Best Nashville Whiskey Tours 2026: A Local’s Guide to Distilleries, Tastings & the Real Good Stuff
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I have been hosting guests in Nashville long enough to know that the question I get most often is not “where’s the best honky-tonk?” or even “what’s the best hot chicken?” It’s “where do you go for good whiskey?”
Nashville has a whiskey scene that is wider, weirder, and frankly better than Lower Broadway lets on. Tennessee whiskey is its own protected category. We have craft distilleries inside city limits, household names a short drive away, and a couple of bottles you can only buy at the source. This is the guide I share with every guest who wants to drink the real good stuff.
What makes Tennessee whiskey different from bourbon?
Both are American whiskeys made from a grain mash that is at least 51% corn and aged in charred new oak barrels. Tennessee whiskey adds one extra step: the Lincoln County Process, which filters the spirit through sugar maple charcoal before aging. That filtering rounds off the rough edges and gives Tennessee whiskey its smoother, mellower character. Every Tennessee whiskey on this list goes through it (with one famous exception: Benjamin Prichard’s, who got a state legislature carve-out).
Nashville’s best in-city distilleries
Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery — Marathon Village
If you want one tour that captures Nashville’s whiskey story, this is it. The Nelson family ran the largest distillery in Tennessee in the 1880s. Prohibition shut it down. Two great-great-great-grandsons rebuilt it in 2014. The tour walks you through 1860s ledgers, the actual dirt-floor warehouse where Belle Meade Bourbon was first stored, and ends with a guided tasting of three pours including their flagship Belle Meade Bourbon and Nelson’s First 108 Tennessee Whiskey.
Local tip: Book the Saturday 11am tour. The crowds are smaller than the afternoon slots and you’ll catch the master distiller pulling samples from a barrel.
Corsair Distillery — The Gulch & Wedgewood-Houston
Corsair is for the people who already know whiskey and want something they have not had before. They are aggressively experimental: smoked barley whiskey, quinoa whiskey, hopped whiskey that drinks like a single malt crossed with an IPA. The Gulch location is a working distillery you can walk to from a Lower Broadway hotel. The Wedgewood-Houston location has the bigger bar and the better hangout space. Both pour the experimental flights.
Local tip: If you want to take a bottle home, ask about their Single Barrel program. We’ve sent guests home with bottles that are not on the regular shelf.
Big Machine Distillery — West Nashville
This used to be Pennington Distilling. In 2023 it was acquired by Big Machine Label Group (the Nashville record label behind Tim McGraw, Florida Georgia Line, and a long list of country acts you already know), so the distillery now operates under the Big Machine name. The whiskey lineup is the same easy-drinking style that made Pennington’s Whisper Creek Tennessee Sipping Cream a cult favorite, with new label-driven releases tied to the artists. Their tour space is the most group-friendly we’ve found in town. They do private tastings, custom flights, and there’s room for a dozen people without anyone elbowing each other.
Local tip: If your group includes anyone who claims they “don’t like whiskey,” start them on the Whisper Creek. It’s a sipping cream made with Tennessee whiskey and tastes like the world’s best Christmas cookie. Converts every skeptic.
Leiper’s Fork Distillery — 30 minutes south in Williamson County
Technically not in Nashville but worth the half-hour drive. Leiper’s Fork is a tiny, postcard-pretty village south of Franklin and the distillery sits right on the main strip. Their Old Natchez Trace Tennessee Whiskey is one of our favorite bottles to gift, and the tour is small enough to feel personal. Pair it with lunch at Puckett’s Grocery across the street and you have an easy half-day.
Beyond Nashville: 3 distilleries worth the drive
If you have a free day, the most underrated thing you can do from Nashville is rent a car and drive south. Within 90 minutes of downtown you can hit three of the most important distilleries in American whiskey. We’ve sent dozens of guests on this loop and not a single one has come back disappointed.
Jack Daniel’s Distillery — Lynchburg, TN
This is the whiskey day trip if you’ve never done one. Lynchburg is a town of about 600 people in a dry county (yes, you read that right — you can tour the largest whiskey distillery in the world but you cannot buy a drink at most local restaurants). The cave spring at the heart of the property is the same iron-free water source Jack used in 1866. The Angel’s Share Tour gets you into the rickhouses where the air is thick with evaporating bourbon. Their premium tastings include single barrels and limited releases you cannot find anywhere else.
Local tip: Eat at Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House in Lynchburg before or after — family-style Southern lunch served at long tables, reservations required, and they pour Jack at every meal even though the county is dry. It’s a loophole and it’s wonderful.
George Dickel Distillery — Cascade Hollow, Tullahoma
If Jack Daniel’s is the rock star, George Dickel is the songwriter who actually wrote the song. Same Lincoln County Process, same limestone water, smaller crowds, and a tasting room that feels like a friend’s hunting cabin. Their Bottled in Bond expressions and the 17-Year Reserve have racked up Whisky Advocate awards that the bigger distilleries cannot touch. Cascade Hollow is genuinely pretty — you walk past the spring and the original 1870 hollow on the tour.
