Whiskey University in the News

Articles about Whiskey University:

“Raising a Glass to 8 Women Who Are Making Major Contributions to the Whiskey World”

By Cynthia Mersten Mar 12th, 2024

Elizabeth McCall is the master distiller at Woodford Reserve. She has an impressive 10-year background working in the spirits industry and started at Brown-Forman as a sensory expert in 2009.

The Louisville native became Woodford’s first female master distiller in February 2023. McCall was brought on to succeed Chris Morris, who voiced his opinion that Woodford Reserve’s future “couldn’t be more promising” with McCall at the helm.

Interestingly enough, becoming a master distiller wasn’t a part of her initial plan. Whiskey University reports that McCall studied psychology and intended to become a therapist before entering the whiskey industry. After she was brought on at Brown-Forman, she became one of the youngest

“Tasting Whiskey”

By Jeff Zahrt. Feb 1, 2024

One of my whiskey friends asked me recently during a tasting I was conducting, how did you learn to do this? Fair question.

I learned by tasting a lot of whiskey, and writing down what thoughts, ideas, emotions and flavors came to mind as I tasted it. I didn't try to read too much into any one thought or flavor. I just started documenting what I was tasting.

I also used notes from other professional tasters (Breaking Bourbon, Distiller, Bourbon Veach) and some prominent YouTubers (Fred Minnick, Bourbon Pursuit, Mash & Drum, It's Bourbon Night, ADHD Whiskey, Bourbon Junkies, just to name a few) to compare against what I was tasting to see if I was able to pick up the same things. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. And sometimes...it was WTF?!? That's just crazy talk!!!

I did a lot of research. Read several books about Bourbon and Whiskey, Studied and received my Certified Bourbon Steward certification from the Stave & Thief Society I have taken numerous classes and received several certifications through Whiskey University.

“Nathan “Nearest” Green –Jack Daniel’s first master distiller”

By Contributed by Tiffany Floyd, Chicago, Ill., for Whiskey University Feb 17, 2024

The story of Nathan “Nearest” Green went mostly untold until a short blurb about an enslaved man named “Nearis’’ was referenced in a 2016 New York Times article.

On its 150th anniversary, Jack Daniel’s used the occasion to reveal to the public that Daniel did not learn distilling from Reverend Daniel Call but was actually taught by Nathan “Nearest” Green. This version of the story was never a secret, but it is one that the distillery has only recently begun to embrace, provisionally, in some of its tours, and in social media and marketing campaigns.

The New York Times article inspired author and entrepreneur Fawn Weaver to set out on a quest to reveal Green’s full story. This encompassed a 12-month research project involving more than 20 historians, archivists, archaeologists, conservators, and genealogists.

Uncle Nearest, as his family and friends in his hometown of Lynchburg, Tennessee called him, was the first known African American master distiller, was born in Maryland around 1820. Around the mid-1800s, his enslavers — a firm known as Landis & Green — “leased” Nearest Green for a fee to local preacher, the Rev. Dan Call. He began working on the farm of the country preacher and distiller in Lincoln County.
Green was known as a skilled distiller who specialized in a process known as sugar maple charcoal filtering – also called the Lincoln County Process. This method is believed by many whiskey and food historians to have been brought in by enslaved Africans, who were already using charcoal to filter their water and purify their foods in West Africa. This process gave Green’s whiskey a unique smoothness.

“Raising a Glass to 8 Women Who Are Making Major Contributions to the Whiskey World”

By Cynthia Mersten Mar 12th, 2024

To the Trailblazer: Jackie Zykan

Jackie Zykan arguably has one of the most respected palates in the bourbon business. The former master taster for Old Forester, Zykan’s palate has been critical to successful releases such as Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, President’s Choice, Old Forester 150th Anniversary and many more.

According to Whiskey University, Zykan was initially hired to work for the brand as a spokeswoman in 2015, and during her first day on the job, a fire broke out on Whiskey Row at the Old Forester Distillery.

Zykan learned about the brand’s plans to build a new campus and informed the president of Brown-Forman that by the time the distillery’s new campus was completed she would be master taster for Old Forester. She stayed true to her word.Whiskey University

Mashed Magazine -

”The Untold Story of Jim Beam”

Read More: https://www.mashed.com/157923/the-untold-truth-of-jim-beam/

By Debra Kelly/July 9, 2019 3:35 pm EDT

Why does the world love Jim Beam? Because it's amazing without being pretentious, and a solid win at any bar without being insanely pricey. It may have been James B. Beam who got his signature on the bottle, but you can just call him "Jim." These days, Jim Beam and the brands they produce are actually owned by Beam Suntory, Inc., and their headquarters are in Osaka, Japan. But they're still holding firm to their home-grown roots with their two distilleries in Kentucky, and that's smart — that's what made them the massive bourbon distiller they are today. According to Whiskey University, the same family has been making bourbon since 1795 .
A few centuries after Nicholas Boehm brought his family to a very young United States from Germany, changed his name to Beam, and tragically died before he saw his children learn the basics of fermenting, seven generations of the family have been heading up distilling in the Beam name. The bourbon we all know and love may have been in production for a long, long time, but in the beginning, it looked pretty different — and Whiskey University says it sort of started with legendary frontiersman Daniel Boone. After Boone and company cleared their way through Kentucky, Jost Myers was handed 800 acres as a huge "thank you" for his role in the Revolutionary War. He passed that on to family, and part of that family was Jacob Beam.

