Jack Daniel's faces a whiskey rebellion

Yahoo/WSJ ^ | 3-18-14 | Mike Esterl

[kingattax]

A feud has erupted among distillers over a seemingly simple question: When is a whiskey "Tennessee Whiskey''?

On the one side is Brown-Forman Corp., maker of the top-selling American whiskey, Jack Daniel's.

At the company's urging, Tennessee passed legislation last year requiring anything labeled "Tennessee Whiskey'' not just to be made in the state, but also to be made from at least 51% corn, filtered through maple charcoal and aged in new, charred oak barrels.

As it happens, that is the recipe for Jack Daniel's, which traces its Tennessee roots back more than a century and today sells more than 90% of the state's whiskey.

On the other side of this feud is U.K.-based Diageo PLC, the world's largest liquor company and owner of George Dickel, the distant No. 2 Tennessee Whiskey. It is lobbying Tennessee lawmakers to relax the rules so area distillers don't have to copy Jack Daniel's.

[rottndog]

Rot gut is rot gut.

[HiTech RedNeck]

That’s REDNECK rotgut to you, dog

[RingerSIX]

JD is the best sipping whiskey out there.

[HiTech RedNeck]

To sit and watch it sip is a sight.

[who_would_fardels_bear]

Tennessee Whiskey is Fine, but Kentucky Bourbon is even finer...

[rottndog]

A five dollar bottle of cinnamon whiskey from Walmart will make you puke just as hard as JD.

[who_would_fardels_bear]

and this is the best of the best sipping whiskey...

[nickcarraway]

Hi Tech, Corporate revenuers.

[Psalm 144]

Try Bulleit.

[mindburglar]

Diageo, aka Guiness (UK company). They just want to market the stuff to their gay constituents.

[RingerSIX]

When I have partaken spirits, I have always preferred a chilled glass of Jack Daniels.

[who_would_fardels_bear]

Bulleit is great. For the price it is spectacular.

[nickcarraway]

Is Bullet 51% corn, filtered through maple charcoal and aged in new, charred oak barrels?

[Psalm 144]

Absolutely.

[who_would_fardels_bear]

I went to Diageo's site to find out what they market and was truly saddened. They market a lot of the stuff I like such as Ketel One vodka, Tanqueray gin, Oban single malt scotch, Bulleit, etc.

One thing really surprised me, though. They market a number of rums, but they don't market Mount Gay.

You'd think that would be a natural ... or unnatural .. for Diageo.

[mindburglar]

Ha! Maybe the organizers can get Mt. Gay to sponsor the St. Paddy’s day parade next year.

[Washi]

Piss off, UK.

"Tennessee" whiskey is made in Tennessee.

[mindburglar]

Happy to see they don’t own Pyrat rum.

[Ronin]

I’ll stick with scotch, thank you very much. Can’t abide corn likker.