THESE ARE NOT YOUR GRANDAD'S TENNESSEE WHISKEYS. In January I co-hosted, with David Furer a small whiskey tasting for the DRINKING ON THE EDGE podcast. With an estimable heritage backing its position as one of the US's fastest-growing craft distilling states, David and I took pleasure in hearing and tasting from four of its small artisan craft producers. this “Drinking on the Edge" podcast explores what makes a whiskey "Tennessee," featuring conversations with distillers in the state, and discussing the unique aspects of Tennessee whiskey production. We delved into the world of Tennessee whiskey, specifically exploring what defines it and how it's made. A fun, informative, experience! Check it out!
More importantly, these bottlings show what Tennessee whiskey can really be. These are complex, well balanced, and flavor whiskies. Rich and nuanced. Really incredible releases!
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In DRINKING ON THE EDGE Adult Beverage Industry veteran David Furer takes you on an alcohol-fueled adventure through our drinking worlds near & far; past, present, and future. Fermented and distilled bevies from the mid-Hudson Valley to the world's most remote locales are highlighted.
I really learned about Tennessee Whiskey while researching my books BIG WHISKEY and TENNESSEE WHISKEY. We interviewed four really fascinating people. Matt Cunningham of Old Glory Distilling, Lee Kennedy of Leiper's Fork Distillery, Brandon O'Daniel of Nelson's Greenbrier, and the father of modern Tennessee distilling, Mike Williams of Tennessee Distilling.
Mike Williams of Tennessee Distilling Company
Mike Williams is a founder of Tennessee Distilling Group and former Tennessee State Legislator from Franklin, Tennessee who helped pass new legislation that revised Tennessee state laws related to distilling in 2009. The law that Williams was instrumental in getting passed was the catalyst to the Tennessee distilled spirits’ rebirth. Smart, calculating, and funny as heck, Williams helped launch Collier and McKeel, a brand of Tennessee whiskey produced in Nashville. The whiskey was originally distilled by Tennessee Distilling Company, a corporation founded in 2009 in Franklin, Tennessee, by Williams. The brand was sold to North Coast Spirits, a California business group, in 2014, but distillation and other operations remained in Nashville. Charming as ever, Williams laid the ground work for the state's industry - and the remainder of our show!
Lee Kennedy of Leiper's Fork
Leiper’s Fork Distillery, located in Leiper's Fork, Tennessee, creates high-end premium whiskeys using local ingredients, time honored techniques and pure limestone filtered water. A small batch whiskey distillery, it is situated in Williamson County. They filled their first barrel in the Spring of 2016. Their whiskeys are 100% Mashed, Fermented, Distilled, Aged and Bottled by hand, to very special specifications. Producing only 25,000 gallons of whiskey annually, they are truly a genuine small batch distillery. The distillery is owned by Lee and Lynlee Kennedy. Lee is a distiller and local historian of the region and of whiskey making in Tennessee. He is also the consummate distiller as auteur. Leiper's Fork Bottled-in-Bond is one of the msot unique whiskies made on the east east coast. Fantastic. See the link below to my review from January.
Matt Cunningham of Old Glory
Matt Cunningham, the owner/distiller of Old Glory is the definition of Home Town Boy Make Good." Quite literally. He spent the first 18 years of his life in Clarksville, Tennessee and the next four at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, where he studied financial management and investments. Realizing that flying a desk was not his destiny, he came home and became a full-time fireman. In the meanwhile, he started Old Glory Distilling at 22 years old. I first visited Matt in his first year within opening. He had maybe thirty or forty barrels of whiskey made. Today, he has three large warehouses of wonderful liquid, and is president of the Tennessee Distillers Association. The Old Glory Bourbon Bottled-in-Bond is an exceptional whiskey. With tremendous rich notes of caramel and spice, this bottle of whiskey is flavorful and complex enough to stand up to any whiskey. Absolutely worth seeking out.
Brandon O'Daniel
Borchetta Bourbon is the bourbon brand of Big Machine Distillery. In 2015, Music mogul Scott Borchetta acquired Big Machine Distillery with the desire to venture into the business of producing and marketing high quality craft spirits. Scott enticed his brother Mark Borchetta to come onboard to run the operation as Executive Vice President. This Small Batch bourbon is made using locally grown, heirloom varietal sweet corns including red, white, and blue corn. The grain is milled on site with restored 1950’s stone mills for the best consistency. It's copper pot distilled in-house, using the sweet mash style in specially designed copper pot stills. This whiskey received the ultimate accolades from Fred Minnick and many others. A big, bold flavor.
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Review: Leiper's Fork