Your Tax Dollars at Work.

[cowdery]

Your Tax Dollars at Work.

[jeff]

Thanks for the link Chuck, lots of great information there

I did pick up on this paragraph, which is relevant to ongoing TN Whiskey discussions:

Tennessee whiskey is almost identical to bourbon,

but is filtered through maple charcoal before aging, and because of this additional processing

step, is designated as a unique category of “straight whiskey.”

[cowdery]

Tennessee whiskey is almost identical to bourbon,

but is filtered through maple charcoal before aging, and because of this additional processing

step, is designated as a unique category of “straight whiskey.â€

Interesting that you should point that out, because it is not true. Tennessee whiskey cannot use the term "straight whiskey" because only the types explicitly named in the rules (e.g., bourbon, rye, wheat, etc.) can qualify to be "straights."

However, I consider that a technicality. The overall thrust of the statement is correct.

[TNbourbon]

Chuck, from another thread:

As for your questions about whether or not the Tennessee whiskies fail to meet the proof of distillation or proof of entry requirements, I can assure you they do meet them. That, in part, is the curious point. The Tennessee producers have strictly adherred to all the requirements for the straight bourbon designation yet choose not to use it.

...It does not, however, conform to the standards for "straight bourbon whiskey."

This seems like a contradiction to me. If, as you say, Tennessee whiskey COULD call itself bourbon (but doesn't), and that bourbon IS one of the whiskey types that can be "straights", then why can't Tennessee whiskey be "straight"? Simply because it doesn't choose to call itself bourbon?

Or, is there some other requirement for "straights" that JD and Dickel fail to meet? But, then, can you argue that they COULD call themselves bourbon?

If it's the Lincoln County Method that precludes them being "straights", doesn't it also preclude them from being bourbon?

[cowdery]

I thought I answered that in the previous post. Tennessee whiskey cannot use the term "straight whiskey" because only the types explicitly named in the rules (e.g., bourbon, rye, wheat, etc.) can qualify to be "straights." Since Tennessee whiskey isn't a named type, it can't be called straight, even though it meets the functional requirements, i.e., aging for at least two years in new charred oak.

[TNbourbon]

Chuck, I'm sure you've answered it a thousand times before, so please forgive my bringing it up again. It just was a question that struck me now, having read the two threads almost back-to-back.

If I read you aright, then, if JD -- presuming regulatory approval (debated elsewhere here, but apparently possible) -- decided to call itself a bourbon instead of a Tennessee whiskey, it would/could then be a 'straight whiskey'. Although the stuff in the bottle would be the same. But, since it insists it's 'Tennessee whiskey', it ain't straight.

Seems like semantics over substance to me, but that's not the first time that's happened.

[cowdery]

I think I'm answering that question here.