The Reverend Sour Mash Whiskey Debuts, Honoring a ‘Man of Contradictions’ Who Worked With Jack Daniel, Nearest Green

Call Family Distillers unveiled The Reverend Sour Mash. (Photo: Brian Shutters)

On Wednesday, Call Family Distillers unveiled The Reverend Sour Mash Whiskey, a liquid ode to Reverend Daniel Houston Call. This release marks the third installment within the brand’s portfolio and pays homage to the historical whiskey figure.

According to the brand, Call worked alongside whiskey legends like Jasper “Jack” Newton Daniel — the man behind Jack Daniel’s — and Nathan “Nearest” Green — the namesake of Uncle Nearest Whiskey – at his family distillery in the rural area that abuts Lynchburg, Tennessee.

“The recipe for The Reverend is a nod to its place in American whiskey history,” Nick Scarff, the chief innovation officer at B.A.R. Brands and master blender of The Reverend, said in a news release. “Reverend Daniel Call was making whiskey before bourbon was a recognized category, so our spirit is a blend of high-quality sour mashes that drink like a robust, full-flavored bourbon.”

Call Family Distillers describes Reverend Call as “a man of contradictions – distilling and drinking whiskey on Saturday, then sweating it out in the pulpit on Sunday.”

A historical photo showing The Reverend Daniel Houston Call. (Photo: The Reverend)

The Reverend Sour Mash clocks in at 90 proof, and was aged for over four years in first-use charred oak barrels and first-fill bourbon casks.

Like Jack Daniel’s Tennessee whiskey, the whiskey was subjected to the Lincoln County Process.

“The maple-charcoal filtration — also known as the Lincoln County Process — changed the way whiskey was made in Tennessee, starting in the 19th century,”  Scarff claimed. “Utilizing this technique yields a clean, complex and approachable whiskey, making The Reverend a go-to for smooth, neat pours, with a high percentage of rye that helps it stand out in a cocktail.”

With a suggested retail price of $35.99, The Reverend Sour Mash is available in seven states and should be distributed in 25 states starting May 2024, according to the brand.

This sour mash whiskey is available in North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, New Hampshire, Oregon, Michigan and Massachusetts.

The Reverend Tasting Notes, Via Call Family Distillers

Nose: Ripe red apples, cinnamon rolls, cardamom and freshly shaved ginger

Taste: Tart cherries, flamed orange peel, honey butter and roasted pecans

Finish: Brown sugar-glazed peaches, rye spice, cured tobacco leaves, toffee, lightly toasted American oak

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