Around The Barrel With Jack Daniel's

Lexie Phillips didn’t set out to be a trailblazer, role model, or pioneer. But when she was named Jack Daniel’s Assistant Distiller in the fall of 2020, she ended up as just that. On this episode, Lexie returns to Around the Barrel to talk about her path from part time job to leadership position, and how following her passion resulted in a giant leap forward for the women of Jack Daniel’s and the spirits industry at large.

Spirits have always been a great way to bring people together. Over fifteen years ago, Mark Gillespie discovered that simply talking about them was just as effective. Gillespie launched WhiskyCast, one of the original spirits podcasts, in 2005 and has since developed a national and international following of industry professionals and whiskey enthusiasts alike. On this episode of Around the Barrel, Gillespie takes a turn as our distinguished guest to discuss the evolution of both podcasting and his whiskey expertise, and shares some of his favorite stories about the spirit.

The story of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey has been told for years, but for the first time, it will be told through film. Chasing Whiskey: The Untold Story of Jack Daniel’s, directed by Greg Olliver, is available to stream beginning April 9. On this episode of Around the Barrel, Greg shares his experience chasing Jack Daniel’s around the globe.

Most people like to say, “What’s old is new again.” At Jack Daniel’s, it might be more fitting to say, “What’s new is old again.” On our first episode of Season Four of Around the Barrel, we’re joined by the newest Jack Daniel’s Master Distiller, Chris Fletcher, grandson of Master Distiller Frank Bobo and a longtime employee in his own right. He joins host Lucas Hendrickson to shed some light on the challenging year that was, and shares his excitement for things to come as he blends his penchant for innovation into time-honored tradition.

The popular saying “a rising tide lifts all boats” is perfectly suited for the distilled spirits industry — when one of us does well, either as an individual or as a company, we do what we can to help others. On this episode of Around the Barrel, we talk with Melvin Keebler, Vice President and Assistant General Manager at the Jack Daniel Distillery, about the Nearest & Jack Advancement Initiative, the latest way Jack Daniel’s is helping those with less opportunity. Through collaboration with Uncle Nearest Inc., the initiative offers education, training and support for minorities looking to succeed in the distilled spirits industry. Melvin takes us behind-the-scenes of this impactful program and discusses Jack Daniel’s diversity and inclusion efforts while shining a light on the path of progress ahead.

The importance of the barrel in whiskey making cannot be overstated. It is so important, in fact, that at Jack Daniel’s, we don’t trust anyone else to make it. On this episode of Around the Barrel, host Lucas Hendrickson visits the Jack Daniel Cooperage alongside plant manager Darrell Davis to learn about the painstaking process that goes into building this magic vessel that creates the color, flavor and character of our world-famous whiskey.

The connection between music and Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey has always been strong. The link between the brand and American country music has been particularly vibrant over the years, as the spirit has informed, not only the creation of songs, but also the celebration of them. On this episode, we talk with country music media mainstay Storme Warren about the current state of the genre, how both the music and the whiskey play to a worldwide audience and how a commitment to both innovation and tradition informs what comes out over the airwaves and round the Barrel.

Enjoying whiskey engages all your senses, but taste is undoubtedly the most difficult to define. Sight, smell and memory all feed into our taste. On this episode of Around the Barrel, host Lucas Hendrickson joins veteran whiskey journalist Fred Minnick to learn more about the time and practice needed to develop a whiskey vocabulary to articulate this concept of taste, how a person’s palate can be as unique as a fingerprint and how his years as a whiskey expert have spawned a slew of magazine, book and video creations that explore whiskey from different angles.

Will Haynes and Matt Giesler had been friends and coworkers for years when their mutual admiration for spirits led them to take the conversation they were having and add some microphones, create some context, and create The Podcask. On this episode of Around the Barrel, host Lucas Hendrickson speaks with these fellow podcast hosts to break down how they turn curiosity about consumption into conversations, how developing a whiskey vocabulary is key, and how the seemingly simple act of turning on microphones activated a global collection of fans.

Yeast is the unsung hero of the whiskey-making process. It so important, in fact, that at Jack Daniel’s, we have our own microbiologist committed to looking after our yeast and ensuring that all the conditions are right to make our world-famous Tennessee Whiskey. On this episode of Around the Barrel, we sit down with microbiologist Kevin Smith to get the inside scoop on the science of whiskey making, how we can manipulate yeast in ways Jack could have only dreamed about, and what’s behind the Tennessee Tasters expression Smith helped create.

