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A Little Local Flavor · Nashville, TN

Tennessee Whiskey
and Bourbon

a local's guide to Nashville's spirit

Nashville sits at the heart of American whiskey country. Whether you want to sip straight from the barrel, blend your own bottle, or tour the distilleries that made Tennessee famous, this guide has you covered.

From the craft distilleries of Marathon Village to the legendary hills of Lynchburg, Nashville is one of the best cities in the country to explore whiskey culture. For everything you need to plan your visit, read our complete Nashville whiskey tour guide. These are the top experiences worth building your itinerary around. And if you want great whiskey paired with Nashville's best food, our Nashville food tour includes a stop at a local distillery with a cocktail.

Know Your Whiskey
What Makes Tennessee Whiskey Different

Tennessee whiskey must be filtered through sugar maple charcoal before aging. This is called the Lincoln County Process, and it creates a signature smoothness that sets Tennessee whiskey apart from bourbon and rye. Technically, Tennessee whiskey qualifies as bourbon by definition, but the charcoal mellowing gives it a character all its own. The state's mineral-rich limestone water and locally grown grains add to that distinctiveness.

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How to Taste It
Getting the Most from Every Sip

Look at the color and how it clings to the glass. Inhale with your mouth slightly open to avoid the alcohol burn. Take a small sip and let it coat your whole tongue. Notice how the flavor changes as it opens up. Adding a few drops of water to a high-proof whiskey can reveal flavors that the alcohol was masking.

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Everything You Need for Nashville Whiskey
Distillery Tours ↓ Whiskey Bars ↓ Tastings & Trails ↓ Where to Stay ↓
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Christine's Picks
Tennessee Whiskey Workshop
Christine's Pick
Hands-On Experience
Tennessee Whiskey Workshop

This is not a basic distillery tour. The Tennessee Whiskey Workshop is led by the president of Nashville's Bartender Guild, someone who has spent a career mastering the craft. You will leave with a genuine understanding of what makes Tennessee whiskey different, why it matters, and how to drink it properly.

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Nelson's Greenbriar Distillery
Christine's Pick
Distillery Visit
Nelson's Greenbriar Distillery

The Nelson family's story is one of Nashville's best. A pre-Prohibition whiskey legacy reclaimed by two brothers who found the original family recipe and brought it back to life. The tour is genuinely fascinating, and the location makes it even better.

Local tip: Nelson's sits inside Marathon Village, a historic auto factory turned creative campus. Corsair Distillery is at the other end of the same building, with great independent shopping in between. Make a half-day of it.
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Go at Your Own Pace
Nashville's Distilleries
Nashville Barrel Company
Distillery Experience
Nashville Barrel Company

One of Nashville's most celebrated craft whiskey destinations. Choose from a premium guided tasting, a straight-from-the-barrel flight, or a hands-on blending experience where you create your own bottle to take home.

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Big Machine Distillery
Distillery Experience
Big Machine Distillery

Named for the record label that launched Taylor Swift, Big Machine produces a range of spirits right in the heart of Nashville. Take the standard tour and tasting, go deep with a single barrel experience, or blend your own bourbon to take home.

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Corsair Distillery
Distillery Experience
Corsair Distillery

An award-winning craft distillery known for pushing the boundaries of American whiskey. Located in Marathon Village alongside Nelson's Greenbriar, worth visiting both on the same trip with a wander through the shops in between.

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Transportation Included
Guided Whiskey Tours
Nashville's Best Whiskey Tour
Guided Tour
Nashville's Best Whiskey Tour

Corsair, Big Machine, and Nashville Barrel Company with transportation, reservations, and tastings all handled for you. Sit back and let someone else do the driving.

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Uncle Nearest Distillery Bus Tour
Guided Tour
Uncle Nearest Distillery Bus Tour

Round-trip transportation to the Nearest Green Distillery, honoring the story of Nearest Green, the first known African American master distiller and the man who taught Jack Daniel how to make whiskey. A guided tasting and a history lesson in one.

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Jack Daniel's Distillery Tour
Guided Tour
Jack Daniel's with Live Music and BBQ

Tour the world's oldest registered distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee, enjoy tastings, and pair it with live music and BBQ. A classic Tennessee day trip done right.

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Premier Distillery and Craft Brewery Bus Tour
Guided Tour
Premier Distillery and Craft Brewery Bus Tour

Nine or more tastings across Nashville's best craft distilleries and breweries on a single guided bus tour. One of the most comprehensive ways to cover Nashville's spirits scene in one afternoon.

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Craft Distillery Tour Along the Whiskey Trail
Guided Tour
Craft Distillery Tour Along the Whiskey Trail

Eleven or more tastings across three distilleries on Nashville's whiskey trail. The deep dive for the serious enthusiast who wants maximum coverage of Nashville's craft spirits scene.

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Nashville to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail
Day Trip
Nashville to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail

Cross state lines for the ultimate bourbon pilgrimage. This private tour takes you from Nashville up to Kentucky's legendary Bourbon Trail, home to some of the most iconic distilleries in American spirits history.

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Two Nashville Obsessions, One Experience
Food and Whiskey
Hot Chicken and Whiskey Tour
Food + Whiskey
Hot Chicken and Whiskey Tour

Nashville's two most iconic things, combined into one tour. If you're going to eat hot chicken and drink whiskey in Music City, you might as well do it properly.

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Beer, Bourbon and BBQ Food Tour
Food + Whiskey
Beer, Bourbon, and BBQ Food Tour

A guided tour combining Nashville's craft beer, local bourbon, and legendary BBQ. Big flavors, great company, and no planning required on your part.

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Whiskey or Wine Pairing with Chocolate
Food + Whiskey
Whiskey or Wine Pairing with Chocolate

A guided tasting experience at Nashville Barrel Company pairing their craft spirits with chocolate. Choose whiskey or wine and let the flavors do the rest. A great option for date night or a more relaxed afternoon in the city.

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No Tour Required
Where to Drink Whiskey in Nashville
Barrel Proof
Whiskey Bar
Barrel Proof

Over 300 whiskeys with bartenders who guide you through them like sommeliers. Warm, lived-in atmosphere with dark wood and soft lighting. Their "Tennessee vs. Kentucky" flight is the perfect place to start if you want to understand the difference.

Germantown
Old Glory
Whiskey Bar
Old Glory

A hidden bar tucked inside a former boiler room with soaring ceilings, steel beams, and a curated whiskey list. One of those spots that feels like a real find. Great as a pre or post-dinner stop in the Edgehill Village dining neighborhood.

Edgehill Village
Skull's Rainbow Room
Whiskey Bar
Skull's Rainbow Room

A supper-club throwback in Printer's Alley with live jazz every night, red velvet booths, and candlelight. Whiskey Sour and Manhattan are the classics here. One of Nashville's most atmospheric bars. Book ahead on weekends.

Printer's Alley, Downtown
The Fox Bar
Whiskey Bar
The Fox Bar and Cocktail Club

Curated flights featuring Tennessee-only distilleries in a quiet, design-forward East Nashville setting. A great choice if you want something more intentional and less Broadway. The kind of bar serious whiskey drinkers are looking for.

East Nashville
Read About 4 More Bars to Sip Whiskey in Nashville
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Nashville's most-loved food tour

You know where to find the whiskey. Now come taste the food. Our Nashville food tour covers BBQ ribs, shrimp and grits, a James Beard restaurant, a Nashville distillery, and live honky tonk. Three hours, six stops, the best dish on every menu.

Book Our Award-Winning Food Tour Three Hours · Six Stops · The Best Dish on Every Menu Weekend tours sell out 2-3 weeks in advance. Book early.