Jack Daniels: Seven Wonders of the World
Interview with the former Master Distiller Jimmy Bedford
By John BreerwoodIf you think of it, the number seven is quite the dynamic: seven days of creation, seven deadly sins, seven wonders of the world, and (according to George Costanza) a great name for either a boy or girl. No matter the facet, whether greatness or infamy, the number seven carries a certain prominence with it. So is it a coincidence that the number seven is also associated with one of the best whiskeys of the world?
Jack Daniel’s former Master Distiller Jimmy Bedford came through town on business last winter, and I was lucky enough to have a sit-down with him.
So how exactly did Jack Daniel’s start up?
Jack Daniel was a Lutheran minister who ran a general store around 1860. And by 1866, he had registered his distillery.
So what happened during Prohibition?
That was a dark time for the company, and for the nation as well. Jack Daniel had died two years before Prohibition. Tennessee had a more prolonged Prohibition than the rest of the nation, since ours lasted from 1913 to 1938. Lynchburg is still a dry county even today. The stock market crash of 1929 set us back as well. And, unlike many distilleries and breweries, we did not produce non-alcoholic beverages to survive. We shut production down. Lem Motlow, the owner at that time, really brought us through those dark times.
What breakthrough allowed such success?
The company’s banker recommended selling to the Brown-Forman Corporation. After the sale in 1956, we became financially strong enough to build inventory and distribute, and were given the availability to produce. Today, 46% of our business is international with the United Kingdom being our largest market. By 2010, we’re confident it will be up to 50%.
Where did “Old No. 7” come from?
Long ago, there was no distribution in glass bottles, but barrels in handmade shipping crates. Some crates were lost in transit, and later relocated. The shipping number was 7, and was mistaken for the name of the product.
So whatever happened with the recent raid?
The Tennessee ABC board says that a collector living in Lynchburg, didn’t pay taxes on a rare bottle he bought on eBay. He also had possession of 3-liter bottles, which he bought in Canada because they’re illegal in the U.S. and state law says that any confiscated liquor must be poured out. Basically, this man paid $15,000 for a bottle from 1914, and I believe that it is his.
So really, what makes Jack Daniel’s distinct?
Well, it’s only made in Lynchburg, and not outsourced. The pure cave water and the charcoal process sets Jack Daniel’s aside from bourbon. The Black Label is our classic brand. We introduced Gentleman Jack in 1988, which is twice the charcoal process and is a little sweeter and smoother. We later came out with the Single Barrel, which is more characteristic of the toasted white oak barrels in color and flavor.
But there’s something else about Jack Daniel’s, isn’t there?
Three things: quality, heritage, and Americana. The quality is unmatched by the charcoal process and water cave. The people who live in Lynchburg produce it, giving Jack Daniel’s a sense of heritage. And Jack Daniel’s has now become part of American culture, from TV to everyday life.
I’d say Mr. Bedford is dead on. There is no other American spirit that I can think of that embodies the American image like Old No. 7 does. Jimmy Bedford has just recently retired after 40 years with the company (20 of which as Master Distiller). Bedford saw the brand through prosperity and international growth, and will remain among men like ol’ Jack himself.
Jeff Arnett now takes up the position as the seventh master distiller of Jack Daniels. What are the chances? It just proves my point that seven continues to wonder the world.