Table Of Contents

The Details

Rating 90
Style
Produced In Indiana
United States
ABV 71.35%
Availability Limited
Price $195.00 
Reviewed By
Review Updated 2024-03-01

Jacob's Pardon 18 Year American Whiskey Review

Since it launched in 2020, Jacob’s Pardon’s Small Batch line has focused on sourced products sitting at unique junctures in American whiskey. The first batch was a blend of MGP-sourced, 15 year light whiskey and Dickel-sourced Tennessee whiskey. Batch #2 was solely composed of Tennessee whiskey.

Released in 2023, Batch #3 singles out the other component of the first small batch blend: light whiskey, at this point 18 years old.

Though it’s still unfamiliar to many drinkers, light whiskey is a federally defined spirits category. The whiskey is distilled between 160 and 190 proof, likely a contributor to the “light” name, as this distills out more character from the grain. It can also be aged in either used or new, un-charred oak containers.

Originally developed in the 1960s to compete with increasingly popular clear spirits like vodka, light whiskey ultimately proved a marketing flop. In the decades since, that didn’t stop some distilleries from continuing to produce and age it, including as a component for blended spirits.

The category has become something of a hot commodity for non-distilling producers looking to sell unique flavor profiles with hefty age statements. High West, Obtainium, and Penelope have all released light whiskeys with 13+ year age statements; others have ticked to 20 years and older. And virtually all brands — including Jacob’s Pardon — turn to Indiana’s MGP, which began selling its deep stocks of light whiskey nearly a decade ago.

MGP’s standard light whiskey mash bill is 99 percent corn and 1 percent malted barley. Jacob’s Pardon Batch #3 comes from whiskey across 211 un-charred oak barrels. The whiskey was bottled at an eye-popping 142.7 proof, well over 70 percent alcohol by volume.

Let’s see how this high-octane American whiskey tastes!

Jacob's Pardon 18 Year American Whiskey review.

Jacob's Pardon 18 Year American Whiskey: Stats and Availability

Jacob’s Pardon Small Batch #3 carries a suggested retail price of $195. Despite its high age statement, I don’t expect this bottling to command much of a premium beyond that at retail or on the secondary. Light whiskey is still relatively unknown in the American spirits space, and there’s no immediate lack of options given the handful of brands releasing it with some regularity.

Jacob's Pardon 18 Year American Whiskey Review

As with all of VinePair’s whiskey reviews, this was tasted in a Glencairn glass and rested for at least five minutes.

Nose

For those unfamiliar with high proof light whiskey, Jacob’s Pardon Batch #3 has a telltale nose. Cotton candy (and candy corn) sweetness leads along with a suitably heavy dose of ethanol vapor.

More time in the glass brings subtleties that suggest this is far more than a high-proof experiment. Oak sugars waft up and out of the glass, though they lean less tannic than many bourbon and rye drinkers might be familiar with. Rich baking spice follows, in this case a hefty amount of clove and ground nutmeg; paired with creamy sweetness, it evokes holiday eggnog. Tiny pops of fruit also come out to play, notably tart apple and dried apricots.

On its own, Jacob’s Pardon Batch #3 isn’t quite as blazingly hot as a lot of 140+ proof hazmat whiskey. And while I’d normally recommend waiting until after a few sips to experiment with dilution, a few drops of water are kind to the nose, bringing out more elements of apple in addition to Earl Grey tea.

Taste

The first sip is almost lip-puckeringly sweet, with a tart lemon undercurrent, reminiscent of saccharin-sweetened sun tea. Once the tongue acclimates — which certainly takes a moment here — a flood of other pronounced flavors float to the surface. Fig cookies, blackcurrant, marzipan, roasted butternut squash, roasted chestnuts, and just a whisper of blood orange develop between the tip of the tongue and the midpalate.

