13 Must-Visit Distilleries To Visit Along The Tennessee Whiskey Trail

13 Must-Visit Distilleries To Visit Along The Tennessee Whiskey Trail

The Tennessee Whiskey Trail offers an expansive journey through the state's most renowned distilleries, stretching from Memphis to the Smoky Mountains, catering to spirit enthusiasts of all kinds. With a diverse range of experiences, from rustic bootlegger-style warehouses to sophisticated tasting rooms, there's something to suit every palate. Notably, visitors can even bring along their furry companions to pet-friendly distilleries, marked in a digital "Pawsport." While each distillery along the trail offers its own charm, a select few stand out for their exceptional spirits, unique tastings, engaging tours, delectable food offerings, and inspiring origin tales. For those unable to explore every stop on the Tennessee Whiskey Trail, this curated list promises an unforgettable adventure.

Big Machine Distillery

Big Machine distinguishes itself by distilling its vodka 25 times—far surpassing the typical three to seven distillations—and filtering it through platinum beads for an exceptionally smooth finish, perfect for shots, cocktails, and their nostalgic Spiked Coolers. However, Big Machine's offerings extend beyond vodka to include rum, bourbon, moonshine, gin, and Tennessee whiskey. At their original Lynnville distillery, visitors can tour the facility, bottle their own spirits, and enjoy cocktails with their dogs on the 28-acre pet-friendly property. In Berry Hill, near Nashville, the Big Machine Tavern serves a variety of classic and seasonal cocktails alongside brunch, lunch, and dinner dishes, such as The Nashville Benedict, featuring poached eggs, Nashville hot chicken, and sausage gravy.

Nashville Barrel Company

Nashville Barrel Company began with three friends who, in 2018, decided to buy a batch of barrels for fun, but their passion quickly turned into a successful venture, producing award-winning single-barrel spirits by 2021. Tours at their production facility offer a range of experiences, from standard flights in the tasting room to premium tastings, barrel flights, and a mock single barrel experience where you can bottle your favorite spirit straight from the barrel. For a more personalized touch, you and up to eight friends can select and bottle your own single barrel of rye, bourbon, or rum with a custom logo. At the Church Street tasting room in downtown Nashville, you can enjoy similar tastings and tours, and even blend your own whiskey after sampling barrel selections. With Nashville Barrel Company, expect an unforgettable distillery experience, often with a chance to meet Stella, the mini Goldendoodle who serves as the company’s president, HR, and guest outreach specialist.

Nashville Craft Distillery

Nashville Craft Distillery stands out among Tennessee distilleries by offering a unique range of small-batch spirits made from regional ingredients. Their current offerings include three types of bourbon, two gins infused with four and seven botanical ingredients, a spiced honey liqueur with ginger and cinnamon, and sorghum spirits crafted from Tennessee sorghum sugar cane. The tasting room is open from Tuesday to Sunday with varying hours, so be sure to check the schedule before visiting. Beyond typical tours, tastings, and cocktails, Nashville Craft Distillery offers a two-day hands-on experience where participants learn about distilling, legal classifications, mechanical operations, the aging process, and business strategies. This immersive workshop is led by founder Bruce Boeko, a 20-year forensic scientist whose passion for experimentation and innovation is evident throughout this comprehensive behind-the-scenes experience.

Old Dominick Distillery

Old Dominick Distillery in Memphis, originally founded in 1866 by Domenico Canale as a grocery wholesaler, revived its whiskey production after Canale's great-great-grandsons discovered an unopened bottle of Old Dominick Toddy, a fruity bourbon cordial. This revival marked the first legal whiskey distillation in Memphis since Prohibition. Today, Old Dominick produces whiskey, bourbon, gin, and vodka at their Front Street distillery, alongside experimental spirits from Master Distiller Alex Castle, like All the Cookies Bourbon. The distillery offers daily tours and a monthly Beyond the Barrel experience, which includes a look at the aging loft and a whiskey flight. The onsite bar features signature cocktails such as The Landing with citrus vodka, ginger syrup, and grapefruit soda; the Pink Palace with gin, red currant syrup, and Sichuan peppercorns; and bourbon cider punch with whiskey, apple cider, honey, and cranberry syrup.

Junction 35 Spirits

Junction 35, named after a historic train junction where loggers turned bootleggers to evade Prohibition patrols, is Tennessee's first full distillery and restaurant. The distillery offers a wide selection of spirits, including gin, rum, vodka, whiskey, rye, bourbon, and even tequila, which is distilled in Mexico and aged in Junction 35's bourbon barrels. After touring the distillery, visitors can enjoy the full restaurant, which serves dishes like Tennessee poutine, smoked barbecue trays with Southern sides, and smash burgers. The bar offers various flights, such as whiskey, moonshine, mixed, and premium, along with craft cocktails made with in-house spirits. Highlights include the Bam Bam Hurricane, gin or moonshine mojitos, and a Tennessee margarita made with jalapeño vodka.

Brushy Mountain Distillery

Most Tennessee distilleries offer whiskey and moonshine tastings, but Brushy Mountain Distillery, where End of the Line Moonshine is crafted, provides a unique history lesson as well. Located in the former Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary, once home to notorious criminals like James Earl Ray, End of the Line Moonshine is the only legal moonshine made in a former prison. After the prison closed in 2009, it reopened in 2017 as a distillery. Visitors can tour the distillery, enjoy a drink in the tasting room, and explore the prison grounds on guided or self-guided tours from April through November, with insights from former guards and non-violent prisoners. For the adventurous, Brushy Mountain also offers overnight paranormal tours year-round, promising a night of thrills followed by a morning drink when the distillery opens at 10:30 a.m.

