This Experimental Tennessee Distillery Is Winning Fans With A Craft Beer Approach To Bourbon

Chattanooga Distillery is lauded for its innovative approach to whiskey. Though it is a newer addition to the lineup of Tennessee whiskey brands, it has confidently claimed space as one of the best whiskeys you'll find coming out of Tennessee distilleries. Malty bourbons and experimental approaches to bottling booze have helped this distillery forge its reputation in an established industry. Whiskey wasn't distilled in Chattanooga, Tennessee since Prohibition, but Tim Piersant and Joe Ledbetter set out to change that. After years of lobbying, distillations began, and Piersant teamed up with Grant McCracken, who pioneered experimental processes. The label's flagship 91, Cask 111, and the Bottled in Bond and Barrel Finishing Series offer a taste of these successful approaches. 

Chattanooga Distillery batches whiskey that has been made using fermentation, a variety of grains, and unique barrel aging techniques. These bourbons are made with a high-malt mash bill, giving each sip a noticeable creamy character. The brand isn't focused on scale and instead concentrates on smaller runs. Whereas other older labels haven't been able to embrace such creativity, this boundary-challenging production style has helped the brand offer whiskey bottles that have attracted a devout fan base. "They fought with Chattanooga for years to get their distillers license and almost lost everything. I don't care if their whiskey is the best. I buy it on principle alone," wrote one supporter on Reddit. "Great company [run] by good people."

A week-long fermentation period is conducted at low temperatures, resulting in a depth and complexity of whiskey flavor. The barrels in which the liquid is placed to age aren't uniform. "We treat the barrel as a major flavor driver (custom toasts and chars), but the steps leading up to the barrel are often overlooked, like super long fermentations and different barrel entry proofs," wrote Piersant during a Reddit AMA. Some of the product will be left to age in charred barrels, while other runs may be stored in toasted barrels. Chattanooga Whiskey also uses what is called a solera barrel aging system to blend older and newer whiskey in a single oak vat. The combined effect of this aging process and the high malt mash bills contributes to the brand's reputation. When products are finally bottled, runs are capped at a fraction of what is in the massive vat, which means that each bottle contains some of the oldest whiskey at the distillery. This approach results in nuanced flavors that are interesting and layered. 

Those who live in Tennessee have the advantage of sampling some of Chattanooga Whiskey's experimental brews. Limited products are sent out to states in the region. Some fans are ready to drive several hours for the experience. "I'm so jealous you are in Chattanooga and get to pop over and pick up the experimental stuff at whim," wrote one admiring drinker on Reddit. "Totally love what they are doing there."