The “J.’s” Have It

June 30, 2020

J. never dreamed that one day his name would be on millions and millions of bottles of one of the world’s most iconic whiskeys.

As a teenager in the 1800’s, J. worked in a grocery store. Lots of the spirits he sold were inconsistent in taste and texture and, even though J. didn’t drink, he realized he was missing out on a golden opportunity to concoct his own spirit and earn a name in the market. He wanted to make a whiskey that represented something special.

At first, his whiskey was mild a success, The brand was a local hit in and around the region it was made. But it wasn’t until J’s descendants took over the business that his whiskey finally took off. It was the creation of the famous black label and some creative marketing that included famous celebrities featuring the drink in their daily lives that made this whiskey one of the world’s most popular. Even the square bottle added to the uniqueness of this drink.

J. passed away in 1857. About seven years later, another J. would start the process of learning and creating an iconic whiskey that would feature his name on the famously square bottle with a black label. The first “J”, better known to you and me as Johnnie Walker gave rise to the second “J.”, Jack Daniels. Their time only briefly overlapped, but both men, whose first names started with the letter “J” created two of the world’s most famous whiskeys.