We need to talk about a shake up in the whiskey world.

If you are a bourbon fan, you know Sazerac. They own Buffalo Trace, Pappy Van Winkle, and the Weller line. For decades, they have ruled the Kentucky bourbon scene. But they just dropped a bomb: they are officially entering the Tennessee whiskey market with a brand new release called AJ Bond.  

This has everyone asking the same question. Is Jack Daniels about to lose its crown? Not so fast…

Meet AJ Bond: The Story Behind the Name

First, let us clear up a common misconception. AJ Bond is not a single historic moonshiner or a corporate marketing creation. The name celebrates a beautiful, bittersweet partnership between two absolute legends of Tennessee distilling: Allisa Henley and the late John Lunn.  

The history here is fascinating. Allisa and John worked together for decades. Back in 2016, Sazerac bought a distillery property in Tennessee that used to make Popcorn Sutton whiskeys, and they brought John and Allisa on board to build something entirely new. They spent years quietly experimenting, designing a custom recipe, and perfecting their process. Sadly, John passed away in 2023, so he never got to see the final product hit the shelves. Allisa named the distillery and the flagship whiskey AJ Bond to honor that deep professional and personal bond they shared.  

What makes the liquid unique is how they made it. They source local corn from a family farm in Murfreesboro and run the spirit through a dual distillation process using both pot and column stills. To legally call it Tennessee whiskey, they use the famous Lincoln County Process, dripping the unaged spirit through sugar maple charcoal to smooth out the rough edges before it hits Tennessee oak barrels. The result is a nine year old pour that hits with notes of caramel corn, baked apple, and butterscotch.  

Is Jack Daniel’s Shaking in Its Boots?

So, is this a true threat to the undisputed king of Lynchburg?

The short answer is no, at least not in terms of sales volume. Jack Daniels is a global juggernaut. They pump out millions of cases a year, and their black label bottle is an icon recognized in every corner of the planet. AJ Bond is starting small, launching first in Tennessee this month for around forty dollars before expanding to select states later this year. Sazerac is playing the long game here, focusing on craft, heritage, and building a stellar reputation rather than trying to immediately outproduce a giant.  

However, where AJ Bond absolutely poses a threat is in the hearts and minds of whiskey enthusiasts.

For a long time, everyday Tennessee whiskey was synonymous with just one or two major brands. By launching a high quality, nine year old spirit at a very reasonable price point, Buffalo Trace and Sazerac are proving that Tennessee whiskey can easily compete with premium Kentucky bourbons. They are raising the bar for the entire category.

Jack Daniels will always keep its crown as the volume king, but AJ Bond is a brilliant reminder that competition breeds excellence. It gives whiskey fans a beautiful new bottle with an incredible story to share on the shelf.

I purchased a bottle last week. Here are some details:

• 95 proof expression 
• A blend of 5 and 10 year old whiskeys
• $39.99 SRP
• Undisclosed mashbill
• For the price it’s a great pour. Great nose. Think Carmel corn meets butterscotch.
• On the palate, cream soda + baked apple.

You can get a firsthand look at the heart behind this brand by watching Allisa Henley discuss the AJ Bond launch, where she shares how she and John Lunn developed their unique blending method and what this legacy means to her.