C.J. and his brother, Curt, have made a fledgling business out of reimagining whiskey barrels as home furnishings. Their 2-year-old enterprise, Columbus Barrel Co., transforms Kentucky bourbon ...

The rise of premium liquors in the 1980s, and a growing consumer willingness to pay more for complex aged spirits, brought new attention to the science of barrel aging.

But despite its old age and rich history, compared to many whiskey makers, Jack Daniels offers a narrow product line: its family consists of just five items, one brand new.

This does incur about 25% more cooperage than the higher proof, a penalty we are happy to pay if it leads to superior four-year-old whiskey. It also means our barrel proof whiskies never get ...