Around the Barrel with Jack Daniel's

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.