Since 1866, the name Lynchburg meant one thing: whiskey. The Tennessee community’s identity has been intertwined with Jack Daniel’s for generations, situated along the natural spring that lends the whiskey part of its signature flavor (along with the Lincoln County charcoal mellowing process). The nation’s oldest registered distillery is located in a town of around 6,000 residents, many of whom work for the whiskey brand. Jack Daniel’s attracts thousands of visitors every year, despite being located in a primarily dry county. So when you think of Lynchburg, you probably think of Jack.
That is, until now. Company Distilling came to life in 2021 after a collaboration between several industry heavyweights, including Kris Tatum and Jeff Arnett. The distillery has a location in Thompson’s Station, TN, outside of Nashville, and another in Townsend, TN, in the Great Smoky Mountains, where visitors can enjoy tastings of their award-winning whiskey, vodka and gin.
Company Distilling opened its third location in downtown Lynchburg in May 2025, just four blocks from the Jack Daniel’s Visitor’s Center, on the former site of Lynchburg Winery and American Craft Distillers. Arnett reached out a few years ago after the sudden passing of one of the building owners. When it came up for sale, it seemed like a good opportunity for expansion.
This outpost gives Company Distilling a chance to reach those 300,000+ people who trek to the town every year, in the place where Tennessee whiskey was created. And it’s worth a stop. The distillery features exclusive offerings like cask-strength bourbon and single-barrel whiskeys. And unlike its neighbor, Company also has a lounge where visitors can grab a drink made with the products, plus a space for workshops and events.
“Lynchburg will always hold a special place in my heart — it’s where my passion for whiskey-making was born,” Arnett said in a press release just before the distillery’s third location opened. “This new location is a full-circle moment and gives us the chance to bring our award-winning spirits to a town that values heritage, hospitality and exceptional craftsmanship.”
When we spoke with him after the opening, he was effusive in his thoughts on the new Lynchburg site. “You can come and sit in the air conditioning, get a cocktail that’s as good as any place in Nashville,” he says. “It’s really upscale considering it’s on the square in 100-plus-year-old buildings.”
This Is the New Whiskey From Former Jack Daniel’s Master Distiller Jeff Arnett
Company Distilling will open its first tasting room this year in TennesseeAs you may have gleaned, this isn’t Arnett’s first experience with Lynchburg. A native of Jackson, TN, he started at Jack Daniel’s in 2001 and worked his way up to master distiller in 2008. “It was home for me for 20 years, and it was where both of my children were born and raised the first 20 years of their lives,” he says. “I consider it to be a home, and we’ve got so many friends there.”
With Arnett and Company now sitting close to Jack Daniel’s, you might be thinking there’s bad blood. But you’d be wrong.
“I saw a lot of people from my Jack Daniel’s days who came to our ribbon cutting who I know are wishing us well, and that means a lot to me,” Arnett says. “Lynchburg people might position that as David and Goliath in a competition, but I really want to create a complementary experience for people who take the time to come to Lynchburg.”
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