📙 S7:8 - Is Jack Daniel's the Oldest Registered Distillery in the United States?

When was Jack Daniel's registered as a distillery? According to legend, it was 1866. But I have questions. When were Jack and Nearest working on the Dan Call Farm and when did Jack come over to the Cave Spring Hollow (the distillery's present location) to start distilling? None of the stories about this distillery match. Some sources say Jack Daniel took over as distiller from Nearest when he moved to the Cave Spring Hollow. But the Jack Daniel distillery supposedly started on Dan Call's farm. So was that 1866 or before, or after? And when was it the Daniel & Call Distillery. Now I have answers. And the story is not what you've been told. What is listed as the "oldest registered distillery in the United States" according to the National Register of Historic Places wasn't the location of Jack's distillery in 1866. So where did this story come from? Why has this myth held on so long? How did the National Register get this bit of information wrong? Join me as I dig into what might have been a true story that was shifted over time into what is now the oldest registered distillery claim. It's a fascinating evolution and one that will lead us to answer another long asked question - where did this name Old Number 7 come from. Enjoy a romp through the history of Jack Daniel's, using historical evidence to recreate the creation of an origin myth. And check out Behind the Lore: Jack and Nearest on patreon.com/whiskeylore for a deeper look at the story of these two historic whiskey makers. Cheers and slainte mhath, Drew

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📙 S7:8 - Is Jack Daniel's the Oldest Registered Distillery in the United States? is an episode from Whiskey Lore: Stories by Travel Fuels Life, LLC (dba Whiskey Lore).

This episode is 40:28 long.

This episode was published on Apr 13, 2026.

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