Distiller Notes
Tennessee Whiskey True Tennessee Whiskey is special. It's not just whiskey made in Tennessee. And it's not Bourbon Whiskey. It's more. We first bring limestone filtered water from the Big Richland Creek and use it to make a mash of corn, rye and malted barley. Then we distill it in our hand-hammered copper pot still. At this point, it changes from plain whiskey to Tennessee Whiskey when we drip it through several feet of sugar maple charcoal, made from trees cut by local sawmills and burned. This gives Collier and McKeel the smooth, sweet, smoky taste that Tennessee Whiskey is known for. Only true Tennessee Whiskey is put through this extra step. We age Collier and McKeel in oak barrels to add intense flavors. And unlike some whiskies that have an artificial time table for the proper time in a barrel, we determine when it's time to bottle the old fashioned way – when it tastes right.
Proof: 86
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
Deep amber color; smoky, toasty nose; silky texture with sweet oak and spice with notes of smoke and sugar maple charcoal; complex and balanced with nice heat and long, deep finish.
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Wine Enthusiast
Made from a mash of corn, rye and malted barley and aged four years, look for very sweet, bold aromas: lots of vanilla and caramel. The first sip is dry, showing cocoa, espresso and leather, but then the flavors seem to grow sweeter, more in line with the aromas, and coat the mouth with crème brûlèe and a hint of butterscotch. It finishes spiced, with a flicker of alcohol heat.
Capturing a broad range in one category, American Whiskey refers to any spirit made in America by distilling a mash of fermented grains—typically corn, wheat, rye or barley. American Whiskey must be distilled to no more than 95% alcohol and bottled at 40% or higher. In order to be labeled a straight Whiskey, it also must be aged in white oak barrels for a minimum of two years and not contain any added colors or flavors.