Benjamin Prichard's Tennessee Whiskey Explained

Prichard's Distillery
Foundation:	Kelso, Tennessee
Founder:	Phil Prichard
Location City:	Kelso, Tennessee
Location Country:	U.S.
Industry:	Manufacturing and distillation of liquors
Products:	Distilled and blended liquors

Benjamin Prichard's Tennessee Whiskey is a brand of Tennessee whiskey produced in the small community of Kelso, Tennessee in the United States. Although it is produced by one of only two distilleries operating in Lincoln County – and its unaged variation is named Lincoln County Lightning – Prichard's is not produced using the Lincoln County Process.^[1] Due to a special grandfathering exemption under a Tennessee law enacted in 2013, the Prichard's distillery in Kelso is the only producer allowed to label its product as "Tennessee Whiskey" without using this process.^{[2] [3]} Prichard's whiskey is produced entirely using pot stills rather than column stills.^[4]

The Prichard's Distillery company opened the Kelso distillery in 1997 and opened a second location in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2014.

History

The whiskey brand and distillery were founded by Phil Prichard, who is now the company's master distiller. He named it after his ancestor Benjamin Prichard, who operated a distillery in Davidson County, Tennessee, in the early 1800s, who bequeathed his distilling equipment to his son after his death in 1822.

The first Prichard's Distillery location was opened in an old schoolhouse in Kelso in 1997, making it the first new legal distillery to open in the state since the repeal of Prohibition.^{[5] [6]} A second Prichard's distillery opened in May 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee, on the grounds of the Fontanel mansion in Whites Creek neighborhood.^[7] Both sites have distillery tours. The Fontanel site was owned by country music singer Barbara Mandrell from 1987 to 2002, and since 2010, it has been a tourist attraction, including a winery, zip lines, hiking, an amphitheater with live concerts, lodging, dining, shopping, and a tour of the Mandrell mansion, one of the largest log homes in the world.^{[8] [9]} Prichard's Nashville location closed in 2021.

Prichard's rums come from American molasses sourced from Louisiana.

Whiskeys

As of 2018, the Prichard's line of whiskeys includes:

• Prichard's Tennessee Whiskey (40% ABV/80 U.S. proof): This product is made from white corn instead of the yellow corn used for most Tennessee whiskeys. It doesn't use the Lincoln County Process that is normally required to qualify as Tennessee whiskey and is the only Tennessee whiskey that isn't required to meet this legal requirement.
• Prichard's Double Barreled Bourbon Whiskey (45% ABV/90 proof): This bourbon was given a score of 92 and described by whiskey-writer Jim Murray as "a classy effortless delivery…" in his 2009 Whisky Bible.^{[10] [11]} It uses a re-barreling process that involves cutting down the proof level after 9 years of aging and then putting the spirit into new charred oak barrels again.^[12]
• Prichard's Double Chocolate Flavored Whiskey (45% ABV/90 proof): This flavored whiskey blends bourbon with artisan chocolate. It is the result of a collaboration between Prichard's and the Olive and Sinclair Chocolate Company.^[13]
• Prichard's Rye Whiskey (43% ABV/86 proof): This product was named one of the five best value rye whiskies by Gayot in 2014.^[14]
• Prichard's Tennessee Malt Whiskey (40% ABV/80 proof): This product is a malt (barley-based) whiskey.
• Prichard's Lincoln County Lightning Corn Whiskey (45% ABV/90 proof): This "moonshine" is made from white corn and bottled straight from the still.^[15] Southern Living said it has "an agave-like aroma" and "a salty, grassy taste."

Other spirits

The current line of rums and liqueurs made at the Prichard's distilleries includes:

Rums

• Prichard's Fine Aged Rum (40% ABV/80 proof): This rum is made with molasses and aged at least three years in handmade, charred white oak casks.^[16]
• Prichard's Crystal Rum (40% ABV/80 proof): This blend is distilled five times.^[17]
• Prichard's Sweet Georgia Belle Peach Mango Rum (35% ABV/70 proof): Natural peach and mango infusions give this rum a summer fruit flavor for cocktails and iced tea.^{[18] [19]}
• Prichard's Key Lime Rum (35% ABV/70 proof): Key limes add citrus flavor to this tropical rum.^[20]
• Prichard's Cranberry Rum (35% ABV/70 proof): This is a cranberry-infused rum, and the producer suggests serving it with limes.^[21]
• Prichard's Private Stock Aged Rum (45% ABV/90 proof): A limited offering that is ultra-aged for ten years in charred oak barrels to deepen the flavor, this rum is only available at the two Prichard's distilleries.^[22] Wine Enthusiast described it as "Weighty, rich and toffee-like, it's rum with gravitas."^[23]
• Prichard's Spiced Rum (40% ABV/80 proof): With tropical flavors, natural vanilla, and cinnamon, this spicy rum is smooth enough for sipping in addition to being used in frozen cocktails.^[24]