Read More: https://www.mashed.com/157923/the-untold-truth-of-jim-beam/?utm_campaign=clip

The Bourbon Review -

“Distilled Education: Four Whiskey Degrees You Can Get Online”

Online whiskey classes are becoming popular for those who can’t attend classes.

Whether you want to become a distiller and make you own whiskey, or are just seeking to have a greater appreciation of the nuances of what you drink, online whiskey education classes are becoming a reality—although developing slowly at the present.

While there is no shortage of classroom courses in whiskey appreciation and production, generally you have to live near a large city to be able to nose them out. Classes in bartending are particularly popular, and WSET also offers formal education in spirits as well as in wine.

For those who prefer to learn at home, here are four institutions—two in Scotland and two in the U.S.—which already have online curricula or plan to have soon.

Read More: https://www.gobourbon.com/how-to-learn-distillation-whiskey-education-online-degrees/

Whiskey University

Located in Columbia, Tennessee. Whiskey University has several certificate and degree programs that are offered in classroom settings, and now have online classes. Check out their website and see if you think it’s worth the wait. “These courses are very similar to our tastings,” the website says, “but in a virtual realm. Here, you will be able to witness tastings and information from our Whiskey Professor, Craig Duncan.”

Read More: https://www.gobourbon.com/how-to-learn-distillation-whiskey-education-online-degrees/

The Best American Whiskey Brands, Ranked

TastingTable.com

See Article by TastingTable.com

In 1984, Blanton's master distiller Elmer T. Lee invented ostensibly the world's first single-barrel bourbon — Old Forester was selling a single-barrel in the '60s, but you had to buy the whole barrel— as a tribute to the deceased president of the George T. Stagg Distillery. Whiskey University says George T. Stagg Distillery would not come to be known as the Buffalo Trace Distillery until 1992 under Sazerac's ownership. Blanton's credits the tin walls of Buffalo Trace's famous Warehouse H with agitating the whiskey much more effectively by subjecting it to the fluctuating Kentucky temperatures and producing an intriguing profile as it ages.

Read More: https://www.tastingtable.com/905183/the-best-american-whiskey-brands-ranked/?fbclid=IwAR32Ew5zYbMe--L382ryvtwJUWiGXYnA6Pi5U9Cfi9t42V2lPm_-SVX10kY&utm_campaign=clip

5 Events for a pandemic-conscience November calendar

Whiskey 101

Puckett's Chattanooga's first-ever Whiskey University class will pair an instructional overview of the classic spirit with a flight of eight samples. To ensure guests can safely sip whiskey in Puckett's relaxed, down-home atmosphere, class size has been limited to allow for physically spaced seating and all staff will be wearing masks. To secure your $29 ticket, visit tinyurl.com/PuckettsWhiskeyU101120.

Chattanooga Times Free Press

November 1st, 2020 | Compiled by Jennifer Bardoner …………………….… Chattanooga Times Free Press

International Tennessee Whiskey Day -

May 21st, 2022 and Each Year thereafter on that date

The Tennessee Whiskey Trail Experience

Nissan Stadium - Nashville, Tennessee - 3rd Saturday Each Year

Join us in celebrating all things TN Whiskey for International Tennessee Whiskey Day. Enjoy tastings from 30 distilleries across TN, while also enjoying chef lead food experiences, live music, and a cigar lounge. Explore educational classes hosted by Whiskey University all with incredible skyline views and/or hone in your mixology skills with classes hosted by TN Whiskey Workshop.

Online ticket sales coming soon, in the meantime, find out more about the event at their website: https://www.tnwhiskeytrailexperience.com/

Whiskey University $39

Classes begin at 1pm, 2pm, 3pm and 4pm. Education Classes require additional tickets

Tennessee Whiskey 202 : 1pm & 3pm

Tennessee Whiskey 202 (Course #202) is first and foremost a History of the whiskey industry inside the State of Tennessee from 1810-2020. In terms of volume this class is concentrated around the only two major Distilleries in the state of Tennessee that make up almost 95% of all Tennessee Whiskey in Jack Daniel’s and George Dickel. This course explains in detail the difference between Whiskey, Bourbon and Tennessee Whiskey.

During the Tennessee Whiskey 202 Tasting, you will try both familiar and rare whiskies from throughout the State of Tennessee.

1.) Jack Daniel's Old No. 7

2.) George Dickel - Superior No. 12
3.) George Dickel Specialty product TBD
4.) Pennington’s Distilling Co. Davidson Reserve
5.) Nelson's GreenBrier – Nelson’s Brothers Reserve

For Tickets to next Year’s event: https://www.tnwhiskeytrailexperience.com/tickets

Middle Tennessee Craft Distilleries: 2pm & 4pm

During the Middle Tennessee Craft Distilleries Tasting (Course #354), you will try both familiar and rare whiskies from smaller craft distilleries throughout Middle Tennessee.

Classes will be hosted by Colonel Craig Duncan, Founder and President of Whiskey University. Appointed "Colonel" by both the Governor of Kentucky and the Governor of Tennessee as an Ambassador to the spread the word about the virtues of Bourbon and Tennessee Whiskey. For more information on Whiskey University, click HERE.

1.) Big Machine Clayton James
2.) Nelson's GreenBrier Tennessee Whiskey
3.) Pennington Dist. Co.'s Davidson Reserve Four Grain
4.) Short Mountain Distillery Green Thumb Organic Tennessee Whiskey
5.) Corsair Distillery Dark Rye

For Tickets to next Year’s event: https://www.tnwhiskeytrailexperience.com/tickets