Is Jack Daniel's Gluten-free? - Rachael Roehmholdt

Find out if Jack Daniel’s whiskey is gluten-free, what it’s made from, and if their Honey, Apple, and Fire flavors are gluten-free.

Note: I am a proud Amazon, Chomps, MunkPack, and Thrive Market affiliate and am happy to recommend their service and products to you. Please know that as an affiliate, I may receive a small commission on the products you purchase after clicking through my links. For more info, please see my disclosure policy here.

If you love a drink after work on a long day or sipping on whiskey and Cokes with friends on the weekend or at restaurants, you’re probably no stranger to Jack Daniel’s.

This whiskey is one of the most popular brands in the U.S. and is served in bars and restaurants all over the country.

This whiskey is popular, but what about how it fits into a gluten-free diet? Can you still enjoy a drink with Jack Daniel’s if you’re avoiding gluten?

Find out in this post what Jack Daniel’s is, what makes it unique, and what it’s made from. We’re going to talk about how whiskey fits into a gluten-free diet and more specifically how Jack Daniel’s falls into the gluten-free category.

We’ll wrap this post up by going over some specific products that Jack Daniel’s offers and talk about whether or not these contain gluten – or at the very least, how much we know about this topic based on what information is available to us the consumers.

If you’re following a gluten-free diet and love a glass of whiskey or a mixed drink with Jack Daniel’s once in a while, I hope you find this post useful.

This post is part of the Gluten-free Alcohol Series, where we’re going to discuss different types of alcoholic drinks and how they fit into a gluten-free diet.

What is Jack Daniel’s?

Jack Daniel’s is a brand of Tennessee whiskey that has been around since 1866. Jack Daniel’s whiskey is made in Lynchburg, Tennessee.

According to Wikipedia, Jack Daniel’s whiskey “meets the criteria for classification as a straight bourbon, though the company chooses not to use this classification. It markets the liquor simply as “Tennessee whiskey” instead of “Tennessee bourbon.”

Though the Jack Daniel’s brand disputes this and says “Jack Daniel’s is not a bourbon – it’s a Tennessee Whiskey. Jack Daniel’s is dripped slowly – drop-by-drop – through ten feet of firmly packed charcoal (made from hard sugar maple) before going into new charred oak barrels for maturing. This special process gives Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey its rare smoothness. It’s this extra step – charcoal mellowing – that makes Jack Daniel’s a Tennessee Whiskey.”

Whatever you want to call it, Jack Daniel’s is a popular drink to enjoy straight, on the rocks, in mixed drinks, and in some of their other products like BBQ sauce and can cocktails.

This brand of whiskey comes in a few varieties: Old No. 7 (black label), Tennessee Apple, Tennessee Rye, Single Barrel, Gentleman Jack, Tennessee Honey, Tennessee Fire, Sinatra Select, Can Cocktails, and Winter Jack.

What is whiskey made from?

Whiskey is made from grains that have been malted, mashed, fermented, distilled, then aged. Whiskey can be made from various types of grains, such as corn, barley, rye, and wheat.

Different types of whiskey use different grains (source).

According to Liquor.com, “state law defines Tennessee whiskey as a spirit that is distilled in Tennessee from at least 51% corn, is aged in new charred oak barrels and has undergone the Lincoln County process, filtering the new-make spirit through layers of charcoal before barreling.”

Since Jack Daniel’s whiskey is a Tennessee whiskey, we know that this brand uses mostly corn as a base for its distilled alcohol and is filtered through layers of charcoal before barreling.

What is gluten?

Gluten is a protein found in most wheat products, and acts as the “glue” that helps to hold wheat, barley, kamut, spelt, farro, durum, bulgur, rye, and semolina together to maintain their shape.

Gluten is naturally occurring, and therefore is impossible to strip away from the grain. If a grain naturally has gluten in it, there’s no way to make that food gluten-free.

Is whiskey gluten-free?

Whiskey is considered safe for a gluten-free diet as long as it is distilled. Even if gluten grains are used in the mash of this alcohol, the gluten proteins are removed during the distillation process.

That said, it’s important to note that even though whiskey is considered gluten-free, some people have had gluten reactions to this drink, according to Very Well Fit.

Read on: Is whiskey gluten-free?

Read on: Is Coke gluten-free?

Is Jack Daniel’s gluten-free?

Since Jack Daniel’s is a distilled whiskey, we can say that it is gluten-free. However, we don’t need to speculate, because the Jack Daniel’s brand specifically states on their website:

“Jack Daniel’s Black Label Tennessee Whiskey has no carbohydrates (sugar or starch), gluten, fats, or cholesterol, as these are removed in the distilling process. One fluid ounce of Jack Daniel’s contains approximately 65 calories.”

Is Jack Daniel’s Honey gluten-free?

Though Jack Daniel’s doesn’t make any statements about gluten in their flavored whiskeys, I was able to find this product listed on another website by a gluten-free blogger (here) that claim this product is gluten-free and does not cause a gluten reaction.

With any flavored alcohol, you’ll want to be careful with gluten showing up AFTER the distillation process. I’d be cautious about any of the Jack Daniel’s flavored whiskeys and know your level of sensitivity to gluten before drinking this product.

Is Jack Daniel’s Southern Peach gluten-free?

There is no confirmation about whether or not Jack Daniel’s Southern Peach flavored whiskey is gluten-free. I wasn’t able to find any further information or speculation about gluten in this flavored whiskey, so I’d likely steer clear of it on a gluten-free diet.

Is Jack Daniel’s Apple gluten-free?

Jack Daniel’s makes no gluten-free claims on their Tennessee Apple product, only their black label whiskey.

I was able to find on this site and this site that it is listed as gluten-free, so you may want to try it out if you’re on a gluten-free diet, but be aware that many flavored alcohols can add gluten containing ingredients to their products without having to disclose them.

By law, alcohol manufacturers do not need to share their ingredients lists, so use your best judgement based on what you know about your level of sensitivity to gluten before trying this flavor.

Is Jack Daniel’s Fire gluten-free?

There is no confirmation from the Jack Daniel’s brand if their flavored whiskeys are gluten-free, though their black label Old No. 7 whiskey is confirmed to be safe for a gluten-free diet.

There may be other ingredients added into this product after distillation that could contain gluten, but we’ll never know since alcohol manufacturers are not required to share their ingredients lists.

Before diving in and trying this cinnamon flavored whiskey, consider your level of sensitivity to gluten.

Is Jack Daniel’s BBQ sauce gluten-free?

Jack Daniel’s BBQ sauces are all considered gluten-free, according to the Jack Daniel’s Sauces website, including their original, honey, and sweet & spicy flavors.

If you’ve been wondering if your favorite brand of whiskey is safe for your gluten-free diet, I hope this post has given you the information you’ve been looking for.

Jack Daniel’s brand only confirms their black label whiskeys are safe for a gluten-free diet, so use your best judgement about what you know about your body before trying some of their flavored whiskeys.

If you loved this post, I hope that you’ll share it with your friends on Facebook and pin it for future reference on Pinterest.