June 19th Chapter Meeting: MCCCC
Manchester Coffee County Conference Center
Host: Chef Michael Osborne C.E.C.

The meeting didn't really start until later in the evening, but the events of this meeting started in the early afternoon at the 100 Oaks Mall, where many of the Chefs met to catch the bus to Manchester. The Manchester Coffee County Conference Center and the Jack Daniels Distillery, provided a fully appointed luxury bus to transport 60 to 70 people to the meeting.

When the attendees started arriving at 5:00 pm. they were met with an informal hors d'oeuvres buffet and a bar for a social mixer that lasted about an hour. It was obvious that Mike Osborne and his staff were putting their best foot foward, and the evening would be a festive occasion.

Gary opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegience and a few opening statements indicating that this meeting would dispense with the usual meticulous following of the by-laws. However, it was necessary for us to read the minutes and the treasurers report.

Cathy Hoormann read the minutes from the May meeting- they were approved as read.

Anna Hicks read the treasurers report and it was approved as read.

As usual, both the minutes and the treasurers report are a part of the Chapters permanent record and are available for viewing through a request to the officers.

Without further conversation, the educational portion of our meeting was started.

The room was set up in classroom style and each position had a placemat with samplings of Jack Daniels products on them.

We were introduced to Lynne Tolly. Since 1984, Jack Daniel's great-grandniece, Miss Lynne Tolley, has been the proprietress of Miss Mary BoBo's Boarding House. It's no longer a boarding house, but it's a great place for a real home-cooked meal, experiencing Southern hospitality at its best and even making some new friends.

Lynne gave us a taste of that hospitality with her introductory remarks and humerous stories. Not that a Whiskey Tasting is really a boring event, but Lynne made it a real treat.

Lynne informed the group that she did hold the position of taster at the Distillery- this being the case, she proceeded to give us an overview of the whole Jack Daniels experience.

In front of us, were tastes of Gentleman Jack, Old No. 7, and Single Barrel Jack, as well as a touch of raw distillate and the distillate after charcoal filtering.

An amazing amount of information was presented on the flavors, nuances and quality of the Jack Daniels Family of Products. I think we all understood why Jack Daniels was the largest selling whiskey in the world.

Topics included the grain composition of Jack Daniels and how it far exceeds the standards set up for whiskey. The Charcoal filtration, the manufacture of the sugar maple charcoal at the Distillery.

We learned of barrel cooperage and composition, barrel aging and the effects on the flavor of the products.

The differences between Gentleman Jack, Jack and Single Barrel are startling. It became obvious how different folks can find pleasures in the different incarnations of Jack. For rich robust flavor, Old No.7 is king, if you prefer a smoother more refined taste, Gentleman Jack is for you. And if you like the flavor nuances induced by individual differences in barrels and aging then Barrel Select provides endless variety.

As the presentation came to a close, Lynne took questions from the group.

It was obvious that we all enjoyed the time spent, nobody was really ready for her to end.

But, in the back of everyones mind - Michael Osborne had prepared a fabulous meal for us, so end it must.

Michael thanked Lynne and all the Jack Daniels folks for their participation in this evening and sent us to the next Dining Room for dinner.

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