The first of seven gold medals
The main idea behind the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, Missouri was to introduce the latest innovations in science and culture to the world. But it was a marvel of an altogether different kind that wound up capturing the world’s attention.
Jack Daniel and Old No. 7 arrived in St. Louis for the competition to little fanfare. No one knew what to make of the late arrival from Lynchburg, Tennessee and the square bottles of whiskey in the back of his wagon. And between a demonstration of the Ferris Wheel, an appearance by Helen Keller, and the debut of the hot dog, getting noticed was anything but easy. Especially for a 5’2” distiller from a town no one had ever heard of.
But Jack had a knack for standing out in a crowd. Once he shared his sippin’ whiskey with the judges and curious fair-goers, all eyes were on him. The man in the bold hat and his charcoal mellowed whiskey stood out among the 24 selections from around the world to earn a gold medal for World’s Best Whiskey. Not even five days after he lad left for the fair, Jack Daniel was home again. There was a growing demand for Tennessee Whiskey that needed attending.
