A Jack Daniel’s Competitor? Spirits Giant Sazerac Unveils Its First Tennessee Whiskey

(Photo: AJ Bond)

Sazerac is officially entering the Tennessee whiskey category

On Monday, the spirits company announced the launch of AJ Bond Tennessee Whiskey, the first Tennessee whiskey release in Sazerac’s history. The new expression was developed by Master Distillers Allisa Henley and the late John Lunn and will debut in Tennessee in June before expanding to additional states later this year.

The launch gives Sazerac a foothold in a category dominated by Jack Daniel’s, the world’s best-selling Tennessee whiskey. The move comes just weeks after reports that Jack Daniel’s owner Brown-Forman rejected a $15 billion takeover offer from Sazerac, a deal that would have united two of Kentucky’s largest whiskey companies.

According to the company, the whiskey has been in development since 2016, when Henley and Lunn set out to create a new Tennessee whiskey using a distinctive production process that combines both pot and column still distillate. Each distillate is charcoal mellowed and aged separately before being blended together.

“We wanted to raise expectations for what Tennessee Whiskey can be,” Henley said in a news release. “Every decision behind this whiskey was driven by a commitment to quality and a belief that innovation and tradition can work hand in hand.”

The whiskey is produced in accordance with Tennessee whiskey standards, including charcoal mellowing with sugar maple charcoal. Sazerac said it also emphasizes local sourcing, using corn from Batey Farms in Murfreesboro and barrels made from Tennessee oak.

Bottled at 95 proof, the whiskey features notes of caramel corn, butterscotch and wedding cake on the nose, followed by baked apple, charred fruit, marzipan, cinnamon and brandied cherry on the palate. The finish is described as long and peppery with lingering honey notes.

Henley said the whiskey also serves as a tribute to Lunn, a longtime Tennessee whiskey maker who helped shape the project.

“John and I built this together over years of shared experience, and this whiskey carries forward his legacy,” she said.

The launch marks the first product from AJ Bond Distillery, located in La Vergne, Tennessee. The name references the partnership between Henley and Lunn and reflects what the company says is a mission to combine Tennessee whiskey traditions with modern innovation.

AJ Bond Tennessee Whiskey will initially launch in Tennessee at a suggested retail price of $39.99 per 750-milliliter bottle. Broader distribution to select U.S. markets is expected later in 2026.