Liqueurs

• Prichard's Sweet Lucy Liqueur (35% ABV/70 proof): With a higher ABV than the cream version, the Sweet Lucy recipe comes from a homemade blend of whiskey, peaches, apricots, oranges and sugar that has a long history among hunters and other outdoorsmen.^[25]
• Prichard's Sweet Lucy Cream Liqueur (17.5% ABV/35 proof): This liqueur is made with a blend of Sweet Lucy and premium Wisconsin cream.^[26]
• Prichard's Sweet Lucifer Liqueur (35% ABV/70 proof): This is Sweet Lucy infused with spicy ginger to create a bourbon liqueur with some spicy heat.^[27]
• Prichard's Praline Cream Liqueur (17.5% ABV/35 proof): This sweet spirit is made to taste like the nutty caramel flavor of a praline.
• Prichard's Fudge Brownie Cream Liqueur (17.5% ABV/35 proof): This dessert liqueur is made to appeal to chocolate lovers.^[28]

Awards and accolades

Prichard's Tennessee Whiskey and various other Prichard's spirits have earned awards from the American Distilling Institute and Ultimate Spirits Challenge on several occasions, as listed below.

Lincoln County Lightning was rated by Southern Living as the "#2 Legal Moonshine in the U.S."^[29]

For its rums, Prichard's won gold and silver medals at the International Cane Spirits Festival across a span of several years (2006–2009):^[30] Fine Aged Rum (Gold), Crystal Rum (Gold), Peach Mango Rum (Gold and Silver), and Key Lime Rum (Gold). Additionally, the American Distilling Institute gave the distillery's aged rum a silver medal in 2007,^[31] and the Ultimate Spirits Challenge recognized the Aged Rum, Crystal Rum, and Private Stock Rum with ratings and recommendations that ranged from good to very good in 2012.

In liqueurs, Sweet Lucy received a gold medal from the American Distilling Institute in 2010 and a very good rating and recommendation in the Ultimate Spirits Challenge in 2012.

Double Barreled Bourbon	2011 American Distilling Institute^[32]	Silver, Best of Category
	2011 Ultimate Spirits Challenge^[33]	95 – Extraordinary, Ultimate Recommendation
	2012 Ultimate Spirits Challenge^[34]	95 – Extraordinary, Ultimate Recommendation
	2014 Ultimate Spirits Challenge^[35]	94 – Excellent, Highly Recommended
	2017 Ultimate Spirits Challenge^[36]	93 – Excellent, Highly Recommended
	2017 American Distilling Institute^[37]	Silver, Best of Category
Double Chocolate Whiskey	2012 Ultimate Spirits Challenge	90 – Excellent, Highly Recommended
Tennessee Whiskey	2010 American Distilling Institute^[38]	Silver
	2012 Ultimate Spirits Challenge	88 – Very Good, Strong Recommendation
Rye Whiskey	2012 Ultimate Spirits Challenge	90 – Excellent, Highly Recommended
Tennessee Malt Whiskey	2010 American Distilling Institute	Silver
	2012 Ultimate Spirits Challenge	81 – Good, Recommended
Lincoln County Lightning	2012 Ultimate Spirits Challenge	85 – Very Good, Strong Recommendation

