Tennessee whiskey is bourbon's charcoal-mellowed sibling: the same corn-heavy mash and new charred oak, with one defining extra step — the Lincoln County Process, dripping the new spirit through sugar maple charcoal before it ever meets a barrel. At Del Mesa Liquor, our family-owned store in San Diego, California, the American whiskey collection runs from Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 at $21.99 to an uncut Single Barrel Barrel Proof at $64.99 — every bottle below is in stock and available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
Lynchburg: Old No. 7 and the Double-Mellowed Gentleman
Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 ($21.99) is the best-selling American whiskey on earth for a reason: mellowed drop by drop through ten feet of sugar maple charcoal in Lynchburg, then aged in handcrafted barrels and bottled only when the distillery's tasters say it is ready — not when a calendar does. Gentleman Jack ($31.99) takes the house mash of 80% corn, 12% malted barley and 8% rye through the charcoal twice — once before aging and again after — for an exceptionally smooth 80-proof pour; introduced in 1988, it remains the only core Jack Daniel's expression mellowed a second time. It is the natural step up, and the bridge to the wider bourbon whiskey shelf.
The Bottles in Stock
- Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey — $21.99. 750mL. Charcoal mellowed through ten feet of sugar maple in Lynchburg — the original Tennessee whiskey.
- Jack Daniel's Gentleman Jack Tennessee Whiskey — $31.99. 750mL, 40% ABV (80 proof). Double charcoal mellowed — before and after aging — on the 80/12/8 house mash.
- George Dickel Barrel Select — $42.99. 750mL, 43% ABV (86 proof). Chill charcoal mellowed at Cascade Hollow, Tullahoma; 84% corn sour mash aged at least nine years, blended from a small number of hand-selected barrels.
- Uncle Nearest 1856 Premium Aged Whiskey — $59.99. 750mL, 50% ABV (100 proof). A blend of Tennessee whiskeys aged 8 to 14 years, blended by Victoria Eady Butler, fifth-generation descendant of Nearest Green.
- Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof Tennessee Whiskey — $64.99. 750mL, uncut and unfiltered at natural barrel proof — typically 125 to 140 proof, with the exact proof, barrel and rick printed on every label.
Tullahoma, Shelbyville and the Top of the Rickhouse
George Dickel Barrel Select ($42.99) is Tennessee's other founding voice: at Cascade Hollow in Tullahoma the spirit is chilled before its charcoal mellowing — Dickel's founding conviction that winter-made, chilled whisky comes out smoother — then aged at least nine years in single-story rickhouses on an 84% corn sour mash. Uncle Nearest 1856 ($59.99) honours Nathan "Nearest" Green, the enslaved distiller who taught Jack Daniel the craft and is recognised as the first known African-American master distiller: a 100-proof blend of 8-to-14-year-old whiskeys under his fifth-generation descendant, Master Blender Victoria Eady Butler. And Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof ($64.99) closes the ladder uncut — one barrel, chosen from the upper rickhouse floors, bottled at whatever proof it kept. Bonded Tennessee bottles get their own treatment in our bottled-in-bond guide, the allocated end of American whiskey lives in our rare bourbon guide, and delivery terms are on the shipping and returns page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Tennessee whiskey different from bourbon?
Tennessee whiskey starts from the same rules as bourbon — at least 51% corn, new charred oak barrels — then adds the Lincoln County Process: the new spirit is dripped slowly through sugar maple charcoal before aging. Jack Daniel's mellows through ten feet of charcoal; George Dickel chills its spirit first. The result is a distinctly smooth, mellow style.
What is the Lincoln County Process?
The Lincoln County Process is charcoal mellowing: fresh whiskey spirit is allowed to drip, drop by drop, through a deep bed of sugar maple charcoal before it enters the barrel. It strips harsh congeners and is the legally defining step of Tennessee whiskey — the one thing that separates it from Kentucky bourbon.
Who was Uncle Nearest?
Nathan 'Nearest' Green was an enslaved distiller in Lynchburg, Tennessee in the 1800s who perfected Tennessee whiskey-making and taught the young Jack Daniel the craft. He is recognised as the first known African-American master distiller. Uncle Nearest 1856 ($59.99) is blended by his fifth-generation descendant, Victoria Eady Butler.
Where can I buy Tennessee whiskey online?
Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, California stocks Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 and Gentleman Jack, George Dickel Barrel Select, Uncle Nearest 1856 and Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof, all available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor with nationwide shipping where permitted.