They’re carried by an extraordinarily creamy mouthfeel, which helps keep the flavors around long enough to not get completely bulldozed by the ethanol. Baking spice then builds toward the back of the palate, the clove and nutmeg coming back with gusto.

After a few neat, unadulterated sips, it’s time to add some water. I started with three or four drops per ounce, and while everyone’s palate is different, the optimal ratio is probably somewhat higher. Water certainly tempers the heat and allows individual flavors to stick around just a bit longer. Fruit becomes more pronounced, including cherry, and some of those unique semi-savory notes are also more identifiable (in this case that fascinating squash flavor).

Finish

The viscous mouthfeel, high proof, and multifaceted sweetness give this light whiskey a remarkably long finish. Yes, it has a hefty “hug” all the way down to the stomach. But it’s not simply one note, instead showcasing additional depth in the form of baking spice and oak influence. The finish also displays a tartness akin to lemon candy, which only gets stronger with more dilution.

Jacob's Pardon 18 Year American Whiskey Rating

90/100

Recap

At over 140 proof, Jacob’s Pardon 18 Year American Whiskey doesn’t command that razor thin balance of the very best hazmat spirits. (One example: The superlative Jack Daniel’s Coy Hill release from 2021.) But that doesn’t mean it's undrinkable. On the contrary, this is a whiskey with plenty of flavor and depth, though it will take some at-home tinkering to temper the sweetness and heat for individual palates.

Personally, I can’t wait to try it in cocktails. Can I interest anyone in a turbocharged Gold Rush?

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90
POINTS
Jacob's Pardon 18 Year American Whiskey
Since it launched in 2020, Jacob’s Pardon’s Small Batch line has focused on sourced products sitting at unique junctures in American whiskey. The first batch was a blend of MGP-sourced, 15 year light whiskey and Dickel-sourced Tennessee whiskey. Batch #2 was solely composed of Tennessee whiskey. Released in 2023, Batch #3 singles out the other component of the first small batch blend: light whiskey, at this point 18 years old. Though it’s still unfamiliar to many drinkers, light whiskey is a federally defined spirits category. The whiskey is distilled between 160 and 190 proof, likely a contributor to the “light” name, as this distills out more character from the grain. It can also be aged in either used or new, un-charred oak containers. Originally developed in the 1960s to compete with increasingly popular clear spirits like vodka, light whiskey ultimately proved a marketing flop. In the decades since, that didn’t stop some distilleries from continuing to produce and age it, including as a component for blended spirits. The category has become something of a hot commodity for non-distilling producers looking to sell unique flavor profiles with hefty age statements. High West, Obtainium, and Penelope have all released light whiskeys with 13+ year age statements; others have ticked to 20 years and older. And virtually all brands — including Jacob’s Pardon — turn to Indiana’s MGP, which began selling its deep stocks of light whiskey nearly a decade ago. MGP’s standard light whiskey mash bill is 99 percent corn and 1 percent malted barley. Jacob’s Pardon Batch #3 comes from whiskey across 211 un-charred oak barrels. The whiskey was bottled at an eye-popping 142.7 proof, well over 70 percent alcohol by volume. Let’s see how this high-octane American whiskey tastes! Jacob's Pardon 18 Year American Whiskey review.

Jacob's Pardon 18 Year American Whiskey: Stats and Availability

Jacob’s Pardon Small Batch #3 carries a suggested retail price of $195. Despite its high age statement, I don’t expect this bottling to command much of a premium beyond that at retail or on the secondary. Light whiskey is still relatively unknown in the American spirits space, and there’s no immediate lack of options given the handful of brands releasing it with some regularity.

Jacob's Pardon 18 Year American Whiskey Review

As with all of VinePair’s whiskey reviews, this was tasted in a Glencairn glass and rested for at least five minutes.

