Review: Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Special Release 2026 – Coy Hill Rye

Jack Daniel’s just can’t leave the warehouse at Coy Hill alone. The tiny distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee has returned to this hallowed rickhouse for a third time, only this time with a twist, turning out a rye whiskey instead of a bourbon (or a classic Tennessee whiskey, if you please).

Coy Hill Rye follows the theme of the prior Coy Hill releases with its upper floor aging and the resulting hazmat sensibility — though it’s probably worth noting that at a mere 66.55% abv (133.1 proof), my sample has the lowest proof level of the three Coy Hill releases I’ve tasted to date. However, proofs vary widely by barrel, ranging from 128.7 to 148.5.

In the bottle is from the classic JD rye recipe: 70% rye, 18% corn, and 12% malted barley. JD’s charcoal mellowing is minimal with its rye, going through just 3 feet of charcoal before entering the barrel, a process that takes only a few minutes. Distilled in 2016, about 300 barrels of 10 year old (or almost 10 year old) whiskeys were pulled for this release.

Let’s give it a try.

Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Special Release 2026 – Coy Hill Rye Review

Old rye can often be bruising with its intense, peppery spice, and at over 66% abv that impact can be far more powerful. A mix of fresh, herb-heavy greenery kicks things off, and a charry, toasted marshmallow character lands right behind it. From there, the whiskey takes on a sweeter bent, a combination of gingerbread and butterscotch, both coming across as slightly burnt but in a good way. Further time in glass evokes notes of brown banana and pastry crust, rather more bourbon-like in tone.

The palate doesn’t immediately come across as overtly hot, the notes of banana and butterscotch making for a quite immersive, almost decadent attack. The aggressively green spices have blown off at this point, leaving behind a heavy punch of baking spice, with more cinnamon and ginger than clove in the mix. The heady nose, with its evolving incense notes, amplifies the spice box character beautifully, the finish eventually settling into lingering notes of tobacco, followed by a ring of sweetened licorice. And here’s the crazy thing: I never once thought this needed to be tempered with water. (I ultimately tried dosing it with a splash, but I stand by my earlier decision.)

Good rye is easy to come by. Great rye is tough to find. Sadly, my expectation is that this one will also be nearly impossible to get — but you might as well try.

133.1 proof as reviewed.

A / $90

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