The Wall Street Journal reports today that the Tennessee state legislature will debate today the definition of “Tennessee Whiskey.” Last year, the state passed legislation requiring anything labeled “Tennessee whiskey” to be made in the state of Tennessee, made from at least 51% corn, filtered through maple charcoal, and aged in new, charred oak barrels. As it stands, the law benefits Jack Daniel’s (which actively lobbied for the legislation last year), in that it mirrors the formula used by Jack Daniel’s. Jack Daniel’s sells nearly 90% of “Tennessee whiskey.”
Diageo PLC, owned of (distant) number two Tennessee whiskey brand George Dickel, is lobbying for a relaxing of some of the rules, citing a desire to experiment with the formulation of its whiskey, as well as the difficulty in obtaining new oak barrels. Jack Daniel’s owns its own cooperage, and plans to build a second one in Alabama.
posted by Anant Raut
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