Jack Daniel’s Distillery, Lynchburg TN

Located in the hills of Southern Tennessee is the United States’ oldest whiskey distillery. Jack Daniel’s was founded in 1866 by Jack Daniel (Jasper Newton Daniel).  Jack became enamored with the trade of whiskey making at an early age. He learned the “Lincoln County Process” from a local preacher, Dan Call, and a slave, Nathan “Nearest” Green. Whiskey making soon became Jack’s passion. After the Civil War, Call sold Jack the whiskey business, and Jack hired “Nearest” as the head distiller.

Jack’s secret of this signature Lincoln County whiskey is Cave Spring Hollow.

The limestone filtered iron-free spring water, which maintains a constant 56 degrees, provides the natural beginning for Old No. 7, Jack’s original recipe. Jack knew he had something special and purchased Cave Spring Hollow and the surrounding land for $2,148.00, a small fortune in the 1800s.

While the spring water may be the natural beginning of the whiskey, the Rickyard is where the magic begins in the creation of Jack Daniel’s whiskey.

Here, maple-wood pallets are incinerated to produce the charcoal used in the whiskey fermentation process.

The charcoal filtered whiskey, “Old No. 7”, (the signature Black Label) in its unique square bottle made its world debut at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis.  There, it earned its first gold medal as the world’s best whiskey.

An inconsequential event in 1906 would dictate the rest of Jack’s life when he kicks his office safe in frustration and breaks his toe.

Jack would succumb to complications from his broken toe in 1911, and, having no wife or children, he leaves the distillery to his nephews, Lem and Jess Motlow.  The distillery was shuttered from 1919 to 1933, when Prohibition was the law of the land, and again during World War II due to a lack of supplies for whiskey production to support the war effort.

In 1941, a statute of the 5’2” Jack was commissioned and now stands outside his original office in front of Cave Spring Hollow.

Crooner Frank Sinatra was introduced to Jack Daniel’s whiskey in 1947, and that relationship has continued to the present day with Jack Daniel’s Sinatra label.

The Jack Daniel’s brand was acquired by Brown-Forman Corporation in 1956 and by the 1980s had become a global brand. In 1988, a smoother blend of Black Label and Gentleman Jack was introduced.

The barrel houses, eighty-nine of them, contain twenty thousand barrels each. That’s a lot of whiskey!

The barrel houses are not temperature-controlled; whether it’s hot or cold, the conditions serve to enhance the flavor of each barrel.  Walking through the buildings where the signature whiskey has been made for over 150 years, you get a real sense of the process’s simplicity and how little the location has changed over the years.

In the fermentation house, the whiskey mash is placed on a layer of the Rickyard made charcoal for three to five days.  Upon entering the fermentation area, you immediately recognize the perfume of the whiskey. This is where you will truly get a snoot full.

The aroma envelopes you when the vat is opened. This area is also where the tasters begin sampling the whiskey to determine how long the barrels will be aged.  On average, the barrels are aged between five and seven years, depending on which Jack Daniel’s labels are being produced.

The signature whiskey is aged in handcrafted barrels that hold about 50 gallons, giving it its amber color and some flavor. The distillery does not reuse its barrels; it’s one-and-done. Barrels can be purchased through the distillery or other various retail outlets.

Here is a short video about the Jack Daniel Cooperage in Trinity, Alabama.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45oBxq-lkYI

After the walking tour of the distillery, we were treated to a tasting of five Jack Daniel’s whiskeys: Black Label, Gentleman Jack, Rye, Honey, and Fire.  The tasting room’s oak tasting table is surrounded by old oak handcrafted barrels. While there, you immerse yourself in the fine flavors of this premium whiskey.

If you are interested in how fine signature whiskeys are created, this is your destination! I recommend pre-booking your selected tour online.

It will save you time, and you can enjoy the exhibits in the visitor’s center.

Jack Daniel’s can be busy, but ample parking and a shuttle are available.

Do not miss the opportunity to pick up a bottle of two of your favorite labels in the gift shop. Moore County may be dry, but a brisk liquor business is always being done at Jack Daniel’s.

In case you have a sweet tooth, perhaps you’d enjoy some Jack Daniel’s fudge.

https://www.wineandglue.com/jack-daniels-whiskey-fudge/

Here’s a link to the distillery to begin planning your trip!

https://www.jackdaniels.com/en-us/visit-us