Atlanta – September 16, 2026 -- Eleven Tennessee distilleries have joined forces to release The 2026 Tennessee Collective American Whiskey, a single bottle built from the craft of Big Machine Distillery, Gate 11 Distillery, Jack Daniel's Distillery, Leiper's Fork Distillery, Nelson's Green Brier Distillery, Old Dominick Distillery, Old Glory Distilling Co., Peg Leg Porker Distillery, Short Mountain Distillery, Sugarlands Distilling Co. and Tennessee Legend Distillery.
The whiskey is sold at each participating distillery's tasting room and available for pre-order online at the Tennessee Whiskey Trail's website, with release beginning September 1, 2026.
Each bottle carries a scannable tag with its own distillery story
The Tennessee Collective partnered with proof-it, a consumer authenticity and engagement platform, to attach digital tags to each bottle's neck. Tapping an unlocked smartphone to the tag unlocks a custom video and story specific to the distillery that contributed to that individual bottle's batch, breaking the whiskey's origin into eleven distinct parts.
Charity Toombs, Executive Director of the Tennessee Whiskey Trail, said the proof-it partnership gives the Collective a direct line to consumers, showing how they engage with the product and what interests them most about the blend.
A tasting notes contest runs through January 2027
proof-it is hosting the Tennessee Collective Tasting Notes Contest through January 7, 2027. Buyers tap the tag on their bottle to submit tasting notes and opinions on the whiskey's flavor profile. The top entry wins tickets to the Grain and Grits Festival 2026.
proof-it is powered by Aware Technologies, Inc., which provides tracking technology across a product's journey from production to consumer.