Tennessee whiskies

Tennessee is the second great state of American whiskey and home to Jack Daniel’s, the world’s best-selling American whiskey brand, and George Dickel. Its style is similar to bourbon but has a step of its own: before going into the barrel, the spirit is filtered through maple charcoal. That method, known as the Lincoln County Process, gives a smooth, rounded whiskey that has become the state’s hallmark.

In the catalogue
10 whiskies
Distilleries and brands
3
Most common type
Tennessee whiskey
Peated
0 of 10

History, style and where to startIts distilleries on the world map

10 whiskies

Guide to Tennessee

History

Whiskey has been distilled in Tennessee since the 18th century, and maple charcoal filtering is associated with the old Lincoln County, which gave the process its name. Jack Daniel registered his distillery in Lynchburg in the second half of the 19th century, and George Dickel created his in Cascade Hollow around the same time. Prohibition came to Tennessee earlier than to the rest of the country, through a state law, and took longer to leave: Jack Daniel’s did not distil again until the end of the 1930s. Moore County, where Lynchburg is, is still a dry county.

What the law says

Since 2013 a state law has required Tennessee whiskey to be made in Tennessee with at least 51% corn, filtered through maple charcoal before ageing and matured in new charred oak barrels, with the same strength limits as bourbon. The law has an exception for Prichard’s, a distillery that doesn’t filter through charcoal.

Style and flavour

Maple charcoal filtering softens the spirit and takes away its harshness, leaving notes of banana, caramel and a toasty touch. The rest is similar to bourbon: sweet corn and vanilla from the new barrel. Jack Daniel’s is sweet and fruity; George Dickel, a little drier with a mineral touch. Gentleman Jack is filtered twice, before and after ageing, to be even smoother.

Average flavour profile of the 10 Tennessee whiskies in the catalogue

Sweet
3.3
Fresh fruit
1.9
Ripe and dried fruit
0.8
Floral and herbal
0.6
Cereal and malt
1.3
Vanilla and creamy
2.8
Oak
2.6
Spicy
2.2
Toasted
2.1
Smoky
0.2
Maritime
0.0
Body and intensity
2.9

Where to start

Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 is the classic everyone knows: sweet, smooth, with banana and vanilla. Gentleman Jack is even rounder, and George Dickel No. 8 offers another take on the same style. If you like it, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select has more body and strength.

This text was generated and translated by AI and may contain errors.

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