Old Glory Distilling Co.

Owned by Clarksville native Matt Cunningham, Old Glory Distilling Co. is an artisan bourbon distillery, restaurant, and silo park. While their bourbon and whiskey are the main attractions, they also produce spirits like Pinup Gin with 12 botanicals, Tennessee Vodka filtered through sugar maple charcoal, and Smooth Shine moonshine in four flavors. Visitors can take a behind-the-scenes tour of the distillery, but the newly opened restaurant and silo park add even more to the experience. The restaurant offers lunch Monday through Friday, dinner daily, and weekend brunch, with standout dishes such as prime rib smoked with oak stave egg rolls, Chicken-Bourbon-Mac, and bourbon barbecue nachos. For brunch, you can enjoy a bacon old fashioned or Shine mimosa. The Old Glory silo park provides a family- and pet-friendly outdoor space with drinks served from an old grain silo, perfect for enjoying nice weather.

Short Mountain Distillery

Short Mountain Distillery in Woodbury, Tennessee, an hour south of Nashville, is the state's sixth legal distillery post-Prohibition. This family-owned distillery produces Tennessee whiskey, bourbon, rye, and moonshine, including a Charred Shine aged in oak barrels. Visitors can enjoy an hour-long tour with a private tasting and mixology classes. Located on a 400-acre, dog-friendly farm, guests can play disc golf, hike, and take guided mule-drawn wagon tours. The onsite Rye and Revelry restaurant offers renowned fried chicken, a fry flight, and other tasty dishes, with brunch and cocktails available on weekends.

Nearest Green Distillery

Nearest Green Distillery in Shelbyville is renowned for its award-winning Uncle Nearest Whiskey, paying homage to America's first Black master distiller, Nathan "Uncle Nearest" Green. Green, credited with perfecting the Lincoln County Process for Tennessee whiskey, is honored through initiatives like the HBCU Old Fashioned Challenge, supporting Historically Black Colleges and Universities. A visit to the distillery offers an unforgettable experience on its 432-acre grounds, dubbed "Malt Disney World" by the press. Guests can enjoy signature cocktails at Humble Baron, the world's longest bar, along with live music and Sunday brunch. Chuck's Barrel House BBQ serves up barbecue favorites and southern sides, including the famous Grilled Cheese on Crack sandwich, ensuring a satisfying visit.

Corsair Distillery

Corsair Distillery's origin story began with a serendipitous accident when childhood friends Andrew Webber and Derek Bell, Nashville natives, transitioned from brewing beer and wine to experimenting with a biodiesel plant using home-brewing equipment in Bell's garage. Facing unexpected challenges, they humorously turned to whiskey-making, eventually founding Corsair Distillery in 2010, Nashville's first post-prohibition distillery. Over the years, Corsair has amassed over 800 medals at national and international spirits competitions, including the prestigious American Whiskey Distillery of the Year at the 2017 Berlin International Spirits competition. Visitors can enjoy tours and tastings at both Nashville locations, sampling Corsair's whiskey, rye, and gin alongside local craft beers. The Clinton Street site offers freshly baked pizza and the chance to meet Copper Cat, the resident mouser, while the Merritt Avenue distillery features outdoor deck games for added enjoyment.

Jack Daniel's

No list of Tennessee distilleries would be complete without mentioning the iconic Jack Daniel's Distillery, the oldest registered distillery in the U.S. Located in Lynchburg, this renowned establishment offers tours seven days a week (except for select holidays). Beyond the standard tour and tasting, visitors can enjoy various tour experiences, including the kid-friendly Dry County tour and the Angel's Share tour, which features a sampling of single-barrel whiskeys, including limited edition offerings. However, the highlight is the Taste of Lynchburg, which includes a tour of the Angel's Share whiskeys followed by a family-style meal at Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House, a beloved local fried chicken restaurant owned by Jack Daniel's. After your distillery visit, be sure to stop by Lynchburg Hardware and General Store to stock up on Jack Daniel's souvenirs, as the distillery does not sell any directly.

Bootleggers Distillery

In Tennessee, whiskey-making often embraces family traditions, but Bootleggers Distillery elevates this legacy with an astounding 16 generations of master distillers, including the nation's youngest. Today, Bootleggers crafts whiskey, rum, and an array of moonshine flavors, all packaged in iconic canning jars. While the distillery offers tastings and tours, the Build a Barrel program stands out. Here, guests craft their own whiskey from scratch, tailoring every detail from mash to proof level under the guidance of the Bootleggers team. Once aged to perfection, Bootleggers bottles the personalized whiskey with a unique label, offering a cherished keepsake or a special sip for unforgettable moments.

Company Distilling

Tennessee's historical role in Prohibition led to a slow start in the state's distillery scene, but Company Distilling, born from H Clark Distillery in 2014, marked a resurgence. With locations in Thompson's Station and Townsend, Company Distilling offers bourbon, whiskey, gin, and more, alongside unique tasting experiences including bourbon and chocolate pairings. Thompson's Station even boasts a menu from Circa Grill. The Townsend location, adjacent to the Townsend Greenway, invites outdoor enthusiasts for sandwiches from Amico Delicatessen and trivia nights on Wednesdays, making it a destination for both spirits and adventure.