Jeff Arnett
Jeff Arnett is no stranger to challenges. He has a history of taking them head on. So, when he opened Company Distilling, you just got the sense that it would be a success. After all, he has been challenged throughout his professional career and continues to succeed.
Arnett is from Jackson, Tennessee and went on to get an engineering degree from the University of Alabama prior to moving into a job with Proctor & Gamble in New Orleans. That wasn’t exactly what he had in mind after college, as his passions at the time were in the auto industry. Unfortunately for him, the auto industry was going through a phase of contraction, so he made the best of it and went off to P&G.
He was faced with several challenges there that would aid him in his future venture into the whiskey business. He learned coffee, business margins, Pringles, and was part of a new venture for Folgers singles. He took a lot of lessons from that time and even managed to move back home to Jackson with his wife Lori and their 2 children. Following the conclusion of his stint with P&G, he wanted to get into the auto industry. Fortunately for the whiskey drinking public, he didn’t get that dream, but was introduced to a new challenge instead! JACK!
Arnett, who was already a Tennessee Squire at the time, went to work as a quality control engineer at the Jack Daniels Distillery in Lynchburg, TN. He began that position, which very importantly took him all throughout the distillery grounds. He met the challenge of being a part of each aspect of the distillery. So, when Jimmy Bedford stepped down as Master Distiller in 2008, Arnett became the 7th.
When Jeff Arnett became the Master Distiller, he was faced with another challenge. He was to grow the brand. There were 3 brands when he took over, but several were to follow! Tennessee Honey, Tennessee Fire, Tennessee Tasters, Jack Daniels Sinatra Select, Jack Daniel’s Rye and Jack Daniels No. 27 Gold. That is a lot of additions for a company with the history of Jack Daniels. While all of them, (especially the flavored whiskies) weren’t “his favorite”, he put everything he had into Jack Daniels every day.
In July of 2020, Jeff decided that it was time for a new challenge. He decided to leave Brown Forman and make the jump to his own craft distillery. “I was in my 50’s and I wasn’t getting any younger and trusted myself to do something independently,” Jeff stated.
Born from that desire, Company Distilling. With Company, Arnett said, “We wanted to create something that could be your everyday sip.” Of course, there were challenges. One big one centered around anoher big thing that happened in 2020, the covid pandemic.
“Starting during the pandemic was not without its challenges, of course. We were forged in fire- from the supply chain issues to an increase in the cost of materials- but we’ve pushed through and kept believing in our product. We’re putting something out there that we’re truly proud of and that we truly enjoy drinking.” Arnett said in an interview.
So, challenges in the past have made Jeff Arnett prepared for the challenges of the future and we all get to enjoy the flavors of the journey.
Contributed by: M. J. Jacobs, Knoxville, Tennessee
Company Distilling and Jack Daniel’s Bottles developed by Jeff Arnett
Company Distilling Bourbon finished with Maple Wood and Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire, Tennessee Straight Rye Whiskey, No. 27 Gold Tennessee Whiskey and Sinatra Select Tennessee Whiskey
Contributed by: M. J. Jacobs, Knoxville, Tennessee
References Cited:
www.whiskey-lore.com, Whiskey Lore: The Interviews, episode 45, 12-15-2021, Ep. 45 - Jeff Arnett of Company Distilling (former Jack Daniel's Master Distiller) - Whiskey Lore Podcast (whiskey-lore.com)
Companydistilling.com website
Bourbonbanter.com, article by Steve Coomes, 5-6-2022, Jeff Arnett to Innovate with Finished Whiskeys at Company Distilling