Starting over after reaching the top: One distiller’s next chapter

Jeff Arnett stood at the pinnacle of the spirits industry. As master distiller at Jack Daniel’s, he was only the seventh distiller in the company’s history to hold the coveted role without being a member of the family or having grown up in Lynchburg, Tennessee.

Then the pandemic gave him something he rarely had: time to stop and think about what came next in his life.

“I was like the hamster that got a chance to get off the wheel for a moment,” Arnett told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Jeff Arnett invites visitors to pour their own bottle of Tennessee whiskey in the bottling room in Townsend, TN. (Courtesy of Leonard Garrison)

The opportunity blinded him with possibility. Could he create his own distillery? It was definitely a monumental leap, but Arnett eyed the path.

“I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit, and after spending 30 years as a corporate employee, the opportunity to build a distillery and brand from scratch was too enticing to pass up.”

One chilly November evening in Townsend, Tennessee, Arnett sat around a campfire with industry veterans, sipping whiskey and sharing dreams, when the idea ignited. The brand, Company Distilling, was born. In fall 2020, Arnett became the company’s co-founder, master distiller and first official employee.

With Townsend as the dream location, it prompted a sentimental purchase of an old building along the banks of Little River on Highway 73, the western gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Millions of people pass by yearly on their way to Cades Cove, and it was a sure bet they would be thirsty. Initially, the owners wanted to restore the historical structure, but as costs soared, they pivoted, saved its foundational footprint and moved forward.

Using his past experience as his touchstone, today at age 59, Arnett makes Tennessee brown whiskey his way, distilling multiple products, proofs and flavors — one sure to hit the mark with his customers.

Five years in, Company Distilling has earned multiple awards and expanded to three locations. At this point in his life, Arnett didn’t set out to negotiate business on a daily basis. But as the brand continues to grow, dealing with the manifestation of a dream is quite nice.

The cliff-jump from Jack Daniel’s to starting something from scratch might have seemed risky to some. For Arnett, though, greater than the fear of starting over was the regret of not pursuing the opportunity.

His family ultimately gave him the confidence to take the leap.

“My biggest concern was the impact it would have on my wife and children,” he shared. “But they helped me get even more comfortable and confident in the decision to leave Jack Daniel’s and help start Company Distilling.”

Arnett doesn’t fault anyone for choosing a safer, more comfortable path, especially in this season of life. But he’s learned that trying something new can bring its own rewards.

“Leaving your comfort zone, learning new skills, and taking risks — even if it means failing at times — can also have its rewards. There are so many things I have learned and been able to do over the last five years that I never would have been able to experience if I hadn’t decided to make the jump.”