Jack Daniel's Distillery
Lynchburg, Tennessee distillery founded 1866 — the largest-selling American whiskey worldwide.
Jack Daniel's Distillery, founded by Jasper 'Jack' Newton Daniel in Lynchburg, Tennessee in 1866 (per official company history), is the largest American whiskey distillery by volume and the world's largest-selling American whiskey brand. The distillery produces Tennessee whiskey — made from a mash of approximately 80% corn, 12% malted barley, 8% rye, and filtered through 10 feet of sugar maple charcoal (the Lincoln County Process) before barrelling in new charred American white oak. Jack Daniel learned distilling from Nathan 'Nearest' Green, an enslaved master distiller; the company formally recognised Green's role in 2016. Jack Daniel's is owned by Brown-Forman.
Quick facts
- Type
- Distillery History
- Region
- Tennessee
- Era
- 1866–present
- Origin
- Lynchburg, Tennessee, United States
Nathan 'Nearest' Green
Nathan 'Nearest' Green was an enslaved master distiller at the Reverend Dan Call farm in Tennessee who taught Jack Daniel distilling, including the maple-charcoal mellowing technique. After emancipation, Green continued working with Daniel at the new distillery as one of America's first known African American master distillers. Brown-Forman formally acknowledged Green's role in 2016, and the Uncle Nearest brand (founded 2017) honours his legacy.
The Lynchburg Hollow Setting
The Jack Daniel's distillery sits in a hollow in Moore County, Tennessee, with a limestone cave spring supplying iron-free water year-round at a constant temperature. The hollow's geography supports the distillery's traditional architecture and remains a fixture of brand identity. Moore County is, paradoxically, a dry county — the distillery cannot sell whiskey for consumption within the county, only for off-premises use.
Sources & further reading (1)
- encyclopedia — accessed 2026-05-15
Frequently asked questions
Why isn't Jack Daniel's labelled bourbon?
Jack Daniel's meets every federal requirement for bourbon — at least 51% corn, distilled at no more than 80% ABV, aged in new charred oak, etc. — but uses the additional Lincoln County Process (maple charcoal filtration) and is labelled as Tennessee whiskey by company choice. Tennessee state law from 2013 codifies the requirements for the Tennessee whiskey label.