Jack Daniel’s master distiller steps down

Jeff Arnett, master distiller for Jack Daniel’s, is stepping down from the Tennessee whiskey brand after 12 years in the role.

In his role as master distiller, Arnett was in charge of the entire production process, from milling, yeasting and fermentation to distillation, charcoal mellowing and maturation.

During his tenure at Jack Daniel’s, Arnett expanded the brand’s portfolio with both super-premium whiskies and on-trend flavoured expressions. Among the high-end releases made by Arnett were the Sinatra Select, Single Barrel ‘Heritage Barrel’ and the Tennessee Tasters’ limited edition.

Arnett’s flavoured variants included Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, Tennessee Fire and Tennessee Apple. He also championed the launch of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Rye.

“Jeff has worked tirelessly on behalf of the distillery and brought with him the creativity and the expertise that makes Jack Daniel’s the most valuable whiskey brand in the world,” Jack Daniel’s senior vice president, Larry Combs, said.

Owned by Brown-Forman, Jack Daniel’s, based in Lynchburg, Tennessee, is on sale in over 170 countries. The firm didn’t give a reason for Arnett’s departure and is due to announce his replacement in the coming weeks.

Prior to being appointed master distiller, Tennessee native Arnett oversaw quality control and looked after Jack Daniel’s single barrel programme.

Arnett described his time at Jack Daniel’s as “an incredible chapter in my life and I look forward to spending some time to think about what the next chapter will hold.”

He added that working for the brand as its master distiller was an “honour and a privilege”. Arnett received a degree in industrial engineering and worked in food and beverage manufacturing for 11 years before moving to Lynchburg in 2001.

He has served on the board of the Tennessee Distillers Guild since 2016, most recently as vice president. He and his wife Lori have two children.