Frank Sinatra was perhaps known as much for his music as he was for his love of Jack Daniel’s. He famously described the Tennessee whiskey as the “nectar of the gods” and was a loyal friend of the brand throughout his life. On this episode, we talk with writer and producer Charlie Pignone and Jack Daniel’s brand historian Nelson Eddy about the deep relationship between Frank Sinatra and Jack Daniel’s. We uncover the real story about Sinatra’s introduction to the drink, how Jack Daniel’s Sinatra Select came to be, and more.

One of the great things about a legacy that goes back more than 150 years is that there always seems to be one more story to tell. In 2016, one of those stories captivated the world. It was the story of Jack Daniel and Nearest Green, an enslaved man who taught Jack how to make whiskey. Jack and Nearest had a lifelong friendship that spawned Jack’s famous Tennessee Whiskey and connected two local families for more than a century. On this episode of Around the Barrel, we meet Fawn Weaver, an author who was so captivated by Nearest’s story that she has devoted her life’s work to researching, honoring and celebrating Jack’s beloved friend.

With a supply chain as complex as Jack Daniel’s, the opportunities for things to go wrong are plenty. Add in the fact that you must anticipate some of those challenges years before they happen, and you’re left wondering how any whiskey makes it to the shelf, particularly one as popular as Jack Daniel’s. In this episode, Larry Combs, Senior Vice President and General Manager for the Jack Daniel’s Global Supply Chain, joins host Lucas Hendrickson to talk about how he and his team work to anticipate and adapt to curveballs like the COVID-19 pandemic to keep the whiskey flowing and our many team members employed.

Passion and energy for your life’s work is hard to manufacture. You either have it or you don’t. And when your job puts you in front of millions of people who share a similar passion, you better be ready to turn that energy dial all the way up. On this episode we talk to Marty Smith from ESPN about the importance of mentorship, how his work life has changed while live sports take an unforeseen pause, and how he looks forward to gathering buddies in a small Middle Tennessee town as soon as possible.

On this episode of Around the Barrel, host Lucas Hendrickson and Jack Daniel’s brand ambassador Eric Tecosky talk about how at-home whiskey cocktails can be approachable by everyone and the secrets for using Tennessee Apple in classic recipes.

As the world struggles to learn more about COVID-19 and how to effectively combat it, companies much more attuned to creating a certain kind of product find themselves needing and able to pivot towards joining the global fight. On this episode, we talk with Master Distiller Jeff Arnett about what the distillery is doing to accelerate its ability to join that fight, not only at home, but throughout the region it calls home.

Observing, writing and speaking about the spirits world is a very serious business, at least some of the time. On this episode, we talk with Dan Dunn, an author, comedy writer, podcaster, pundit and professional imbiber for the past two decades. He tells us what it’s like to have part of your life turned into a situation comedy, how circling back just causes more traffic jams, and how to order a perfect cocktail in the South (hint: on a first name basis).

Words, images, physical objects – these things help tell stories every day. And for a company well into its second century, these stories form the core of how best to shape its future, but it never hurts to take a look into its past. On this episode of Around the Barrel, we talk with Jack Daniel’s historian Nelson Eddy about a new series of products that reach back into the company’s archives, bringing forward a look and feel from a bygone era. We dissect the imagery found on the new legacy edition bottles as well as how today’s technology can be used on every bottle of Old No. 7 to bring Mr. Jack’s story to life.

At Jack Daniel’s, we have a deep appreciation for those who serve in our nation’s military and strive to provide support whenever we can. When we learned that many active duty junior-enlisted service members could not afford to travel home for the holidays, we wanted to do all that we could to help. In 2011, we launched Operation Ride Home in conjunction with the Armed Services YMCA to provide the funds so that many of these men and women could be with their loved ones during this special time of year. On this episode of Around the Barrel, we uncover why this program is so important, and hear from Admiral William French, President and CEO of the ASYMCA, about the impact it has on those who sacrifice so much.

The word “icon” probably gets thrown around a little too easily these days. It takes time, effort, skill and talent to move something into the active role of icon. It doesn’t happen accidentally or overnight. Mark McCallum knows a little something about working with a true icon. As part of the leadership team at Brown-Forman, Jack Daniel’s parent company, Mark has played a pivotal role in establishing the global footprint of Jack Daniel’s. On this episode of Around the Barrel, we talk with Mark about building that footprint, the new brands that have emerged under the Jack umbrella under his watch, and the challenges of getting some audiences to believe the lore of Lynchburg.