9 Things You Should Know Before Drinking Jack Daniel's
Think you know Jack? Think again.
The Tennessee-based whiskey company turns 150 this year, and with great history comes a great responsibility—to suss out the craziest stories and share them with you here. Even the most die-hard fans may not know the truth about the alcohol, and the real man behind it all.
This Safe Killed the Real Jack Daniel.
Yes, there was a real Jack Daniel, and yes, he loved whiskey. Back in the 1870s, the 5-foot-2 master distiller set his brand apart from others in the Lynchburg area by filtering it through 10 feet of sugar maple charcoal. (That process is known as "the extra blessing," a representative said, and it's also why Jack Daniel's is a whiskey, not a bourbon, even though it's held to the same production standards.)
He ran the business for decades, but ultimately, it was the company safe that was his undoing—and no, it didn't involve any sort of Acme anvil-style antics. Daniel kicked it out of frustration one day and developed an infection that spread throughout his body, and he eventually died from complications surrounding it.
The safe has never left the original Lynchburg distillery, though, until this year. The brand's bringing it to New York as part of a pop-up general store in honor of its 150th anniversary. During the week of Sept. 18, fans will be able to tour the store and see how the whiskey is made.
Frank Sinatra Considered it the "Nectar of the Gods."
Frank Sinatra was such a huge fan of the whiskey that he often wore a blazer emblazoned with a "Jack Daniel's Country Club" patch on it, and referred to it as the "nectar of the gods," according to The Atlantic. It turns out the appreciation is mutual: The brand released a Sinatra Select variety, which is a little smokier and has a vanilla finish.
If you want to drink it Sinatra's way, pour two fingers' worth in a rocks glass with three ice cubes and a splash of water.
It's Made in a Dry County.
You read that correctly: Moore County, where Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 is made, has been dry since 1909. There are no bars or liquor stores there, but the law does allow the distillery to offer souvenir bottles and whiskey samples on a special tour, a representative for the brand said.
Ke$ha Wasn't Kidding About Brushing Her Teeth with It.
It's one of the most quotable lines from Ke$ha's "Tik Tok," and it wasn't just for show: In an interview with Vanity Fair, the singer admitted she's brushed her teeth with Jack Daniel's plenty of times. "Jack Daniels is an anti-bacterial and it's way better than morning breath," she said. "Let me put it this way, if you wake up naked in a bathtub and you have the choice between rinsing out with Jack Daniels or trying to make out with some dude with morning breath, I would recommend picking up the Jack."
It's Fighting Fireball with Fire.
Fireball's cinnamon-flavored whiskey may be one of the fastest-growing alcohol brands in the U.S., but its annual sales are still about $90 million shy of Jack's. Clearly, though, Jack Daniel's must be feeling the heat of competition, as it has its own spiced variety on the market—a cinnamon liqueur blended with Jack Daniel's whiskey, known as Tennessee Fire.
Its Packaging Is Everything.
You know that whole "don't judge a book by its cover" adage every third-grade teacher repeated incessantly? Well, apparently the lesson didn't stick with us through adulthood—or at least not when it comes to packaging. When Jack Daniel's rebranded its premium, Gentleman Jack line with a more contemporary, sophisticated bottle design, sales went up 40 percent.
It's Become a Way of Life.
The brand has its own store, selling everything from fleece vests to guitar picks (because nothing says "I'm a bad*ss" like strumming while keeping your tummy toasty, duh), but it's also inspired 34 pages of products featuring Jack Daniel's—or paying homage to it—on Etsy. If you wanted to cover every inch of your house in Jack's white and black, you pretty much could. But that's not the only thing getting Jack'd...
It's Inspired a Set of Wheels That'd Make Weinermobile Owners Jealous.
This modded out scooter was spotted at a Rock and Soul weekend festival. There are no words. Just awe.
Sam's Club Once Sold It By the Barrel.
For those who couldn't deal with just a bottle—or even a case—of Jack, Sam's Club sold the whiskey by the barrel back in 2013. The Single Barrel Select would set you back close to $10,000, while a barrel of good o' No. 7 ran about $7,680.
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