Lynchburg lemonade
Encyclopedia
A Lynchburg Lemonade is a cocktail
made with, among other ingredients, Jack Daniel's
Tennessee whiskey
. It is named after Lynchburg, Tennessee
, home of the Jack Daniel's distillery. A typical recipe is 1 part Jack Daniel's, 1 part triple sec
, 1 part sour mix
and 4 parts lemon-lime soda
. It thus belongs to the sour
family of mixed drinks. It is normally served over ice and garnished with a lemon and possibly a cherry.
The drink was created and given its name by Alabama
restaurant and lounge owner Tony Mason in 1980. It was the subject of the 1987 court case Mason v. Jack Daniel Distillery. Mason alleged that a Jack Daniel's distillery sales representative visited his restaurant and somehow learned the recipe for the drink, which he contended was a trade secret
. A year later, Jack Daniel's launched a national campaign to promote the drink. Mason subsequently filed suit in the Madison County
Circuit Court, seeking over US$13 million in compensatory and punitive damages for misappropriating his recipe. The court ruled in Mason's favor but decided to award him no money. After the trial, the presiding judge offered to pay Mason one dollar out of his own pocket which Mason rejected. In Mason v. Jack Daniel Distillery, Mason appealed the decision to the Alabama Civil Appellate court, which found that Mason could be entitled to more than nominal compensatory damages and overturned the decision, ordering a new trial. The final disposition of the case is not known.
Cocktail
A cocktail is an alcoholic mixed drink that contains two or more ingredients—at least one of the ingredients must be a spirit.Cocktails were originally a mixture of spirits, sugar, water, and bitters. The word has come to mean almost any mixed drink that contains alcohol...
made with, among other ingredients, Jack Daniel's
Jack Daniel's
Jack Daniel's is a brand of sour mash Tennessee whiskey that is among the world's best-selling liquors. It is known for its square bottles and black label. As of November, 2007, one blogger was claiming that it was the best-selling whiskey in the world. It is produced in Lynchburg, Tennessee by...
Tennessee whiskey
Tennessee whiskey
Tennessee whiskey is Straight Bourbon Whiskey produced in the state of Tennessee. This definition is legally established under the North American Free Trade Agreement and at least one other international trade agreement that require that Tennessee whiskey be "a straight Bourbon Whiskey authorized...
. It is named after Lynchburg, Tennessee
Lynchburg, Tennessee
Lynchburg is a city in the south-central region of the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is governed by a consolidated city-county government unit whose boundaries coincide with those of Moore County. Lynchburg is best known as the location of the Jack Daniel's distillery, whose famous whiskey is...
, home of the Jack Daniel's distillery. A typical recipe is 1 part Jack Daniel's, 1 part triple sec
Triple sec
Triple sec, originally Curaçao triple sec, is a variety of Curaçao liqueur, an orange-flavoured liqueur made from the dried peels of bitter and sweet orange....
, 1 part sour mix
Sour mix
Sour mix is a mixer used in many cocktails. It is made from approximately equal parts lemon and/or lime juice and simple syrup and shaken vigorously with ice...
and 4 parts lemon-lime soda
Lemon-lime
Lemon-lime is a common carbonated soft drink flavor, consisting of lemon and lime flavoring. Sprite and 7 Up are the most popular examples.-Description:...
. It thus belongs to the sour
Sour (cocktail)
A sour is a traditional family of mixed drinks. Common examples of sours are the Margarita and the Sidecar. Sours belong to one of the old families of original cocktails and are described by Jerry Thomas in his 1862 book, How to Mix Drinks Sours are mixed drinks containing a base liquor , lemon...
family of mixed drinks. It is normally served over ice and garnished with a lemon and possibly a cherry.
The drink was created and given its name by Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
restaurant and lounge owner Tony Mason in 1980. It was the subject of the 1987 court case Mason v. Jack Daniel Distillery. Mason alleged that a Jack Daniel's distillery sales representative visited his restaurant and somehow learned the recipe for the drink, which he contended was a trade secret
Trade secret
A trade secret is a formula, practice, process, design, instrument, pattern, or compilation of information which is not generally known or reasonably ascertainable, by which a business can obtain an economic advantage over competitors or customers...
. A year later, Jack Daniel's launched a national campaign to promote the drink. Mason subsequently filed suit in the Madison County
Madison County, Alabama
Madison County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is a major part of the Huntsville Metropolitan Area.It is also included in the merged Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. The county is named in honor of James Madison, fourth President of the United States of America, and the...
Circuit Court, seeking over US$13 million in compensatory and punitive damages for misappropriating his recipe. The court ruled in Mason's favor but decided to award him no money. After the trial, the presiding judge offered to pay Mason one dollar out of his own pocket which Mason rejected. In Mason v. Jack Daniel Distillery, Mason appealed the decision to the Alabama Civil Appellate court, which found that Mason could be entitled to more than nominal compensatory damages and overturned the decision, ordering a new trial. The final disposition of the case is not known.