Production places
Connections to water sources, peat places, maltings, cooperages, warehouses and maturation sites. Uncertain connections are labelled.
No documented production places are linked to this distillery yet.
Old Dominick Distillery
Overview of the Distillery
Old Dominick Distillery is located in Downtown Memphis and is the revival of a 19th-century label by the family company D. Canale & Co. Since the first modern batch in 2017, the distillery has produced Tennessee whiskey and small-batch bourbons in a facility near the city’s historic riverfront. The combination of local history, a guest-friendly visitor center with a bar and rooftop, and products using the classic Lincoln County Process makes the site a destination for whiskey enthusiasts.
History
Old Dominick began as Domenico Canale’s mercantile and spirits label in 1866. The Canale family built a regional distribution business through the 19th and 20th centuries, but the label disappeared after Prohibition. In 2013, descendants found an unopened bottle of Original Toddy, and brothers Chris and Alex Canale decided to revive the name. The distillery on South Front Street opened physically in 2017, and it became the first site since Prohibition where whiskey was distilled in Memphis. In recent years, the company has expanded its lineup and, in 2022, launched a Straight Tennessee Whiskey as a modern chapter in the long family history.
Ingredients and Production
Production takes place on-site: grains are milled, mashed, distilled, and bottled in the distillery’s own facilities in Downtown Memphis. The distillery works with classic American grain blends (corn, rye, malted barley) and uses the Lincoln County Process, where the distillate is charcoal-mellowed through sugar maple before barrel aging. Small-batch approaches and a craft-oriented production are emphasized over industrial mass production. The water source is described as the Memphis aquifer and features in the product profiles.
Aging and Barrel Types
Aging takes place in new, charred American oak barrels, typically char level 4, stored in the distillery’s own barrel room on South Front Street. The Bonded edition was, for example, barreled in the fall of 2017. The distillery highlights the use of new American oak barrels as important for developing vanilla, caramel, and oak notes in their whiskies.
Whiskies
The assortment covers Tennessee whiskey and a range of bourbons in different releases: an 85-proof Straight Tennessee Whiskey, a Bottled-in-Bond Tennessee Whiskey, small-batch releases like 90.1 Small Batch, and a selected Eight-Year Reserve. The historic Original Toddy is reintroduced, and the distillery also offers a cask strength release and local bourbon names such as Huling Station. The products are sold both in the distillery shop and via retailers.
| Whisky | Type / Series | Alcohol | Age | Barrel and Style | Tasting Profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Dominick Tennessee Whiskey | Tennessee Whiskey | 4 years | New, charred oak barrels (Barrel char level 4) | Straight Tennessee Whiskey from Old Dominick uses a mash bill of 75/13/12 and is raised through the Lincoln County Process before aging. The bottle is bottled at 85 proof and presented as a Tennessee-style with a spicy rye backbone.; Nose: Vanilla, anise, tobacco, caramel and crème brûlée with hints of oak; Finish: Smooth, medium finish with oak notes | Core Range | |
| Old Dominick Bonded Tennessee Whiskey | Bottled-in-Bond Tennessee Whiskey | 50 % | New, charred oak barrels; finish: Silky-smooth medium finish with wisps of oak | A Bottled-in-Bond edition from Old Dominick, built on their signature mash bill (75/13/12). The first release was laid down in the fall of 2017 in the distillery's barrel room.; Nose: Vanilla, anise, and tobacco layered with caramel and crème brûlée; Taste: Complex and robust with vanilla, anise and tobacco; Finish: Silk-smooth mid-finish with oak notes | Core Range | |
| Old Dominick 90.1 Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey | Small batch bourbon | New American oak barrels | Small-batch bourbon named after Memphis' 901 area code and designed to be versatile for sipping and cocktails. Described as a representative of Memphis.; Nose: Buttercream, almond and brown sugar with cherries and leather; Taste: Cherry and leather, spiced with baking spices and dried fruit | Core Range | ||
| Old Dominick Eight-Year Reserve Bourbon | Bourbon | 50 % | 8 years | New, charred oak barrels (Char level 4); finish: Satisfying oak finish | A selected reserve bourbon, where the best casks are chosen annually for this 8-year edition with a focus on sweetness and fruitiness.; Nose: Cream soda and fresh peach with raisins and dessert icing; Taste: Rich caramel and butterscotch, honey and vanilla; Finish: Satisfying oak finish | Core Range |
| Old Dominick The Original Toddy | Flavored/high-rye bourbon-based spirit | Blend based on high-rye bourbon (bottled at a lower proof); finish: Dry and warm finish with spices and butterscotch | A reconstruction of Domenico Canale's original Toddy; blended from high-rye bourbon with natural ingredients to a lower-proof drink, suitable neat or in cocktails.; Nose: Ginger and warm honey with a hint of peppery spice; Taste: Cinnamon, ginger, honey, citrus and allspice with sweetness and spice; Finish: Dry, warm and spicy finish with butterscotch aftertaste | Core Range | ||
| Huling Station Bourbon Whiskey | Bourbon | New American oak barrels | Name mentioned as part of the distillery's bourbon lineup and used in recipes and cocktails on site. | Core Range | ||
| Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey | Bourbon (cask strength) | New American oak barrels | A cask-strength bourbon in the distillery's lineup with notes of warm spices and chocolate-like tones.; Nose: Honey and cinnamon with dark chocolate and spices; Taste: Spiced rye, leather and dark chocolate mentioned in tasting notes; Finish: Long, caramel-like warmth | Core Range |
The whiskies' style and flavor profiles
Across the products, three clear directions emerge: sweetness and dessert notes (caramel, butterscotch, buttercream), fruitiness (peach, cherry, raisins), and spice (cinnamon, ginger, and rye spice). These elements are documented in tasting notes for the Eight-Year Reserve, 90.1 Small Batch, Bonded Tennessee, and The Original Toddy, painting a picture of a range with sweet, fruity, and spicy facets.
Visit the Distillery
The distillery offers guided tours and tastings (for example, a 1-hour tour with tasting). There is a bar with seasonally themed cocktails, a gift shop, and flexible spaces for private events including rooftop and loft areas. Opening hours for the bar and distillery follow the weekly schedule (Sun–Tue 12–7, Wed–Thu 12–9, Fri–Sat 12–10) and tours are booked through the distillery's booking system. The bar does not serve food, but guests may bring takeaway from nearby restaurants.
The stated hours are Distillery & Bar: Sun–Tue 12–7 PM, Wed–Thu 12–9 PM, Fri–Sat 12–10 PM. Gift shop daily 12–7 PM.
Philosophy and Craft
The distillery’s practice combines family heritage and craftsmanship with local references: it revives Domenico Canale’s original label and operates according to values such as "Quality Products, Quality Service, by Quality People." There is a focus on traditional processes — especially charcoal mellowing — and on connecting the products with Memphis’s identity.
Prices and Recognitions
- Best Tennessee Whiskey (Old Dominick Bonded Tennessee Whiskey)
Latest News
Old Dominick in the News: December 2022 – 27.02.2026
Summary of media coverage surrounding the launch of Straight Tennessee Whiskey and related news about the distillery’s historical revival. The article mentions, among other things, the planned series releases including 85-proof and Bottled-in-Bond variants.
Meet The Memphis Distiller Bringing Whiskey To West Tennessee – 13.03.2026
Feature article focusing on the distillery’s master distiller and the ambition to establish Memphis as a producer of modern whiskey.