The Jack Daniel Distillery announced today the official opening of Barrel House 1-14 and the reconstructed Motlow House as part of its 150th anniversary celebration. Both facilities will be highlighted aspects of the guest experience in Lynchburg, the company says, with the Barrel House now featured as part of the expanded tour offerings.
“In 2016, our 150th year, we anticipate nearly 300,000 guests visiting us in Lynchburg,” said Jack Daniel’s Master Distiller Jeff Arnett in a press release.
The opening of these buildings was commemorated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Lynchburg with special remarks from Governor Haslam, and attended by both members of the Tennessee General Assembly and the greater Lynchburg community.
“Jack Daniel’s is a Tennessee tradition born 150 years ago in one of Tennessee’s smallest counties,” said Haslam. “Everywhere I go, I am asked about this globally-recognized brand. Jack Daniel’s has helped bring a little bit of Tennessee to people around the world, and with the opening of these new facilities here in Lynchburg, a lot of people from around the world will now come to experience all the wonder that is Tennessee.”
Barrel House 1-14 was originally built in 1938 as one of many locations at the distillery where whiskey was left to mature in white oak barrels. With the renovation, the building is now part active barrel house and part sampling space. The eastern portion of the building remains active, while further down the central corridor are two glass-enclosed pavilions that will serve as intimate settings for whiskey tasting. The westernmost portion of the building is an open, three-story space that can accommodate additional tour group tastings or large-scale events.
Several tour options will conclude in the Barrel House before returning to the Visitor Center.
The Motlow House was home to Lem Motlow, proprietor of Jack Daniel’s and nephew to the brand’s namesake, Jack Daniel. The historic Georgian home had been unfit for visitors in recent years, the company reports, but with the reconstruction, the house has been reinvented to welcome Jack fans.
Wherever possible, elements of the original structure were utilized, the company says, such as window and door frames and other woodwork. In keeping with the original layout, the house includes four rooms with adjoining common areas surrounding a central atrium. A large, two-story-high enclosed porch provides southern views of the distillery. Serving as both a social space and an archive, the refurbished Motlow House will now be home to the Squires’ Room with areas for gatherings and private tastings.
The completion of these projects comes as part of Jack Daniel’s commitment of more than $240 million over the last several years to invest in the expansion of its distillery and visitor experience.
