LYNCHBURG, Tenn. — Whisky Magazine’s recently named Jack Daniel’s Master Distiller Chris Fletcher the Master Distiller/Master Blender of the Year at their 2026 Icons of Whisky and World Whiskies Awards America, held on February 12 in Louisville, Ky. Jack Daniel’s 14-Year-Old Tennessee Whiskey Batch 1, which Fletcher crafted in his role overseeing production and innovation at the Jack Daniel Distillery, was also awarded World’s Best Tennessee Whiskey at the ceremony.
The annual awards celebrate the people and places responsible for exceptional whiskey-making in the U.S., alongside the best in American whiskeys. Winners of World Whiskies Awards Americas will go on to compete next month against global competitors at the World Whiskies Awards.
In his role as Vice President, Master Distiller and Director of Distillery Operations at the Jack Daniel Distillery, Fletcher is responsible for strengthening the brand through product innovation while honoring the time-tested processes that have guided the Jack Daniel Distillery for nearly 160 years. Fletcher, a native of Lynchburg, grew up learning about production from his grandfather and late Master Distiller Frank Bobo. He is one of only a handful of individuals to have held the title of Master Distiller in the distillery’s history. In his five years as Master Distiller, Fletcher has been the driving force behind award-winning, premium releases including the Bonded Series, the Aged Series, widely-celebrated expressions from the Special Release Series, and the Distillery Series line of experimental whiskeys.
Jack Daniel’s 14-Year-Old Batch 1 was released in February 2025 as part of the fourth annual release of the Aged Series, marking the first time since the early- to mid-1900s that Jack Daniel’s had offered an expression at this age. The expression, offered at 126.3 proof (63.15 percent abv), begins with Jack Daniel’s classic Tennessee Whiskey mash bill that is then mellowed drop by drop through 10 feet of sugar maple charcoal. The additional years of aging bring forward notes of sweet bakery spices with layers of oak and a palate of creamy butterscotch, rich leather and tobacco. •
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