Jack Daniel. A name as American as apple pie, Coca Cola, and Route 66 it’s a sip of Americana. Whether or not you like whiskey you have probably taken a sip …or two😉. So, of course, when Zack and I were traveling through the Nashville area we had to take a tour of the Jack Daniel Distillery.
A Pictorial Campus
The Jack Daniel Distillery campus is nothing short of amazing! Nestled in a valley in Moore County, the distillery is located in the city of Lynchburg in south-central Tennessee. The irony is that Moore County holds fast to its classification as a “dry” county from the days of prohibition. Whiskey fan or not, the distillery campus offers some beautiful views of Tennessee mountain country along with an extraordinary example of entrepreneurial vision.
The Jack Daniel Distillery Welcome Center is an unassuming building. Looking more like a large mountain home than the welcome center for the largest whiskey producer in the world, it hosts nearly 300,000 guests every year. The warm hue of whiskey envelops you as you enter the building. There are several different tours you can choose based on your tasting preference or not. Take a stroll around the center perusing memorabilia for the oldest registered distillery in the United States while waiting for your tour to begin.
And the Tour Begins
Jack Daniel’s Welcome Center
The obvious beginning of the tour is that stroll around the welcome center. It’s a glimpse of the impact on the town and the entrepreneurial foresight of Jack Daniel. Charcoal filtration provides the distinction of Tennessee whiskey from its other whiskey counterparts; something Jack Daniel insisted on when making his whiskey. Burning sugar maple pallets made from trees harvested from the area and bathed in raw un-aged whiskey produces the charcoal used in the filtration process. One of the first stops on the tour is the “burning” area. Unfortunately for us, it wasn’t one of the days they were burning when we visited. It was a little chilly that day and I could have used a good bonfire to warm up!
Jack Daniel’s Fire Brigade
The next stop is to take a look at a couple of antique fire trucks. What do fire trucks have to do with Jack Daniel? A fire destroyed the distillery in 1930. When the distillery reopened 7 years later it was with its own fire brigade, Firehouse No. 7 – after the famous Jack Daniel No. 7. The brigade exists to this day and comprises 34 distillery employees who double as volunteer fire brigade members.
Cave Spring Hollow
Next is the stop that started it all! Cave Spring Hollow. The spring brings 800 gallons of water to the surface every minute at a constant temperature of 56-degrees. The only water used in the production of the Jack Daniel products comes from this spring. Hard to believe all that golden nectar originates from that small stream of water!
Jack Daniel’s Mash House
On to the Mash House! Here is where the magic begins to come together. The recipe begins with a mash of 80% corn, 12% barley, and 8% rye and water from the hollow. Using a yeast starter from a previous batch, the mash process begins. This starter process makes Jack Daniel’s known as sour mash! The mash ferments for six days before distillation in custom copper vats. Those huge copper vats are an awe inspiring sight!
The All-Important Barrel
The artistry at Jack Daniel’s doesn’t stop with the whiskey. Master craftsmen on the distillery grounds craft each barrel by hand. Each barrel consists of 33 staves made of American White Oak snugged tightly to its neighbors creating the seal that will hold the amber ambrosia. Once assembled, the interior of the barrels are toasted and charred through a process perfected by the folks at Jack Daniel’s. This toasting and charring process brings the wood’s sugars out to further enhance the flavor of the whiskey as it ages in the barrels. Seeing this process first hand definitely inspires an appreciation to the attention to detail given to the entire process.
Amazingly, each barrel is used only once to store its liquid treasure. The used barrels are then sold to producers of hot sauce, beer breweries, and Scotch whiskey distillers. Of course, others are used to produce the myriad of items available to bring a bit of Jack Daniel’s to fans and aficionados alike. These items range from furniture to flower planters to wall decor and more.
The George Green Barrel House
The tour culminates in the George Green Barrel House. Walking into the building, you can’t help but to be awed by the site of barrel upon barrel slowly aging to perfection. The countless hours it has taken for the process to reach this point is staggering. It’s also here that visitors are able to sample the fruits of the labor invested. While I don’t typically drink whiskey, sampling some of the finished products while guides explained the nuances of each was a truly pleasurable experience.
After indulging in sampling the fruits of labor, you can purchase a souvenir bottle on your way out. Since the distillery is located in a dry county, they can’t sell their whiskey. Lucky for us visitors, those souvenir bottles come filled!😉
To truly round out your Jack Daniel Distillery experience you mustn’t forego Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House Restaurant.