Jack Daniel’s Chris Fletcher oozes a sort of pride in the Jack Daniel Distillery that can only come straight from the heart. Fletcher grew up roaming these warehouses and distillery floors with his grandfather, Frank Bobo, Jack Daniel’s fifth Master Distiller, on the weekends. A child’s wide-eyed wonderment remains just under the surface as he walks through each step of the massive operations where he serves as the distillery’s first-ever Assistant Master Distiller.

Born and bred in Lynchburg and grandson to a Master Distiller, the path to Jack Daniel’s seems a no-brainer. Chris tells a much different story, though,…