Jack Daniels question

[Dougnash]

Hello

Silly question I know but here we go. I had a "discussion" today with a coworker who insisted that Jack Daniels had a distillery in Bardstown Kentucky. Can I get a correct answer with somewhere to prove it either way from someone? Thanks to all.

[Admiral]

I confess I don't know the answer off the top of my head, BUT here's a guess of what might be causing confusion:

Jack Daniels may be owned by a parent company and that parent company might also own one of the Bardstown distilleries?

(A bit like Diageo owning distilleries in different regions or areas!)

Cheers,
Admiral

[rthomson]

I don't have a definitive answer either. However, I've never heard of any Jack Daniel's product being distilled anywhere but in Tennessee. That certainly doesn't mean that there aren't other locations, however. My best guess is that, since JD promotes its identity as a Tennessee Whiskey so heavily, that it is only produced in that state. If they were to open a locale in Kentucky I think that move would be accompanied with a major marketing promotion, possibly a different name for that line as well.

Admiral could be on the right track. A parent company may have distilleries outside of Tennessee for other products.

Ron

[minibeamcollector]

I am from Lexington, Kentucky and have been to Bardstown several times. There is not a Jack Daniels distillery in Kentucky. You can't make Tennessee whisky in Kentucky. It's just not right.
I hope this helps.

Steve

[Crispy Critter]

Somewhere I saw something to the effect that Jack Daniel's and George Dickel could be called bourbon, but if they did so, they could not use "Tennessee" on the label - only Kentucky bourbons have the honor of being able to use a regional name and call themselves bourbon. True or false?

[minibeamcollector]

I found this on the website Straightbourbon.com

As with French-appellation wines, there are strict laws governing just what a Bourbon must be to be labeled as such. For example, at least 51 percent of the grain used in making the whiskey must be corn (most distillers use 65 to 75 percent corn). Bourbon must be aged for a minimum of two years in new, white oak barrels that have been charred. Nothing can be added at bottling to enhance flavor, add sweetness or alter color. Though technically Bourbon can be made anywhere, Kentucky is the only state allowed to put its name on the bottle. And as Kentucky distillers are quick to point out, Bourbon is not Bourbon unless the label says so.

I'm not sure how Jack Daniels is made, but if it meets the qualifications for bourbon then you are right about the use of the state name. Hope this helps.

Go Wildcats!

[Admiral]

Minibeamcollector said,

Nothing can be added at bottling to enhance flavor, add sweetness or alter color.

I think that's precisely why the Lincoln County Process (in other words, charcoal filtering) excludes Tennessee whiskies from being called bourbons!

Cheers,
Admiral

[DaveM]

The debate as to whether or not Jack Daniels is a bourbon has been on for years and a definitive answer is not possible. Tennessee whiskey exists because they prefer it that way. But the contents of the bottle can still be construed as bourbon, since the Lincoln county process may or may not ADD flavour. It's open to interpretation and has never been tested in a court of law.

THE ORIGINAL QUESTION:
Jack Daniels does NOT own a distillery in Bardstown.

JD is owned by Brown Forman (the parent company), which in turn owns Woodford Reserve in Versailles (down the road from Bardstown), KY, and also Early Times/Old Forester in Louisville.

[Crispy Critter]

Brown-Forman also is the US importer for Ardbeg. That's enough to make me forgive them for watering down Jack Daniel's.