Ironically and vexingly, Jack Daniel’s is distilled in a dry county in Tennessee. Perhaps that’s why it took a lounge owner in Huntsville, Alabama, to stumble upon one of the favorite applications of the Volunteer State nectar. The story goes that Tony Mason, also a musician, was looking for something to soothe his sore throat one night in 1980, and threw together the soon-to-be-famous formula. (He even renamed his house band Tony Mason and the Lynchburg Revue.) Not too long after, Jack Daniel’s started promoting the concoction without compensating Mason. He sued in 1983, seeking $13 million, but the judge awarded him only one dollar. The case was retried in 1983 and parent company Brown-Foreman won again, this time arguing that the recipe wasn’t even a trade secret. Maybe not, but it is fizzy and refreshing.
Drinks
Lynchburg Lemonade: A Cocktail for Tennessee
The now-famous concoction was developed outside the Volunteer State
Ingredients
-
1½ oz. Jack Daniel’s
1½ oz. sweet and sour mix
1½ oz. triple sec
¾ cup lemon-lime soda, such as Sprite or 7UP
Preparation
Fill a tall glass with ice. Add whiskey, sweet and sour mix, and triple sec, and mix with a tall spoon. Top with chilled soda.
Related Stories:
Recipes
Long Live the King
A cocktail for toasting to Elvis Presley, on the forty-fifth anniversary of his death
Recipes
Cooking from the Bar Cart: Pasta Meets Limoncello
Classic Italian penne alla vodka gets a citrusy overhaul in this bright summer pasta
Recipes
How Mason Hereford Makes the Ultimate Tomato Sandwich
The Turkey and the Wolf chef takes you step by step through his summer original
Trending Stories:
Food & Drink
A State-by-State Guide to the South’s 35 Best Oysters
Oyster experts from around the South weigh in on their favorite oysters, by state
Food & Drink
How an Award-Winning Pastry Chef Doctors Up Boxed Cornbread
Even Kelly Fields whips up a box of Jiffy every once in a while. Here’s how she makes the store-bought stuff her own
Travel
Five Out-of-the-Way Spring Break Escapes
Remote Southern retreats to help you unwind and unplug