By Tabitha Evans Moore | Editor & Publisher — Whenever Jack Daniel’s Distillery introduces a new product the world chomps at the bit to get their hands on it. When it made its debut on October 1, publications from Maxim to Forbes covered it. They pull quotes from the press release and spend five minutes talking to Master Distiller Jeff Arnett on the phone. The coverage is nice, but I’m often left thinking, “what about the whiskey.”

I grew up less than a mile from the spot where Nearest Green taught Jack Daniel to make Tennessee sippin’ whiskey using the Lincoln County Process. As a child, I played near the remnants of the old two-room cabin where the two men first worked together. When I say, whether I like it or not, that the legend and lore of Lynchburg runs in my veins … it’s not an exaggeration. To me, a new iteration of Jack Daniel’s isn’t something to be gulped down and forgotten. It’s something to be thoughtfully savored.

If I’m being honest, I’ve never been a big fan of flavored whiskey of any ilk. Jack Fire just isn’t my cup of tea. Jack Honey’s a best friend when I’m suffering a sore throat … but sipping it during a college football game … no thank you. So, I approached Tennessee Apple with a cautious eye.

After reading tons of recipes, I decided to try it three way: straight up on the rocks, warm in a mug, and in a Jack Apple Fizz, a recipe I discovered on the official Jack Daniel’s website.

Over ice, Tennessee Apple is surprisingly sippable even for those opposed to the “barrel character” of whiskey. It’s smells like fresh, green apples or an apple Jolly Rancher. It’s refreshing with very little bite. The company press release says it’s like “a freshly-picked apple in a glass of Jack” and they’re not wrong.

Warming Tennessee Apple brings out it’s charcoal nose. But at just 70 proof, that’s not enough whiskey to overwhelm a Lynchburg gal. I could see me blending this into an evening cup of tea in front of a blazing fire and sleeping very soundly.

The Jack Apple Fizz combines two ounces of Tennessee Apple with a third an ounce of fresh squeezed lemon juice over ice and topped with soda. It’s light and refreshing and dangerously drinkable. It reminded me of a handcrafted seltzer. I think I know what I’ll be drinking for the Tennessee v. Alabama game. •