Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1036886
october 2018 / the tasting panel / 77 "From time to time you may just want to sit down at a bar, relax, and enjoy a moment with an old friend. For many of us, that friend is a Jack & Coke—delicious, reliable, and available from corner bars to cocktail bars and everywhere in between, it's a true classic," says U.S. Brand Ambassador Eric "ET" Tecosky. Ryan Bray, General Manager of Linwood Country Club in Linwood, New Jersey, couldn't agree more: "Fads and gimmicks will never end, but the legends of the game will stand the test of time. Jack & Coke is one of those." The Tasting Panel wanted to find out just what makes the combination of Jack Daniel's and Coca-Cola so special, so we turned to bartenders from around the country to take a deeper look at this decep- tively simple drink while asking the question, "Why Jack & Coke?" The answers were varied, but one thing's for sure: Not just any ol' whiskey and soda will do. "Don't ever mix Jack with another cola," warns Keith McCarthy, General Manager at Jones Hollywood in Los Angeles. "I don't think you should mess with perfection." Travis Sanders, a bartender at Pennyroyal in Seattle, also believes there's something magical about the melding of these two iconic flavors. "You can try another whiskey with Coke, but I think Jack shines through and blends better," he explains. "You don't lose the Jack flavor in the Coke—maybe it's the charcoal mellowing, but I feel like Jack and Coke were made for each other." Charcoal mellowing was also a sticking point for Shannon Kroll, who serves as a cocktail consultant for Actionable Craft LLC. "When the rich- ness of Jack, the result of sugar-maple charcoal mellowing, is married with the caramel flavor of Coke, it creates an easy-sipping combo that's just meant to be together," she says. On the other hand, Carol Donovan, who bartends at Burton Place in Chicago, attributes the magic to how the Jack barrels are toasted and charred: "The rich, syrupy sweetness of Coke balances nicely with the wood characteristics, like vanilla, caramel, and some spice," she explains. As with many cocktails, the Jack & Coke's origins are murky. Yet, according to New York–based Will Benedetto, Beverage Director at Nashville's Fox Bar & Cocktail Club and Cocktail Curator for In Good Company Hospitality, "the DNA of Jack Daniel's and Coke is quite similar." "The cre- ation of Jack Daniel's and the original recipe for Coca-Cola happened right around the same time," he continues. "The same communities that were distilling their grains and tinkering with new ways to make spirits like Jack were also combining herbs, teas, and sweeteners with water to create new non-alcoholic refreshments." While Joshua Tallent now serves as the Beverage Manager of White Lodging, which runs Le Méridien and the AC Hotel by Marriott in Denver, his Southern roots mean he's well- acquainted with Jack and its carbon- ated counterpart. "Growing up in the South, it's so easy to tell why this drink became so popular when we have the Jack Daniel's distillery [in Lynchburg, Tennessee] situated so closely to Coca- Cola [headquarters in Atlanta]," he says. "You're talking about a three-hour drive between two of the most iconic and delicious refreshments available anywhere in the United States, if not the world." Benedetto agrees with this "what grows together, goes together" mentality: "By this principle, Jack & Coke is a natural combination, if not cosmic destiny!" he adds. While the Jack & Coke may have some anthropological roots in the culinary world, the drink represents much more than that in the modern era. At the iconic music venue Rainbow Bar & Grill on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood, where the clas- sic cocktail has been ordered by musicians for decades, it's a veritable rock 'n' roll legend. "The Jack & Coke is the number-one-selling drink at the Rainbow Bar & Grill— you can also order it as 'The Lemmy,'" says owner Mikael Maglieri in reference to late Motörhead band member Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister, a famous fan of the drink. Whether it's the brand's charcoal mellowing, toasted and charred barrels, edgy vibe, or proximity to Coca-Cola's birthplace, there are plenty of theories as to why the Jack & Coke is, indeed, the "king of classics"—but there's no disputing that there's some- thing that makes this combina- tion one of a kind. For many, it's one drink that's perfect as is, and according to Tecosky, it's something bartenders "shouldn't have to think too hard about." Marvin Allen, a bartender at New Orleans' legendary Carousel Bar at the Hotel Monteleone, agrees: "The closest thing I'd do to 'modernize' a Jack & Coke would be placing a lemon or lime wedge on the glass and squeezing it into the cocktail," he says. Despite the drink's timelessness, plenty of bartenders have taken some poetic license as modern techniques and inventive spirits help them infuse their creative energies into new interpretations. Look for some of these amazing cocktail recipes in the upcom- ing November issue of The Tasting Panel as top bartenders present their innovative riffs on the Jack & Coke: a global icon.