Nose

For those unfamiliar with high proof light whiskey, Jacob’s Pardon Batch #3 has a telltale nose. Cotton candy (and candy corn) sweetness leads along with a suitably heavy dose of ethanol vapor. More time in the glass brings subtleties that suggest this is far more than a high-proof experiment. Oak sugars waft up and out of the glass, though they lean less tannic than many bourbon and rye drinkers might be familiar with. Rich baking spice follows, in this case a hefty amount of clove and ground nutmeg; paired with creamy sweetness, it evokes holiday eggnog. Tiny pops of fruit also come out to play, notably tart apple and dried apricots. On its own, Jacob’s Pardon Batch #3 isn’t quite as blazingly hot as a lot of 140+ proof hazmat whiskey. And while I’d normally recommend waiting until after a few sips to experiment with dilution, a few drops of water are kind to the nose, bringing out more elements of apple in addition to Earl Grey tea.

Taste

The first sip is almost lip-puckeringly sweet, with a tart lemon undercurrent, reminiscent of saccharin-sweetened sun tea. Once the tongue acclimates — which certainly takes a moment here — a flood of other pronounced flavors float to the surface. Fig cookies, blackcurrant, marzipan, roasted butternut squash, roasted chestnuts, and just a whisper of blood orange develop between the tip of the tongue and the midpalate. They’re carried by an extraordinarily creamy mouthfeel, which helps keep the flavors around long enough to not get completely bulldozed by the ethanol. Baking spice then builds toward the back of the palate, the clove and nutmeg coming back with gusto. After a few neat, unadulterated sips, it’s time to add some water. I started with three or four drops per ounce, and while everyone’s palate is different, the optimal ratio is probably somewhat higher. Water certainly tempers the heat and allows individual flavors to stick around just a bit longer. Fruit becomes more pronounced, including cherry, and some of those unique semi-savory notes are also more identifiable (in this case that fascinating squash flavor).

Finish

The viscous mouthfeel, high proof, and multifaceted sweetness give this light whiskey a remarkably long finish. Yes, it has a hefty “hug” all the way down to the stomach. But it’s not simply one note, instead showcasing additional depth in the form of baking spice and oak influence. The finish also displays a tartness akin to lemon candy, which only gets stronger with more dilution.

Jacob's Pardon 18 Year American Whiskey Rating

90/100

Recap

At over 140 proof, Jacob’s Pardon 18 Year American Whiskey doesn’t command that razor thin balance of the very best hazmat spirits. (One example: The superlative Jack Daniel’s Coy Hill release from 2021.) But that doesn’t mean it's undrinkable. On the contrary, this is a whiskey with plenty of flavor and depth, though it will take some at-home tinkering to temper the sweetness and heat for individual palates. Personally, I can’t wait to try it in cocktails. Can I interest anyone in a turbocharged Gold Rush?

Reviewed On: 02-29-2024
90
POINTS
Jacob's Pardon 18 Year American Whiskey
Since it launched in 2020, Jacob’s Pardon’s Small Batch line has focused on sourced products sitting at unique junctures in American whiskey. The first batch was a blend of MGP-sourced, 15 year light whiskey and Dickel-sourced Tennessee whiskey. Batch #2 was solely composed of Tennessee whiskey. Released in 2023, Batch #3 singles out the other component of the first small batch blend: light whiskey, at this point 18 years old. Though it’s still unfamiliar to many drinkers, light whiskey is a federally defined spirits category. The whiskey is distilled between 160 and 190 proof, likely a contributor to the “light” name, as this distills out more character from the grain. It can also be aged in either used or new, un-charred oak containers. Originally developed in the 1960s to compete with increasingly popular clear spirits like vodka, light whiskey ultimately proved a marketing flop. In the decades since, that didn’t stop some distilleries from continuing to produce and age it, including as a component for blended spirits. The category has become something of a hot commodity for non-distilling producers looking to sell unique flavor profiles with hefty age statements. High West, Obtainium, and Penelope have all released light whiskeys with 13+ year age statements; others have ticked to 20 years and older. And virtually all brands — including Jacob’s Pardon — turn to Indiana’s MGP, which began selling its deep stocks of light whiskey nearly a decade ago. MGP’s standard light whiskey mash bill is 99 percent corn and 1 percent malted barley. Jacob’s Pardon Batch #3 comes from whiskey across 211 un-charred oak barrels. The whiskey was bottled at an eye-popping 142.7 proof, well over 70 percent alcohol by volume. Let’s see how this high-octane American whiskey tastes! Jacob's Pardon 18 Year American Whiskey review.

