You’d think that spirits as ubiquitous as Tennessee whiskey and Fernet wouldn’t need much promotion. The former is one of the state’s most iconic products, and the latter is so beloved by bartenders and cocktail fans that it’s often presented as a welcome or farewell gift across the bar, known as a “secret handshake.”
Yet these two drinks didn’t get so huge without staying front-of-mind, so get ready Nashville, because it’s about to get spirited around here!
First off is the 2024 edition of Tennessee Whiskey Week, organized by the Tennessee Whiskey Trail. This alliance of brown-water producers in the state is actually expanding the celebratory festival to more than a week this year, with plans to celebrate in East Tennessee from May 3 through 11, Middle Tennessee from May 12 to 23, and West Tennessee from May 20 until May 25.
They've planned special distillery tours, live music, local cocktail and food specials at participating restaurants, plus ticketed Master Distiller-Chef dinners where chefs at select restaurants will create customized menus based on a Tennessee spirit brand to commemorate the annual celebration. But unless you plan on visiting the hinterlands, let’s just concentrate on our local region.
Nashville will play host to this year’s signature event, Top of the Rocks, a cocktail competition in the vein of Chopped. Mixologists will be encouraged to experiment with bold flavors and state spirits to create unique cocktails. The event will be at Acme Feed & Seed beginning at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 19, and will also feature cocktail tastings, a people’s choice competition, light bites and live music courtesy of Timbo and Boo Ray. Grab your tickets at the event website — a few competitor spots are still open if you’re a pro bartender and want to apply.
Here’s a list of Middle Tennessee restaurants and bars that will be offering Whiskey Week specials on cocktail creations featuring Tennessee spirits, whiskey pours, and specialty drinks between May 12 and May 23:
- Skylight Bar-Factory at Franklin
- O Be Joyful
- Amendment 18
- The Board Room
- Stable Reserve
- Red Pony
- 55 South
- Cork & Cow
- Leiper's Fork Distillery Company Distillery
- Jasper's
- Char
- Pullman Standard
- Husk
- Big Machine Distillery
- Short Mountain Distillery
- Nashville Craft Distillery
- The Chef & I
- Acme
- The Southern Steak & Oyster
- Corsair
- Hathorne
- The Mailroom
- Old Glory's Restaurant
- Leatherwood Distillery
- Strawberry Alley
- Shelby's Trio
The Master Distiller-Chef collaboration dinners will take place at restaurants all over town, so pick from these fantastic options:
- May 13: Nashville Barrel Co. at Saffire at The Factory at Franklin
- May 15: Jack Daniel’s, Prichard’s Distillery and Big Machine Distillery at The Chef & I
- May 16: Chef dinner at Carne Mare with Uncle Nearest
- May 17: Leiper’s Fork Distillery, Chattanooga Whiskey and Gate 11 Distillery at The Southern Steak & Oyster
- May 22: Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery and Gate 11 and Old Dominick Distillery at Nelson’s Green Brier Restaurant
- May 23: Dinner at Jack Daniel’s BBQ Hill, sponsored by Lodge Cast Iron
For details on specific dinners and ticketing info, visit the Whiskey Week website.
Fernet Branca has embarked on their Secret Handshake Tour at noted cocktail markets like Miami, Chicago, Brooklyn, San Francisco and Los Angeles, and they actually started the tour here in Nashville beginning on April 25. What, you didn’t know about it? It’s a secret!
They have been organizing special events at local bars and distributing cards that tipplers can get stamped and send in to receive prizes when the tour leaves town on May 23. Where will they be popping up? Again, secret. But if you register at the Fernet Secret Handshake Tour website, they’ll send you all the details so you can get in on the fun!
They have announced one event, a special concert at Third and Lindsley starting at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 23. Who will be performing? C’mon, people. You’ve got to have this figured out by now! But seriously, Third and Lindsley’s performance calendar says Kody West with Jason Scott and the High Heat will be on stage that evening, so you shouldn’t be totally in the dark.
Cheers!
