I think I'll go put my money where my mouth is in support of Jack Daniels and pour some over ice.
I do try to follow the principle of "voting with one's money" though, so I think it is only fair for me to show the appreciation for this JD move by buying a bottle.
Second, if you're going to tell people to drink Evan Williams, at least point them towards the single barrel. It lacks most of the abrasive industrial solvent characteristics of the black label, and if I recall correctly it's still typically cheaper than JD.
I am happy to have provided the opportunity for someone to draw the distinction between "Tennessee whiskey" and "Bourbon", that written point being a regulatory requirement for all message board discussions regarding whiskey. :)
The difference in "Tennessee Whiskey" is the charcoal filtration. They pour the whiskey over an enormous pile of charcoal, which provides a unique flavor, independent of standard bourbon. They obtained the legal right to distinguish it this way a long time ago. To me, technically, Tennessee Whiskey could be called bourbon, but bourbon should not be called Tennessee Whiskey without this process. IE, square/rectangle relationship.
After the charcoals, it goes to the barrels, and anything that ages appropriately (usually depends on the height of the barrel in the storeroom and the strength of the winters/summers) between, I think, 3 and 7 years becomes JD black label. If it hasn't aged after 7 years, it becomes green label. Gentlemen Jack gets put through the coals twice, and single-barrel is well, single-barrel.
If you haven't been to Lynchburg, I recommend it. It's an awesome tour.
As someone who mixes many of his Manhattans and Old Fashioneds with Williams (alongside Rittenhouse 100 rye), and who has tried it blind against Jim Beam black label, Maker's, and Daniels, I endorse wholeheartedly Eric Felten's take in The Wall Street Journal:
"It's a terrific deal. Most of the [inexpensive] bourbons I tasted were barely adolescents -- Beam, for example, spends about four years barrel aging. But Evan Williams is made of whiskey that has been in oak for five to seven years, and the extra age comes through. The nice spicy rye in the mash also comes through, giving the bourbon a dash of cinnamon that keeps the vanilla sweetness from cloying. Evan Williams is a good, solid, no-nonsense bourbon. " http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120916374801546109.html
I've had the single barrel. It's fine, very nice for sipping. But by no means would I use it in the drinks where I use regular Evan Williams. It's a little too mellow for a cocktail (although Esquire came up with an interesting one - basically a Manhattan made with Lillet blanc instead of sweet vermouth - I think they called it a Yellow Dog. You'll notice Lillet is much more meek than a sweet vermouth, even a relaxed Dolin. That way it doesn't overwhelm the soft nine-to-twelve-years-aged Single Barrel).
(update - here's a link to the Evan Williams Single Barrel cocktail - http://www.esquire.com/features/how-to-give-a-toast-0212)
Dave Wondrich, by the way, is a total bad-ass. His book _Imbibe_ is a supremely readable history and guide to cocktails. Those Esquire cocktail articles are uniformly fantastic.
Not sure about American whisky aging, though that sounds plausible.
The best part is that they're all by the same guy. A true American hero, if you ask me.