but aging at different rates.

That last statement may sound confusing when you first read it, so let me explain. The whiskey used for Old No. 7 is aged in oak barrels for at least four years in Jack Daniel's barrel houses, which hold thousands of barrels, multiple levels high. Green Label Jack is made using barrels from the lower levels, where temperatures are cooler and fluctuate less than higher levels. As a result, the whiskey in these barrels ages slowly. Black Label Jack Daniel's uses barrels from multiple levels and barrel houses to achieve the classic look, aroma, and taste Jack Daniel's fans love.

You now know the difference in production, but the reason for the green label goes back to the end of Prohibition. At that point, Mr. Daniel had already passed away, and Lem Motlow was now the head of the company. The company needed revenue, so rather than wait four years for the whiskey to age, Motlow released batches of very young whiskey using green labels to differentiate it from the classic Jack Daniel's Old No. 7. The Green Label Jack Daniel's honors that post-Prohibition whiskey while maintaining the standards of Old No. 7.

History is best served with a glass of whiskey, and when you pour a glass of Jack in the green label alongside Jack in the black label, the difference is immediately visible. Green Label Jack appears younger, with a much lighter caramel color than traditional Black Label Jack Daniel's. While still present, the Jack Daniel's signature notes of banana are not as strong in the green-label whiskey and there's less oakiness from the barrels. Sadly, Green Label Jack Daniel's is difficult to find, limited to only five states, or maybe even fewer by now. You can also buy it from private collectors and resellers online and nobody would blame you for wanting a bottle. At the very least, the green label makes for a great Prohibition history lesson.