LYNCHBURG, Tenn. (pop. 361) – For most, birthdays come only one day each year, but in Jack Daniel’s case it is a month-long celebration. Jasper Newton “Jack” Daniel was born in Lynchburg (pop. 361), Tenn. in September, 1850. However, we have no idea his exact date of birth.
You see, Jack left us his recipe, his distillery and how to mellow whiskey. He just didn’t leave us the day in September he was born. Of course, you usually can find that kind of information out at the local courthouse (where these things were kept long before the world had ever heard of Google or the Internet for that matter). However, we’ve had no luck at courthouses.
The birth certificate must have been lost to time or, as some say, fires that claimed both the courthouse and his home. But knowing how Mr. Jack loved a good party, we suspect he might have “misplaced” it just so we’d celebrate all month long.
No birthday celebration is complete without cake, and to mark Mr. Jack’s 159th birthday, Jack Daniel’s has created a special “Liquid Cake” birthday cocktail.
“Since we’ll be celebrating throughout the month of September, we wanted to have our cake and drink it, too,” Mark Grindstaff, Jack Daniel’s Marketing Director said. “Liquid Cake is the perfect way to toast Mr. Jack and is destined to become a birthday celebration standard in September and beyond.”
Jack Daniel’s Liquid Cake
1 oz Jack Daniel’s® Tennessee Whiskey
½ oz Tuaca®
¼ oz toasted marshmallow syrup*
3 oz lemon-lime soda*
In a shaker filled with ice, add ingredients, roll to mix. Serve over ice in a tall glass. Garnish with a marshmallow.
*For testing purposes, we used Monin Toasted Marshmallow Syrup and Sprite.
From birth to death, legend surrounded the man who pioneered the famous whiskey brand that bears his name. Throughout his legendary life, Jack Daniel’s loved a good celebration. He created the Silver Cornet Band in Lynchburg to draw crowds to the town square and his two saloons, and had a ballroom in his home to entertain guests. All indications are that Mr. Jack would have appreciated an entire month of celebration for his ‘September Something’ birthday.
In Lynchburg, the question of Jack Daniel’s birthday is rarely debated – a month-long celebration and a tall glass of cake is considered to be a practical approach to the problem. As part of the annual celebration, friends of Jack offer a traditional toast: “Here’s to Mr. Jack, more than 150 years old and still out in the bars every night.”
The Jack Daniel Distillery encourages all of its friends to make Mr. Jack’s birthday a memorable one. Please drink responsibly.