Jacob's Pardon 18 Year American Whiskey: Stats and Availability

Jacob’s Pardon Small Batch #3 carries a suggested retail price of $195. Despite its high age statement, I don’t expect this bottling to command much of a premium beyond that at retail or on the secondary. Light whiskey is still relatively unknown in the American spirits space, and there’s no immediate lack of options given the handful of brands releasing it with some regularity.

Jacob's Pardon 18 Year American Whiskey Review

As with all of VinePair’s whiskey reviews, this was tasted in a Glencairn glass and rested for at least five minutes.

Nose

For those unfamiliar with high proof light whiskey, Jacob’s Pardon Batch #3 has a telltale nose. Cotton candy (and candy corn) sweetness leads along with a suitably heavy dose of ethanol vapor. More time in the glass brings subtleties that suggest this is far more than a high-proof experiment. Oak sugars waft up and out of the glass, though they lean less tannic than many bourbon and rye drinkers might be familiar with. Rich baking spice follows, in this case a hefty amount of clove and ground nutmeg; paired with creamy sweetness, it evokes holiday eggnog. Tiny pops of fruit also come out to play, notably tart apple and dried apricots. On its own, Jacob’s Pardon Batch #3 isn’t quite as blazingly hot as a lot of 140+ proof hazmat whiskey. And while I’d normally recommend waiting until after a few sips to experiment with dilution, a few drops of water are kind to the nose, bringing out more elements of apple in addition to Earl Grey tea.

Taste

The first sip is almost lip-puckeringly sweet, with a tart lemon undercurrent, reminiscent of saccharin-sweetened sun tea. Once the tongue acclimates — which certainly takes a moment here — a flood of other pronounced flavors float to the surface. Fig cookies, blackcurrant, marzipan, roasted butternut squash, roasted chestnuts, and just a whisper of blood orange develop between the tip of the tongue and the midpalate. They’re carried by an extraordinarily creamy mouthfeel, which helps keep the flavors around long enough to not get completely bulldozed by the ethanol. Baking spice then builds toward the back of the palate, the clove and nutmeg coming back with gusto. After a few neat, unadulterated sips, it’s time to add some water. I started with three or four drops per ounce, and while everyone’s palate is different, the optimal ratio is probably somewhat higher. Water certainly tempers the heat and allows individual flavors to stick around just a bit longer. Fruit becomes more pronounced, including cherry, and some of those unique semi-savory notes are also more identifiable (in this case that fascinating squash flavor).

Finish

The viscous mouthfeel, high proof, and multifaceted sweetness give this light whiskey a remarkably long finish. Yes, it has a hefty “hug” all the way down to the stomach. But it’s not simply one note, instead showcasing additional depth in the form of baking spice and oak influence. The finish also displays a tartness akin to lemon candy, which only gets stronger with more dilution.

Jacob's Pardon 18 Year American Whiskey Rating

90/100

Recap

At over 140 proof, Jacob’s Pardon 18 Year American Whiskey doesn’t command that razor thin balance of the very best hazmat spirits. (One example: The superlative Jack Daniel’s Coy Hill release from 2021.) But that doesn’t mean it's undrinkable. On the contrary, this is a whiskey with plenty of flavor and depth, though it will take some at-home tinkering to temper the sweetness and heat for individual palates. Personally, I can’t wait to try it in cocktails. Can I interest anyone in a turbocharged Gold Rush?

Reviewed On: 02-29-2024