Distilled right here in Memphis
Old Dominick’s new release marks a first in the city since Prohibition
The wait is over. After five years of patiently waiting for it to mature, Old Dominick Distillery will release its first Straight Tennessee Whiskey on Nov. 1. h This is a historic milestone for the Memphis-based distillery. The Straight Tennessee Whiskey is the first distilled, barreled, matured and bottled whiskey in Memphis since Prohibition. h The release is the first in a series of new offerings, including an 85 proof and two Bottled-in-bond whiskeys.
“It’s been 20 years since I first decided I wanted to be a distiller, and this dream has taken me several different directions that I did not anticipate,” said Alex Castle, Old Dominick master distiller and senior vice president.
“As a Kentucky native, I did not think I would ever make a Tennessee Whiskey, and yet, here we are. I am beyond proud to be a part of such a historic release, and I hope that this whiskey is something that Memphis can be proud of.”
The whiskey
Old Dominick started distilling its Tennessee Whiskey in December 2016 and filled the first barrels in early February 2017.
“We’ve been filling barrels ever since,” Castle said. “What is in the bottle now is a blend of barrels that are four to five years old.”
The release includes three whiskeys.
Old Dominick’s Straight Tennessee Whiskey is aged for a minimum of four years in West Tennessee White Oak barrels. The whiskey has a mash bill rich in corn and balanced with rye and malted barley. This 85 proof whiskey will sell for about $35 a bottle.
“Straight Tennessee Whiskey opens with vanilla, tobacco, anise, and caramel on the nose. Sugar Maple Charcoal filtering delivers a mellow, medium-bodied whiskey, lightly sweet with caramel and crème brulee with a hint of oak and vanilla for a silky finish,” reads the description of this whiskey.
Wondering what differentiates Tennessee whiskey from other whiskeys and bourbons? Since 2013, Tennessee state law defines Tennessee whiskey as a spirit that is distilled in Tennessee from at least 51% corn, is aged in new charred oak barrels and has undergone maple sugar charcoal filtering prior to aging.
There are two Bottled-in-bond whiskeys being offered as part of the initial release. Castle said the Bottled-in-bond whiskeys will retail for around $65.
The century-old Bottled-in-bond designation was established in 1897 by the Bottled in Bond Act. It was a designation originally set for quality control. Today, the designation is a sign of quality and tradition.
“Being able to call your whiskey ‘Bottled-inbond’ is really special for a distiller,” Castle said. “It can’t be sourced from another distillery, and it can’t be made by more than one distiller. So to be able to put your name on a Bottled-in-bond product is a real achievement. And we did two batches initially because we wanted to make sure the Memphis market got enough for this launch, plus I wanted the distillery to get plenty as well.”
The Bottled-in-bond Spring 2017 Batch #1 is described as delivering caramel, toffee, light corn, cherry, leather and shortbread on the nose with a smoky, light oak, a hint of corn and rye, cherry, dark chocolate and a lightly sweet, medium finish on the palate.
The flavor notes of the Spring 2018 Batch #2 read: “This whiskey opens with cinnamon,
Alex Castle brown sugar, cherry, and leather on the nose with light oak and a hint of corn, tobacco, leather, dark chocolate, and hay on the palate.”
Starting Nov. 1, both the Old Dominick
Straight Tennessee Whiskey and Bottled-inbond will be available for purchase at the distillery in Downtown Memphis and area liquor stores. Old Dominick Distillery plans on broader regional distribution in early 2023.
Castle said for the initial release Old Dominick shipped out 1,000 cases of the 85 proof to the Memphis market and will ship more soon.
The two batches of Bottled-in-bond whiskeys are more limited; both of which yielded only about 225 cases each.
“The Bottled-in-bond will be very limited, and we’re only planning to release a handful of batches each year,” she said.
150 years in the making
This milestone has been a dream since Old Dominick opened its doors in 2017.
The launch of Straight Tennessee Whiskey brings to fruition cofounders Chris and Alex Canale’s desire to honor the legacy of their greatgreat-grandfather, Domenico Canale, an Italian immigrant who rose from driving his uncle’s fruit wagon to creating a food and spirits wholesale business in 1866.
“This milestone marks a new generation of spirits distilled in Memphis,” said Chris Canale Jr., owner of Old Dominick Distillery and parent company D. Canale & Co. “This whiskey is 150 years in the making. We are proud of the product and are confident Domenico would be too.”
The Straight Tennessee Whiskey joins a product line that includes Old Dominick No. 10 Gin, Memphis Vodka and Honeybell Citrus Vodka along with the distillery’s Signature Memphis Toddy, a revival of the preprohibition recipe crafted by Domenico Canale in 1880.
“The 85 proof will be available year-round, but there will definitely be future batches of the Bottled-in-bond,” Castle said.
Jennifer Chandler is the Food & Dining reporter at The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at jennifer.chandler@commercialappeal.com and you can follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @cookwjennifer.