The Jack Daniel Distillery has a new master distiller. Former assistant master distiller and Lynchburg, Tenn., native Chris Fletcher will take over the reigns of the iconic distillery.

Fletcher, 39, served as the assistant to master distiller Jeff Arnett for six years; going forward, he also will oversee Jack Daniel’s Distillers in Training program, designed to recruit and mentor future whiskey makers.

Arnett had served as master distiller for Jack Daniel for more than two decades before stepping away in early September.

In addition, Fletcher is the grandson of former master distiller Frank Bobo, who served in the role from 1966 until his retirement in 1989.

Fletcher began his employment at Jack Daniel in 2001 when he worked as a part-time tour guide while attending college.  He graduated with a B.S. in Chemistry from Tennessee Technological University in 2003 and began work as a chemist with Brown-Forman in research and development for eight years. 

After a stint at Buffalo Trace Distillery, Fletcher came back home to the Jack Daniel Distillery and was named Assistant Master Distiller.