Did you know Jack Daniel’s whiskey barrels are made in Alabama?
Darrell Davis and the team at Jack Daniel Cooperage provide the whiskey barrels used to give Old No. 7 its distinctive color and flavor. (Jack Daniel Cooperage)
The wooden barrels used to age Jack Daniel’s whiskey are far more than simple storage vessels. They’re also a key ingredient in crafting the spirit’s distinct flavor. Since 2014, these barrels have come from the Jack Daniel Cooperage in Trinity, Alabama.
“We take a lot of pride in making these barrels,” said Plant Director Darrell Davis. “Every day we make it, we’ll make it the best we can, as Jack said.”
When Jack Daniel’s sought a location for its new cooperage, Lawrence County proved to be ideal.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45oBxq-lkYI]“We found a strategic distance between the distillery in Lynchburg and the mills in Stevenson and Tennessee,” Davis said. “White oak, the wood that we use, does its best in this region.”
Appalachia’s plentiful white oak is used in every barrel, as it has proved ideal for storing whiskey for the duration of its maturation process. It’s porous enough to allow whiskey to slowly soak into the wood, absorb flavors and blend, all without leaking out over time.
The Jack Daniel’s barrelhouse is in Tennessee, but the barrels are made in Alabama. (Jack Daniel’s)
White oak is also abundant with plant polysaccharides that convert to sugar when charred.
“While the whiskey is aging in the barrels, it picks up the wood’s natural sugars,” Davis said. “That’s where the sweet vanilla and caramel notes come from.”
The production process incorporates modern technology while retaining the hands-on elements on which Jack Daniel’s prides itself.
“What we do is a mix of science and art,” Davis said.
When wood is brought in from the mills, it is first dried, then cut down to staves. These uniform portions are then planed through an automated mechanism to ensure consistency.
The coopers then assemble, or “raise,” each barrel by hand.
“We value the human touch in this process,” Davis said. “It’s manual for a reason.”
Jack Daniel Cooperage is one of the few facilities that toasts its barrels before charring. In the charring process, red-hot flames lash at the wood for a matter of seconds. Without this step, the finished whiskey would be unrecognizable by color or taste.
The barrels are then fitted with heads and inspected.
Jack Daniel’s barrels are made from white oak, toasted and then charred on the inside and assembled by hand. The barrels give the whiskey its distinctive flavor. (Jack Daniel’s)
“All 100% of our barrels are tested for leaks,” Davis said. “Then they go to Jack Daniel’s to be filled and warehoused. Four to seven years later, the whiskey is ready to pour.”
The region’s workforce was a heavy draw for the cooperage, and the company invests in this valuable resource by participating in the FAME program. The Alabama Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education connects college students with employers, allowing them to earn income and work experience while in school.
“The student will work three days per week and attend classes two days per week,” Davis said. “If the student manages the program correctly, he or she could graduate debt-free.”
Jack Daniel Cooperage is involved in the Cullman and Shoals County FAME chapters and is actively seeking a third candidate. There are plans to offer an Advanced Manufacturing Technician program soon.
Davis believes a top-quality product is the result of a top-quality team.
“There are two key ingredients that go into our barrels,” Davis said. “American white oak and American craftsmanship.”
This story originally appeared on the This is Alabama website.
