66 | FRONTDOORS MAGAZINE The winding road in Sedona’s Boynton Canyon Barrels and backroads on Tennessee’s Whiskey Trail BY ALISON BAILIN BATZ Photos courtesy of Tennessee Whiskey Trail S ome destinations are known for skyline views; others for sandy beaches. Tennessee? It built its reputation on a slow pour and a whole lot of Southern storytelling. Here, whiskey is not simply a drink. It is history, hospitality and heritage distilled into liquid gold. A Spirited Past Long before curated tasting flights and polished cocktail programs became fashionable, distilling was part of everyday life across the Volunteer State. In the late 1700s, Scottish and Irish settlers arrived in Tennessee carrying copper stills and generations of spirited know-how. When paired with the corn and grain that thrived in the region’s rich soil and limestone-filtered water, these settlers knew they had something special in their glasses. FROM THE ROAD Liquid Sunshine Walk through decades of history at the Jack Daniel Distillery, an iconic first stop in Middle Tennessee.

By the 1800s, Tennessee was producing whiskey in impressive quantities. The amber spirit earned the nickname “liquid sunshine,” a nod to its warm glow and comforting finish. But the industry’s path was anything but linear. The Civil War disrupted production across the state to divert resources to the front lines. After the war, distilleries returned in force, and by the late 19 th century, distilleries dotted the landscape. Tennessee further distinguished itself with what became known as the Lincoln County Process, a defining step that filters new whiskey through sugar maple charcoal before it hits the barrel. That extra effort results in a smoother spirit layered with notes of caramel, vanilla and toasted oak. In 1910, a decade before federal Prohibition, Tennessee preemptively banned the manufacture of whiskey. While national repeal occurred in 1933, distilling did not resume meaningfully in Tennessee until the late 1930s. It would take until the 1990s craft revival and updated state laws in the late 2000s for Tennessee’s whiskey culture to fully awaken. Today, that revival is on full display through the Tennessee Whiskey Trail, which now features nearly 40 brands and over 30 distillery stops across the state. It is equal parts road trip, history lesson and indulgent escape. Big Machine Distillery Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery Nashville Barrel Company FRONTDOORS MAGAZINE | 67