One last fuck you very much!

From: me

To: "Jack Daniels"

Sent: Tuesday, November 02, 2005 10:59 PM

Subject: Re: Message for Jack Daniel's

First, thanks for your response, even if it does read a bit canned.

Second, I have no idea about modern drunkard magazine, as I have never read it, nor care to.

My position does not change based on your very well written rebuttal.  You succeeded only in missing my point.  You make a very good whiskey to be sure, and a free tasting if I ever find myself near Lynchburg Tennessee will be a nice consolation.  However, the uniqueness of Jack Daniels is that it was (emphasize was) a whiskey that stood out from the crowd because of it's bite.  I found it a good call for you to offer a mellower (read weaker) version in your Gentleman Jack and found that it was a nice alternative, and a good choice for those who couldn't handle a real "old time" whiskey.  And to be perfectly honest, if I'm going to drink Jack Daniels neat (the way it ought to be) I'll drink the Single Barrel.  But the fact that so many people mix black label means that the PROOF DOES MATTER.  Your argument that you are selling more Jack than before you switched it does not hold water with me.  The proof had nothing to do with that.  I'd say your recent wave of good marketing has more to do with it than anything, and I'd be willing to bet you marketed even harder in the test markets.  No wonder it's selling more.

Anyway, I'm sure Jack labored long and hard over lowering the proof from the original 92? to 86 (whenever that was) and probably worried over how his most loyal drinkers would take to it, and I'd like to think he made the final decision with a heavy heart.  But I'd bet anything he's rolling over in his grave over this latest change.  To me, it's just another example of a family owned company turned corporation and neglecting it's most loyal patrons in search of a few more customers who don't know the difference, and will leave you the second Wal-Mart puts Early Times on sale again.  For me, I'll probably just switch to Maker's Mark on principle.  It won't be as good, but at least I'll be content with the knowledge that they haven't yet sold out for a couple extra bucks.

btw, you should probably change your website.  To say that "More than a century later, every bottle of Jack Daniels is still made the same way" is simply not true.

David Moore

oh, I ganja