Tennessee Whiskey: More Than Just the Song- It's a Nashville Pub Crawl Requirement
- Cody Witten
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
As smooth and sweet as... you know what I’m going to say. As soon as the words are spoken, Chris Stapleton’s iconic voice echoes through your head. Or maybe it’s George Jones, David Allan Coe, or even T-Pain that comes to mind. But what if I told you that Tennessee whiskey is more than just a song? It’s a distilled spirit—and for many folks in Middle Tennessee, Nashville included—it’s a way of life.
When most people think of Tennessee whiskey, they think of the classic Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7,
made down in Lynchburg, Tennessee. And while Jack may be the most well-known, Nashville is no slouch in the whiskey business. The city has been producing Tennessee whiskey since it opened its first distillery in 1787!
What Is Tennessee Whiskey?
Tennessee whiskey is, naturally, whiskey made in Tennessee—but there’s more to it than that. It also has to follow a number of strict rules. In fact, it must meet all the same criteria as its more famous cousin, bourbon. That means:
It must be made in America
It must be barrel-aged in brand new, charred white oak barrels
Its mash bill must contain at least 51% corn
But what truly sets Tennessee whiskey apart is a unique finishing step known as the Lincoln County Process (LCP). The earliest records of this process date back to 1825, when a distiller named Alfred Eaton used it. Though Eaton gets the credit, it’s likely this method was in use across Tennessee even earlier.
What Is the Lincoln County Process?
The Lincoln County Process involves filtering freshly made whiskey (called “new make”) through a thick bed of maple charcoal. This charcoal mellowing smooths out the spirit and jump-starts the aging process, giving Tennessee whiskey its signature flavor.
It’s this process that distinguishes Tennessee whiskey from other types of whiskey. But would you believe that before 2013, there was no legal definition for what qualified as Tennessee whiskey? That changed when the Tennessee state legislature passed a law requiring that, to be labeled Tennessee whiskey, a spirit must:
Be made in Tennessee
Have a mash bill with at least 51% corn
Be aged in new, charred oak barrels
Undergo the Lincoln County Process
Tennessee Whiskey Today and Nashville Pub Crawls
Since the 2013 legislation, Tennessee whiskey has experienced a true renaissance—and it’s alive and well in Nashville. Today, there are at least eight different distilleries in production in the Nashville area, with three of them actively producing Tennessee whiskey.
If you’d like to learn more about the spirited history of Tennessee’s unique relationship with whiskey—or just want to grab a drink with a guide who’s passionate about the topic—join us for our Nashville Historically Tipsy Pub Crawl! We’ll take you on a journey through the rich and flavorful past (and present) of Tennessee whiskey, one glass at a time. Cheers!
