The first thought when looking at the bottle is deja vu, somewhere it has already happened …. The characteristic tetrahedral shape, monochrome label, one-to-one font and even the inscription Scotch whiskey are present, but no – this is not Jack Daniels. Adapting the well-known proverb “If an animal looks like a dog, behaves like a dog, and barks like a dog, then this is a dog” does not work. Black Jack is similar to whiskey, and smells the same, but not whiskey at all. The drink is a strong alcoholic malt (not to be confused with single malt – single malt!) – this is how they write on the website of the company producing Black Jack.
Information about the manufacturer. Simferopol Wine and Cognac Factory LLC was established in the 90s of the last century. The main office is located in the capital of Crimea, and in 2014 a branch was opened in the Dnipropetrovsk region (Ukraine). The enterprise in Simferopol is currently not operating, all production facilities are concentrated in the branch.
In 2009, the plant was modernized and completely updated equipment. The company has 13 own brands of cognacs and vodka, among which are Oligarch, Ai-Petri, Taras Bulba and others known far beyond the borders of Ukraine. Malt Black Jack and cane Jack Black occupy a special niche in the assortment, are popular and have a wide circle of fans.
Features of Black Jack production
The manufacturing process is so technologically verified that the winemakers even managed to give strong alcohol a malt aroma, which makes Black Jack even more like whiskey. When creating a blend, several Scottish and Ukrainian spirits are mixed, caramel is added, which determines the color and softens the taste, and then filtered. The filtered drink is bottled.
Bottles for Black Jack are tetrahedral, known to thousands of whiskey fans, the design of the label repeats the Jack Daniels label in the smallest detail, even the inscription 21 Old should speak of aging, but there is no aging. The drink is bottled and sold immediately after filtration. It remains to be assumed that the manufacturer thus indicated the age of one of the Scottish spirits participating in the blend. The screw cap copies the Jack Daniels cork, but the Black Jack bottle has a dispenser.
Black Jack is bottled in two types of tetrahedral bottles – 0,5 liters and 0,7 liters. But in mini-bars of hotels there are also small flat, flask-like bottles with a capacity of 0,1 liters.
Characteristics of Black Jack
- The color of the drink is deep, amber. And although it is not a consequence of the maturation of the drink in an oak barrel from bourbon or sherry, as happens in the manufacture of Jack Daniels, but the visual correspondence is fully achieved.
- Black Jack Fortress is traditional – 40%.
- The combination of aged Scottish and rectified Ukrainian spirits gave a soft, pleasant taste with hints of malt and caramel.
- A definite plus is the low cost of the drink compared to real whiskey.