Jack Daniels Tasting vs Macallan Experience

[dazey]

We are somewhat new to whiskey and considering going to either the Jack Daniels Tasting or Macallan Experience - $14 difference. I am hoping to gain some knowledge but not expecting a lot. We have done the different wine tastings and pairings many times and thought we would try something different. The wine classes we do not pay for mostly so would like someone's opinion whether it is worth it. 

 

Did read a topic on CC that goes back to 2021 and many seemed to know quite a bit about whiskey(did not really mention Jack Daniels tasting a lot) and it sounded like they did not get a lot out of it. Maybe these experiences haave gotten better or  maybe with our limited knowledge would fulfill our novice needs. We usually drink Crown Royale and have tried several Japanese brands.

 

So which one or none?

 

Thanks for your opinion.

[zitsky]

I'm a Macallan drinker.  Macallan 12, 18, 25.  I didn't get much out of the tasting, BUT it was useful, if just to show me that I didn't like the very basic travel version of it.  I did try one of the other Macallans at the Ensemble Lounge and it wasn't bad, but it was a bit pricey.

 

I think it's great to try once.  You may learn something.  But you can, of course, go to the bars and try it.

 

I once made the mistake in graduate school of going to a party at age 40 with my 25 year old classmates and bringing the "good" scotch for people to try.  I knew I should have brought Jack Daniels when one of my classmates, the one with the drinking problem, decided to start chugging it.  Fortunately I caught him in time.  Alcohol is an antiseptic, isn't it?  I later had a house party and brought out the "really good" scotch for one of my classmates who appreciated it.

Edited March 7 by zitsky

[mac66]

 Jack is Tennessee whiskey. JD filters through charcoal giving it a unique flavor. Technically it is bourbon but with that added process they call it Tennessee whiskey.

 

Crown Royal is Canadian whiskey. Technically it is also a bourbon but can't be called bourbon because it's not made in the states.  Follow me so far :)?  Compared to CR, JD has a more smokey, sweet taste.

 

Bourbon/Tennessee/Canadian whiskey is different than Macallan which is scotch. The difference is bourbon is that it is made from corn mash (minimum 51%) which makes it sweeter and some say mellower. It can also include other grains such as rye, wheat and barley.  

 

Scotch uses malted single grains usually barley. Typically not as sweet as bourbon and depending on other factors (single malt vs. blended) not as smooth and depending on where in Scotland it was made has other characteristics as well.

 

So if you are not scotch drinker it might be worth trying the Macallans which is a decent scotch.  If you like different bourbons the varieties of JD may be to your liking. I've never had the upper end Macallans but the bottom lever stuff is pretty good.

 

Likewise, I've never had the upper level JDs either. While I prefer scotch to bourbon I occasionally drink basic JD and/or other bourbons.

 

And BTW, Irish Whiskey is made the same as bourbon but of course can't be called bourbon. I was quite fond of Jamison's when I was in Ireland..duh... It seems to be smoother than most bourbons and scotchs. 

 

All this talk is making me thirsty.

Edited March 7 by mac66

[zitsky]

1 hour ago, mac66 said:

 Jack is Tennessee whiskey. JD filters through charcoal giving it a unique flavor. Technically it is bourbon but with that added process they call it Tennessee whiskey.

 

Crown Royal is Canadian whiskey. Technically it is also a bourbon but can't be called bourbon because it's not made in the states.  Follow me so far :)?  Compared to CR, JD has a more smokey, sweet taste.

 

Bourbon/Tennessee/Canadian whiskey is different than Macallan which is scotch. The difference is bourbon is that it is made from corn mash (minimum 51%) which makes it sweeter and some say mellower. It can also include other grains such as rye, wheat and barley.  

 

Scotch uses malted single grains usually barley. Typically not as sweet as bourbon and depending on other factors (single malt vs. blended) not as smooth and depending on where in Scotland it was made has other characteristics as well.

 

So if you are not scotch drinker it might be worth trying the Macallans which is a decent scotch.  If you like different bourbons the varieties of JD may be to your liking. I've never had the upper end Macallans but the bottom lever stuff is pretty good.

 

Likewise, I've never had the upper level JDs either. While I prefer scotch to bourbon I occasionally drink basic JD and/or other bourbons.

 

And BTW, Irish Whiskey is made the same as bourbon but of course can't be called bourbon. I was quite fond of Jamison's when I was in Ireland..duh... It seems to be smoother than most bourbons and scotchs. 

 

All this talk is making me thirsty.

Jameson’s smoother?  It tastes like turpentine to me.  Don’t ask how I know.

[markeb]

If you're into the Japanese whiskies, those are much more in the Scotch whisky family than the American bourbon, or Tennessee whiskey families. @mac66 gave a nice breakdown on the various whisk(e)y styles around the world, although Irish whiskey is not corn based so I wouldn't compare it to bourbon. Good ones are probably more like your Japanese whiskies. They're made from malted barley like Scotch Whisky, but they are different.

