Jack Daniels

Mellow Out Charcoal-mellowing refers to a process used to make Tennessee whiskey, such as Jack Daniel's. The process involves slowly dripping the newly made whiskey through giant containers hard-packed with 10 feet of sugar maple charcoal. The process takes ten days, and during this time the whiskey absorbs the essence of the charcoal, refining the spirit and giving it a unique flavor and aroma."I" Before "E" Except When It's "Y" The first thing you should know about whiskey is that it's spelled two ways. Some folks spell it "W-H-I-S-K-E-Y," and others spell it "W-H-I-S-K-Y." The reasons behind these different spellings are unknown, but rest assured that neither spelling will get you beat up. That shirt you're wearing is another story."Sour Mash" is not the designation of a special type of whiskey, as most people think. Instead, the name refers to the similarities between making whiskey and making sourdough bread. In both processes, a portion of the previous batch is used to start the next batch in order to promote consistency. Every bourbon and Tennessee whiskey is made using the sour mash process" In to thin Air" As the whiskey ages, the whiskey barrels "breathe." Because of this phenomenon, somewhere between eight to ten percent of the alcohol volume will be lost to evaporation in the first year. Evaporation continues over subsequent years at a rate of four to five percent per barrel. A good whiskey is likely to lose approximately thirty percent of its original volume by the time it is ready for bottling.Number One With a Barrel Whiskey barrels are assembled from American White Oak, and that's because American White Oak just happens to have the right combination of compounds to create the tastiest whiskey. These compounds, referred to as such because they have really confusing names, are exposed when the insides of the barrels are charred by open flame.As the whiskey ages inside the barrel, the wood contracts and expands (as everything does) with changes in the surrounding climate. The whiskey is allowed to move in and out of the wood as this happens, and the exposed compounds mix with the whiskey. The mixing gives the whiskey a smoky flavor and an amber tint.