Stella — Chief Barrel Officer
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Whiskey Education
Tennessee whiskey is essentially bourbon with two extra rules: it has to be made in Tennessee, and it has to go through the Lincoln County Process — charcoal mellowing — before it touches a barrel. Here's the full breakdown, and how it really compares to bourbon.
"Tennessee whiskey" gets treated like its own thing — and legally it is — but the difference from bourbon is smaller and more specific than most people think. Here's exactly what sets it apart, what the famous Lincoln County Process actually involves, and a bit of the history behind it.
Every Tennessee whiskey starts by meeting the federal rules for bourbon. To be bourbon, a whiskey must be made in the U.S. from a mash of at least 51% corn, distilled to no more than 160 proof, aged in new charred oak, barreled at no more than 125 proof, and bottled at 80 proof or higher, with nothing added but water.
Tennessee whiskey takes all of that and adds two requirements: it must be made in Tennessee, and it must be charcoal-mellowed using the Lincoln County Process before it goes into the barrel. So in practice, most Tennessee whiskey would qualify as bourbon — producers simply choose to call it Tennessee whiskey.
| Requirement | Tennessee Whiskey | Bourbon |
|---|---|---|
| Mash bill | At least 51% corn | At least 51% corn |
| New charred oak | Required | Required |
| Charcoal mellowing | Required (Lincoln County Process) | Not required |
| Where it's made | Tennessee only | Anywhere in the U.S. |
| Max distillation proof | 160 | 160 |
The Lincoln County Process is the step that defines Tennessee whiskey: before the new spirit is barreled, it's slowly filtered through sugar maple charcoal. The charcoal strips out some of the harsher compounds and smooths the spirit before it ever begins aging — a head start on mellowness that straight bourbon doesn't get.
It's named for Lincoln County, Tennessee, where the practice took hold in the 1800s. Tennessee codified it into law in 2013, requiring charcoal mellowing for any whiskey labeled "Tennessee whiskey," with a single grandfathered exemption for a long-standing producer.
Tennessee has been making whiskey since the late 1700s, and the charcoal-mellowing tradition is older than the modern brands. The category was carried for decades by a couple of historic names and nearly disappeared after Prohibition before a strong revival in the last two decades brought a new wave of Tennessee distillers and blenders — Nashville Barrel Company among them.
The best way to understand Tennessee whiskey is side by side, in a glass, with someone walking you through it. At Nashville Barrel Company you can taste a guided lineup downtown — including single barrels at cask strength — and learn the differences as you go. Walk in at the Church Street Tasting Room, or book a barrel pick at HQ.
Guide-led Tennessee whiskey flights and barrel experiences, two minutes from Broadway.