 

The reason many of us hesitate to recommend the Macallan tastings is we're whisk(e)y snobs. We don't get much out of it because it's our thing. I'm probably one of the commenters in that 2021 thread! Even my insistence to use the parenthetical (e) is a bit of snobbery. Scotch whisky doesn't have an "e". Irish whiskey does. American whiskey generally is spelled with an "e", but Maker's Mark insists on being a "whisky". It's part of the fun. The Macallan tasting is interesting, especially if you don't have a lot of experience with Scotch whisky. I wanted to do the JD tasting on my last cruise, but it was cancelled for the time I could go. I honestly don't think I've ever had Jack Daniels. I've had Uncle Nearest, which is a very nice whiskey. Uncle Nearest was a slave named Nathan Green who taught Jack Daniel how to make whiskey. The current brand honors him. 

 

IF, and that can be a big if, you have a good guide to your tastings, they can be informative. They can also be full of misinformation, just like any other beer, wine, rum, or whisky tasting anywhere else. If you have the time, interest, and the cost isn't too bad, do them both. Some ships also have a Johnny Walker tasting, which is really a sales thing, but you don't have to buy anything or pay anything to go, and you'll get a nice sip of Johnny Walker Blue. It just may be a really awkward time. There are certainly tasting events on land, but the ones on the ship can be fun. And the ones on land will probably be full of whisk(e)y snobs playing stump the chump...

[Elvis1209]

Give me a vodka martini any day!!!!  If I can't get a martini, give me rum!

 

Elvis

[markeb]

6 minutes ago, Elvis1209 said:

Give me a vodka martini any day!!!!  If I can't get a martini, give me rum!

 

Elvis

A perfect non sequitur…

[dazey]

Thank you, Thank you.  I am learning so much or learning I know not much.  I am going to print your emails and we can go over all the info.  At least we have an idea of what to try to find out the differences and what we like.  That is the fun part. 

 

May try one of the paying events but will also search for the free tasting.  

 

 

[zitsky]

27 minutes ago, dazey said:

Thank you, Thank you.  I am learning so much or learning I know not much.  I am going to print your emails and we can go over all the info.  At least we have an idea of what to try to find out the differences and what we like.  That is the fun part. 

 

May try one of the paying events but will also search for the free tasting.  

 

 

Which drink package do you have?

[zitsky]

7 hours ago, Elvis1209 said:

Give me a vodka martini any day!!!!  If I can't get a martini, give me rum!

 

Elvis

I drink scotch AND dry Belvedere martinis, with olives not dirty.

 

And rum is what we give to 5 year olds in my family.

[dazey]

We now do not get a drink package. We are Elite so work with what that offers and found that we can order a few good quality whiskies and/or bottles of wine with dinner and we save so much money.  Maybe we do not drink as much these days but we drink better quality.

[PTC DAWG]

I wish the ships stocked more Bourbon.  JD is swill. 

[PTC DAWG]

5 minutes ago, dazey said:

We now do not get a drink package. We are Elite so work with what that offers and found that we can order a few good quality whiskies and/or bottles of wine with dinner and we save so much money.  Maybe we do not drink as much these days but we drink better quality.

The Elite drink menu is very limiting..very limited mid grade booze at best.  It’s not for me, I don’t cruise to be limited. 

[CruiseRQA]

15 hours ago, mac66 said:

 

 

Crown Royal is Canadian whiskey. Technically it is also a bourbon but can't be called bourbon because it's not made in the states.  

 

 

 

 

Informative post.   

 

My understanding is that Canadian whiskey is generally made from a high rye mash and really isn't a bourbon because bourbon (among other parameters) must be made from >50% corn.  

[zitsky]

2 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

I wish the ships stocked more Bourbon.  JD is swill. 

Maker’s Mark?  I know I’m supposed to like Woodford Reserve, but I don’t.

 

My entrepreneurship professor in business school turned me on to MM when he found out I was a scotch drinker.  (And no, no one ever anywhere should drink Jameson’s.)

[markeb]

54 minutes ago, zitsky said:

Maker’s Mark?  I know I’m supposed to like Woodford Reserve, but I don’t.

 

My entrepreneurship professor in business school turned me on to MM when he found out I was a scotch drinker.  (And no, no one ever anywhere should drink Jameson’s.)

 

That's actually not surprising. Maker's is a wheated bourbon. Its secondary grain, after corn, is wheat, finished out with barley. Woodford Reserve (and actually most Bourbons I've ever looked at) use rye as their secondary grain, and also barley to finish out the mash bill. The rye is a very different flavor from wheat, and also very different from Scotch whisky.

 

There are a lot of different Jameson's. Some of them are pretty good. The entry level is entry level. Generally not my favorite Irish whiskey, and I don't drink that much Irish whiskey (other than this week, of course).

[markeb]

3 hours ago, CruiseRQA said:

Informative post.   

 

My understanding is that Canadian whiskey is generally made from a high rye mash and really isn't a bourbon because bourbon (among other parameters) must be made from >50% corn.  

 

Actually Crown Royal is a high corn mash bill. But it's not made in the US and it's not aged in new oak barrels. So it can't be a bourbon.

 

But yes, most Canadian whiskey is made from a high rye mash. But not Crown Royal.

[Elvis1209]

8 hours ago, zitsky said:

I drink scotch AND dry Belvedere martinis, with olives not dirty.

 

And rum is what we give to 5 year olds in my family.

A Belvedere martini with olives (not dirty). You are speaking my language!  The trouble is after just two I run the risk of getting stupid!  Believe me, nobody wants that!  That is why I switch to rum, except at night when I drink cognac!

 

Elvis