A whistle-stop tour of Tennessee whiskey

Tennessee is famed for its great music, delicious food, champion walking horses and of course, an enduring love of creating outstanding whiskey.

It could be said that Tennessee was made for whiskey, sitting on a limestone shelf that helps to create the perfect water conditions for the perfect whiskey; and after all, whiskey is known as the ‘water of life’.

As part of a whistle-stop tour of Tennessee whiskey, some of the team at AWM spent three days taking in some of the variety that the state has to offer.

Starting out with the very first hard-hat tour and tasting at the new Nearest Green Distillery, the plans in place for the growth of the brand are vast and exciting and it is already clear to see that the development will thrive over the coming years. Find out more on our visit here.

 

At this point it seemed only right to head over to the Jack Daniel Distillery to complete this newly-uncovered story, seeing where the relationship between Jack, who was in fact named Jasper Newton Daniel, and Nearest Green continued to grow into a mutual respect as industry professionals and friends.

 

This relationship would go on to continue down the family tree, while also fostering the beginnings of generational links that are at the heart of the brand and still exist to this day.

Of course, the scale of the distillery is quite something to behold, sitting on 1,700 acres of land and more than 150 years of whiskey history.

 

Speaking of history, next up was the George Dickel Distillery at Cascade Hollow, a distillery that is not only experimental and innovative, but also a survivor. Despite the distillery closing its doors when the state of Tennessee enacted prohibition in 1911, it re-opened 48 years later and utilised information from Dickel’s old manuscripts to keep it as true as possible to the original brand.

 

In the present day, the distillery is bustling and houses a repertoire of whiskeys that include Tennessee Sour Mash, White Corn Whisky, Tabasco Barrel Finish, Tennessee Sour Mash Whisky, Rye Whisky, Bottled in Bond and Barrel Select. There really is something for everyone, with a range that not only serves your drinks cabinet well, but also adds a little something to the kitchen (throw a little of the Tabasco Barrel Finish into your salsa and thank me later).

 

From here it was time to head in to Nashville’s Merritt Avenue for a catch up with Corsair Distillery, a brand that is going from strength to strength in terms of creativity within the industry, as well as respect garnered.

Watch this space for news on Corsair in the coming months and if you head to Merritt, keep an eye out for Copper, the distillery cat.

 

Of course, we know that not everyone will want to spend the entire day in a distillery (although with the uptake in distillery bars it would be pretty easy to do so) and located a five-minute walk from the distillery is a hive of activity, including a cidery, brewery, Americano Lounge Coffee & Cocktails and Earnest Bar & Hideaway. In the latter you will find a great selection of food, cocktails and bartenders that will give you a run for your money on whiskey knowledge.

Keep an eye out this week for a whiskey sour recipe to rival your favourite family recipe, courtesy of Earnest’s bartender, Ben Dorsey.