Local tip: Pair Dickel with Jack the same day. They are 30 minutes apart. Do Jack first (busier, more structured tour) and end at Dickel where you can linger.
Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey — Shelbyville, TN
If you only have time for one day-trip distillery, make it this one. Uncle Nearest is built on the legacy of Nathan “Nearest” Green — the enslaved Black distiller who taught Jack Daniel how to make whiskey. The brand was founded by Fawn Weaver in 2017, the modern distillery campus opened in 2019, and Uncle Nearest is now the fastest-growing American whiskey brand and one of only a handful of major distilleries owned by a Black woman. The campus on 270+ acres in Shelbyville is genuinely beautiful: a horse barn-style visitor center, a tasting house, walking trails to the original Green family grave site, and a Humble Baron bar that holds the world record for the longest single bar in the world.
Local tip: The Master Blend Experience ($95) is worth it. You blend your own bottle from three barrel pulls and take it home. Best whiskey souvenir in Tennessee.
How to plan your Nashville whiskey day
If you have a half day
Pick one in-city distillery (Nelson’s Green Brier or Corsair) plus dinner and a flight at The Pinewood in East Nashville or Bourbon Steak at the JW Marriott. Both have curated Tennessee whiskey lists with rare pours by the ounce.
If you have a full day
Drive south. Jack Daniel’s + Uncle Nearest is the best one-day combo. Jack first, lunch at Miss Mary Bobo’s, Uncle Nearest in the afternoon. Allow 9am–6pm with driving.
If you have a long weekend
Day one: Marathon Village — Nelson’s Green Brier + a stop at the next-door antique mall. Day two: Tennessee Whiskey Trail (Jack, Dickel, Uncle Nearest if you’re ambitious; Jack + one of the other two if you’re sane). Day three: Corsair + Big Machine for the local craft side, then dinner with rare pours downtown.
Stay where the locals stay
Our Music City Magnolia properties put you within 10–15 minutes of every distillery on this list, with full kitchens for a slow morning before your tour. No resort fees. No parking fees.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Nashville whiskey tour cost?
Self-guided distillery tastings typically cost $20–$30 per person per stop. Premium experiences like Uncle Nearest’s Master Blend run up to $95. Guided multi-stop group tours range from $35–$120 per person depending on length and inclusions. Full-day Tennessee Whiskey Trail tours with transportation usually run $150–$250 per person.
What is the difference between Tennessee whiskey and bourbon?
Both are American whiskeys made from a grain mash that is at least 51% corn and aged in charred new oak barrels. Tennessee whiskey adds the Lincoln County Process — filtering through sugar maple charcoal before aging — creating a smoother, mellower character. Jack Daniel’s, George Dickel, Uncle Nearest, and Nelson’s Green Brier all use the Lincoln County Process.
Which Nashville distillery is best for first-timers?
Nelson’s Green Brier in Marathon Village is the top pick for first-timers. The tour is structured, the history is fascinating, and the Belle Meade Bourbon is approachable and delicious. Corsair is better if you already know whiskey and want experimental styles. Big Machine is the best choice for larger groups.
Can you do a Nashville whiskey tour without a car?
Yes for in-city distilleries. Corsair’s Gulch location is walkable from downtown. Marathon Village (Nelson’s Green Brier) is a 5–10 minute rideshare from downtown. Big Machine in West Nashville is a 15-minute rideshare. For the Tennessee Whiskey Trail (Jack Daniel’s, Dickel, Uncle Nearest), you’ll either need a car or a guided tour with transportation.
Are Nashville whiskey tours good for bachelorette parties?
Absolutely. Distillery tours are one of our top recommendations for Nashville bachelorette groups. They give you an experience beyond Broadway. Big Machine handles large groups especially well. Many guided multi-stop tours can be customized for bachelorette parties and some include private tasting rooms.
Do Nashville distilleries require reservations?
Most do, especially on weekends. Nelson’s Green Brier books up 1–2 weeks in advance for Saturday tours. Jack Daniel’s and Uncle Nearest premium experiences book 2–4 weeks ahead. Corsair and Big Machine are slightly easier to walk in on a weekday. For guided group tours, book at least 2–3 weeks in advance during bachelorette and CMA Fest seasons.
What happened to Pennington Distilling?
Pennington Distilling was acquired by Big Machine Label Group in 2023 and now operates as Big Machine Distillery. Same building, same team behind the spirits, same Whisper Creek Tennessee Sipping Cream — new ownership and new label-driven releases tied to Big Machine’s country music roster.
Which Tennessee distillery has the best tour?
For history and storytelling, Jack Daniel’s Angel’s Share Tour. For beauty and a one-of-a-kind story, Uncle Nearest’s campus in Shelbyville. For a personal small-group feel, Nelson’s Green Brier in Marathon Village. The “best” depends on what you want — we send guests to all three regularly.
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Make a real day of it
Looking for a guided experience that takes the planning off your plate? Our curated experience partners can put together everything from a 90-minute distillery hop to a full-day Tennessee Whiskey Trail with transportation included.