I’ve Tried Hundreds of Whiskeys. This Tennessee Bourbon Is the Smoothest I've Ever Tasted
Does a whiskey need to be made in Kentucky to be called a bourbon? Is a Tennessee whiskey also technically bourbon? Can God make a rock so big even he can’t lift it? I've bumped into questions like these after a certain point in a boozy evening, but when I'm drinking Bib & Tucker Double Char Bourbon, the answers are: no, yes, and who cares, this is delicious.
You’ve likely already tried a number of Tennessee whiskeys. Jack Daniel’s, for example, is consistently among the top-three selling whiskeys in the world. The distinct flavors of Tennessee whiskey come from the Lincoln County Process, which involves filtering un-aged spirit through charcoal columns before it’s aged. Also called charcoal mellowing, the charcoal is made of sugar maple and is thought to remove a bit of harshness from the whiskey.
Bib & Tucker small batch Double Char is obsessed with charcoal and the Lincoln County Process. That’s why after aging for at least five years in a charred barrel, it ages the whiskey again in a second, even-more-charred barrel. That may sound like a recipe for a mouthful of smoke and a coughing fit, but have faith. The whiskey maker hit the sweet spot and instead created a drink smoother than a passel of whiskey thieves.
Like the aforementioned thieves, Bib & Tucker aren’t giving up too much information. The mash bill is undisclosed, though if you look around on the internet folks are speculating it’s from George Dickel—a fine pedigree.
The brand won’t fully offer how long they age in the second barrel either. Instead, its saying it’s “a minimum of five months,” after a hearty six years sitting in the first. Barrels are charred on a scale from one to four: level one is a light toasting in the 15 second range, and a four is the heaviest level and could result in some “alligator char,” with the wooden staves cracking to look like alligator scales. Presumably, the second barrel is on level three or four, though Bib & Tucker are playing it close to the chest. All of this wiggle room could theoretically be a warning sign, but when that ultra-smooth first sip hits, there’s no doubt that these stealthy moves paid off.
Andy Vasoyan
That’s not to say there’s no mystery in the Double Char’s flavor profile. It’s at 88 proof, or 44 percent ABV, which is lower than the standard Bib & Tucker 6-year-old it’s based on. Despite that, it’s got a gentle burn that reminds you this is some serious brown, plus a warm sweetness that occasionally fades to spice and back, with an equally pleasant mouthfeel. A lot of whiskeys say that you can taste the spice notes, but the Double Char really lets you sit with the vanilla flavor.
The smoke, of course, is there too—Bib & Tucker could easily have gone overboard with the smokey flavor from those second charred barrels. Fortunately, the Double Char dodges the gnarly black smoke of a kitchen accident so bad it forces you to order takeout. It’s got the gentle smoke of campfire instead, welcoming you to take a seat and have a nice time.
Speaking of sitting, the Double Char is parked comfortably in the $55 price range, which means you can hand someone a nice dram or happily add a big splash into an old fashioned or other whiskey cocktail. I’ve offered it to a handful of folks neat, and the first thing they say (after, “Damn, that’s smooth,”) is to ask for it in a cocktail.
As a matter of fact, if you’re shopping for gifts or bringing something to a nice party this holiday season, Bib & Tucker Double Char is the whiskey that I’ll be buying. Bring it to the shindig and tells your pals that no, bourbon doesn’t have to be made in Kentucky, so yes, this Tennessee whiskey is also a bourbon, and honestly? Who cares, because it’s absolutely delicious.
Related: Don't Listen to Whiskey Snobs. Here Are the Best Ways to Enjoy Bourbon