Jeff Foxworthy said: “You might be a redneck if … Jack Daniels makes your list of Most Admired People.” While I’ve never been referred to as a redneck, I can be a pain in the neck. So I bugged Jack Daniel Distillery twice for information about their Tennessee Whiskey…

Dear Wizards of Whiskey:

I wrote more than a couple of months ago and the response was quieter than a bar filled with partying mimes. I’m not sure if you didn’t reply because my inquiry got lost or you think I might have had a few too many to drink when I composed the letter. Either way, I assure you that I’m sober even though I’m taking another shot…

It’s good to see that someone knows Jack about good whiskey! I know Jack Daniel went to the great distillery in the sky in 1911. Was he a big drinker? Did he have a reputation for being a partier? Do you know how many shots of Jack Daniel’s he knocked down every day before it knocked him down?

At least you folks at Jack Daniel’s know the correct way to spell whiskey. How come the Scottish and Canadians spell it whisky? Did they drink so much of the stuff they can’t even remember to include all the letters?  The Irish spell it right, too, although you’d think they would spell it something more like wiskeeeeeeeeee!

What makes Tennessee whiskey different from other whiskeys? Is it because rednecks spend more time drinking than anyone and have nothing better to do than study whiskey? Speaking of studying whiskey, how do your tasters determine when Jack Daniel’s Whiskey is ready for drinking? How long are their work shifts? I imagine that after an hour some of them might start to lose their perspective. Is this the only job you know of where employees are allowed to drink at work without getting reprimanded? How many applications do you receive each year for the position?

One thing I love about Jack Daniel’s is your bottles. Do you have an old empty classic bottle lying around that you can send? I promise not to sell it on eBay or let any minors sniff it with the cap off.

A Representative from Jack Daniel Distillery responded with:

Thanks for your letter to Jack Daniel’s. I’ve enclosed information that should help with some of your questions.

What makes Jack Daniel’s a Tennessee Whiskey is the charcoal-mellowing process. Regarding the job of our tasters, it’s not as coveted a position as you might think. Our tasters have to spit out the whiskey they sample and cleanse their palette with water. So “over-consumption” is not an issue with them. I’m afraid we don’t have any empty bottles we could send.

Thanks again for writing.

Final Thoughts: This thoughtful reply came on a Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 logo-embossed handwritten note card with a booklet of 8 drink mixture suggestions. Also included was a brochure that told the fascinating story of Jack Daniel’s and America’s Oldest Registered Distillery Established in 1866. While the term “neck label” was mentioned, the redneck label wasn’t.

The brochure describes charcoal-mellowing as a slow and tedious process that involves filtering freshly distilled 140-proof whiskey and letting it seep, drop by drop, through 10 feet of specially made charcoal. It also revealed that Jack’s real name was Jasper Newton “Jack” Daniel, although he is repeatedly referred to as Mr. Jack. This was a smart move because after a couple of drinks, who knows what it would sound like trying to order a shot of Jasper Newton Daniel’s?

It was surprising to learn that tasters have to spit out the whiskey. I wonder if employees are subjected to hourly breathalyzer checks to verify they’re not cheating. I also wonder what the Tennessee Highway Patrol is thinking if they pull a Taster over on the way home after his or her shift, get a whiff of their breath and hear, “No really, I work for Jack but don’t swallow.”

As for the different spellings of the word, you may find this New York Times article enlightening, Whiskey versus Whisky. There are also lots of intriguing stories, facts and information about this Tennessee Whiskey and its history on the Jack Daniel’s website. However, you can often get a taste for how much a manufacturer is willing to pour their heart out if you Write The Company.

Fans of alcoholic drinks or products named Jack will also enjoy:
Schlitz Happens
Cracker Jack Takes the Prize