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Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select vs Old Forester 1870 Original Batch
Put Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select next to Old Forester 1870 Original Batch and you have a classic, corn-forward stalwart set against a classic, high-rye stalwart.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select | Old Forester 1870 Original Batch |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Tennessee Whiskey | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 80% corn, 8% rye, 12% malted barley | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) +4 proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$45 – $55 | ~$45 – $55 |
| Availability | Limited | Widely available easier to find |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Old Forester 1870 Original Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select Old Forester 1870 Original Batch
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 7/5 oak: Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select 7 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 5 out of 10
fruit 4/6 fruit: Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select 4 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 6 out of 10
heat 5/3 heat: Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select 5 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 3 out of 10
nuttiness 4/2 nuttiness: Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select 4 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 2 out of 10
sweetness 6/7 sweetness: Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select 6 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 7 out of 10
spice 5/4 spice: Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select 5 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating here.
- Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select: Barrels pulled from the top of the rickhouse, where the temperature swings are hardest, and it shows as considerably more oak than any standard Jack. A genuinely different proposition from the black label.
- Old Forester 1870 Original Batch: The first bottle in Old Forester's Whiskey Row Series, recreating the founder's habit of blending barrels from three warehouses. It is the lightest of the series, caramel sweet and easy.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select if you want a distinctly oakier, more concentrated Tennessee whiskey with barrel-to-barrel character.
- Go with Old Forester 1870 Original Batch if you want the gentlest, most easygoing pour in the Whiskey Row Series without hunting for it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select); neat, rocks, highball (Old Forester 1870 Original Batch).