UPROXX: We Blind Tasted And Ranked Some Tennessee Whiskey For Holiday Sipping
- Al Vallejo
- Nov 30, 2021
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 22, 2022
By: Zach Johnston • Nov 15, 2021 • Read the full article here
There are a lot of great things happening in Tennessee when it comes to whiskey. While the conversation about Tennessee whiskey has been dominated by George Dickel and, of course, Jack Daniel’s, there is so much more going on now with new brands and those old-school classics changing up their own lines. It’s an exciting time to follow and drink Tennessee whiskey, and that’s why we’re blind-tasting some of our favorites below.
The keyword there is “favorites.” We’re not tasting every single Tennessee whiskey on the shelf. We’re tasting six Tennessee whiskeys that we dig. Three of these TN whiskeys are sourced. The other three are made and bottled under their own labels. One of them was one of my favorite whiskeys of the year back when I tasted in the early summer. Will it still stand up? Let’s find out.
Our lineup today is:
George Dickel Bottled-in-Bond, Fall 2008
Nelson’s Green Brier Sour Mash Tennessee Whiskey
Uncle Nearest 1884 Small Batch
Bib & Tucker Small Batch 6-Year-Old
Heaven’s Door Redbreast Master Blender’s Edition
Gentleman Jack
It’s a small but powerful grouping of whiskeys. Let’s see which one comes out on top!

Part 1: The Tasting
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#5 Tasting Notes:
The nose on this one is huge with meaty dates next to rich marzipan, worn leather, sweet Gala apples, dry cedar, and bright red cherries. The palate has this vanilla and eggnog latte vibe with a walnut background until the mid-palate comes in with a moist and heavy vanilla pound cake bespeckled with poppy seeds next to orange-infused marzipan covered in dark chocolate that leads towards a hint of dry cherry tobacco and a final note of chocolate-covered raisins.
Part 2: The Ranking
Heaven’s Door Redbreast Master Blender’s Edition — Taste 5

The Whiskey:
The juice in the bottle is Heaven Door’s low-rye 10-year-old Tennessee bourbon. They take that whiskey and fill it into Redbreast whiskey casks that had previously aged Irish whiskey for 12 years. After 15 months of final maturation, those barrels are vatted and slightly proofed down with soft Tennessee spring water.
Bottom Line:
This wasn’t a surprise at all. This expression is damn near perfect. It’s so deeply hewn with pronounced flavors that feel like coming in from the rain and sitting next to a warm fire. This is a stellar whiskey.
Part 3: Final Thoughts
I think the biggest surprise for me today was the Gentleman Jack scoring so high. I really didn’t think I liked that whiskey that much. That’s why I love these blind taste tests, you’ll always be surprised what you pick and don’t.
As for the rest, I wasn’t overly shocked. That Heaven’s Door expression is just pure fire. It remains one of my favorite pours of the year for sure — as does the Dickel. I guess I have to say that I was a bit surprised Uncle Nearest didn’t rank higher given all the awards love it receives. But it was just a bit thin for me today. Maybe I’ll put it up against only other small batches next time and see how it fares. Until then, I’m going to be sipping on that Heaven’s Door.
My kind of holiday science experiment! Now I just need to convince my family that 'blind tasting' means I get to drink all the whiskey. 😉 Seriously though, great rankings, might have to pick up that Heaven's Door. For instant naming inspiration, Name Generator offers custom categories and endless ideas!
I actually tried the Heaven's Door Redbreast Master Blender's Edition recently, and WOW. It blew me away. It’s got such a unique depth. This article just confirms I'm not crazy for thinking it's something special. Totally worth the price tag! Don’t miss Doodle Baseball—cute doodle art meets addictive baseball gameplay!
This is super helpful for gift ideas! I've been wanting to try more Tennessee whiskeys beyond the usual suspects. Heaven's Door sounds intriguing, but what about Nelson's Green Brier? Is it a good entry point for someone new to the category? By the way, try ragdoll archers for super fun archery gameplay when you want to relax!
A blind taste test is cool, but Gentleman Jack that high? And Uncle Nearest so low? Something doesn't add up. Maybe the holiday sipping focus skewed the results. I'd love to see this done with a different lineup. Finally, recommend a stress-relieving drift boss game.
Yes! Heaven's Door is absolutely fantastic, not surprised it ranked number one. This is my go-to for special occasions, especially around the holidays. Great article, totally aligns with my own taste! When you need to reduce stress, you can play drive mad.