External links

• Prichard's Distillery official website

Notes and References

1. Web site: A whiskey fight in Tennessee. Stambor. Zak. February 16, 2015. Chicago Tribune. December 21, 2015.
2. Web site: Tennessee Whiskey Gets a Legal Definition. Zandona. Eric. September 16, 2013. EZdrinking. January 11, 2014. June 12, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180612145125/https://www.ezdrinking.com/ezdrinking/2013/9/14/tennessee-whiskey-gets-a-legal-definition. dead.
3. Web site: Public Chapter No. 341. State of Tennessee. March 19, 2014.
4. Web site: The Serious Eats Guide to Tennessee Whiskey. Dietsch. Michael. April 2012. Serious Eats. June 2, 2018.
5. Web site: A spirited journey along Tennessee's whiskey trail. Deese. Hollie. July 26, 2013. USA Today. December 21, 2015.
6. Web site: The Trials and Tribulations of Tennessee Whiskey. 2021-06-03. www.vice.com. en.
7. Web site: Tennessee Tourism Announces What's New for the State in 2014. Stravinsky. Amanda. January 9, 2014. The Chattanoogan. January 28, 2014.
8. Web site: Prichard's Opens New Distillery at Fontanel. Fontanel Officially Unveils 4-Star Luxury Boutique Hotel: The Inn at Fontanel. June 16, 2014. Nashville Music City. Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp.. June 8, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141919/http://www.visitmusiccity.com/pr_prichardsnewdis061614. June 12, 2018. dead.
9. Web site: Fontanel . Fontanel official website . June 10, 2018.
10. Web site: 12 Small-Batch Bourbons You Need to Try Before You Die. brobible.com. May 30, 2013 . June 8, 2018.
11. Web site: Mews Tavern in fine spirits. Politelli. Nicholas. January 24, 2013. The Independent. June 8, 2018.
12. Web site: Whiskey Review: Benjamin Prichard's Double Barreled Bourbon. The Whiskey Wash. September 11, 2017 . June 8, 2018.
13. Web site: Prichard's Distillery Double Chocolate Bourbon. distiller.com. June 8, 2018.
14. Web site: 5 best value rye whiskies. August 21, 2014. Fox News. Gayot. June 8, 2018.
15. Book: Reimer Sr., David J.. Micro-Distilleries in the U.S. and Canada, 2nd Edition. May 24, 2012. 9780985259914. June 11, 2018.
16. Web site: Let the Tasting Continue! RTRR Tastes Prichard's Rum. Buda. Rick. November 5, 2014. Liquor.com. June 8, 2018.
17. Web site: Prichard's Crystal Rum. distiller.com. June 8, 2018.
18. Web site: Prichard's Sweet Georgia Belle Peach Mango Rum. distiller.com. June 8, 2018.
19. Web site: There's a Rum Revolution Happening in the South Right Now. Liquor.com. June 8, 2018.
20. Web site: Prichard's Key Lime Rum. proof66.com. June 8, 2018. June 12, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141114/https://www.proof66.com/rum/prichards-key-lime-rum.html. dead.
21. Web site: Prichard's Cranberry Rum. proof66.com. June 8, 2018. June 12, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143047/https://www.proof66.com/rum/prichards-cranberry-rum.html. dead.
22. Web site: Prichard's Private Stock Rum. distiller.com. June 8, 2018.
23. Web site: American Spirits from Every State. Wine Enthusiast. January 20, 2015 . June 8, 2018.
24. Web site: Prichard's Spiced Rum. reddogwineandspirits.com. June 2, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143942/https://www.reddogwineandspirits.com/products/10886342/prichard-s-spiced-rum. June 12, 2018. dead.
25. Book: Reimer Sr., David J.. Micro-Distilleries in the U.S. and Canada, 2nd Edition. May 24, 2012. 9780985259914. June 11, 2018.
26. Web site: Prichard's Sweet Lucy. Liquor.com. June 8, 2018.
27. Web site: Prichard's Sweet Lucifer Liqueur. proof66.com. June 8, 2018. June 12, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180612142245/https://www.proof66.com/liqueur/prichards-sweet-lucifer-liqueur.html. dead.
28. Web site: Prichard's Fudge Brownie Cream Liqueur. liquor.com. June 2, 2018.
29. Web site: The Best Legal Moonshine. Southern Living. June 2, 2018.
30. Web site: Search Results for International Cane. prichardsdistillery.com. June 8, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180612142418/http://prichardsdistillery.com/?s=international+cane. June 12, 2018. dead.
31. Web site: ADI Spirit Competition – 2007 Results. distilling.com. June 3, 2018. June 6, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180606150422/http://distilling.com/events/judging/awards/adi-judging-awards-2007/. dead.
32. Web site: ADI Spirit Competition – 2011 Results. distilling.com. June 3, 2018. June 12, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143730/http://distilling.com/events/judging/awards/adi-judging-awards-2011/. dead.
33. Web site: 2011 Ultimate Spirits Challenge Results. ultimate-beverage.com. June 3, 2018.
34. Web site: 2012 Ultimate Spirits Challenge Results. ultimate-beverage.com. June 3, 2018.
35. Web site: 2014 Ultimate Spirits Challenge Results. ultimate-beverage.com. June 3, 2018.
36. Web site: Ultimate Spirits Challenge 2017 Full Results. ultimate-beverage.com. June 3, 2018.
37. Web site: Judging of Craft Spirits – 2017 Results. distilling.com. June 3, 2018. May 5, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180505091757/http://www.distilling.com/events/judging/awards/adi-spirit-competition-2017-results/. dead.
38. Web site: ADI Spirit Competition – 2010 Results. distilling.com. June 3, 2018. June 12, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180612142823/http://distilling.com/events/judging/awards/adi-judging-awards-2010/. dead.