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00:00In September 2023, the world lost moonshine legend, Jim Tom Hedrick.
00:07Rye whiskey, rye whiskey, please don't let me down.
00:13Now, three backwoods liquor makers.
00:16It's going to taste just like Jim Tom's rye whiskey.
00:19Honor the legacy.
00:20It's a surprise on your palate.
00:22Of a man known for his unusual still designs.
00:25Jim Tom's say you've got to run rye liquor backwards to watch you run corn liquor.
00:30And you weren't.
00:31And compete to put their own twist.
00:34Woo!
00:34That's rye whiskey is what that is.
00:36On Jim Tom's legendary rye whiskey recipe.
00:40Rye whiskey, rye whiskey, don't let me down.
00:45That's about the poorest representation I've seen of it, but well done.
00:55Guys, welcome back to Master Distiller.
01:07Every one of you has been here in some form or fashion.
01:10We're here to see what you can do again.
01:13Today's really an extra special day.
01:16We're here honoring Jim Tom Hedrick.
01:18He was an old school shiner, a master steel builder, and a world class storyteller.
01:24Jim Tom was a master for sure.
01:28He was a legend.
01:29He taught a lot of young shiners like myself how to make steels, how to make moonshine.
01:34He was a big part of keeping the heritage, the traditions alive, and I miss him.
01:41What's that, Jill?
01:42I guess my women for me.
01:43For over 60 years, Marvin Jim Tom Hedrick made moonshine as bold and punchy as his personality.
01:54He's pretty much a legend.
01:56That's moving the baby time in.
01:58Born dirt poor in Graham County, North Carolina, on Christmas Day in 1940,
02:04Jim Tom first laid eyes on the backwoods still of a local moonshiner at just 15 years old.
02:12The guy that had the steel, he said, Jim Tom, what do you think of the looks of this thing?
02:17I said, that's the prettiest thing I've ever seen in my life.
02:19Four years later, he built his own still and started running whiskey.
02:26I'm pretty good on this rye whiskey.
02:28Oh, I know.
02:29You're the best.
02:29He spent the next half of a century perfecting his craft, fabricating artisan copper stills,
02:36and mentoring the next generation of shiners.
02:39How in the world do you keep getting busted making moonshine all these years?
02:41They hunted for me for 50 years.
02:43While entertaining them with his renowned stories and songs.
02:47Whiskey, whiskey, whiskey, come on out.
02:49I'm a craving whiskey with my spout.
02:52As a charismatic steward of the Appalachian moonshining tradition,
02:56Jim Tom's legacy of knowledge lives on in the liquor and laughter of his successors.
03:02What do you think?
03:04That's what ours was missing.
03:05That's it.
03:06You done it.
03:09Today, we're going to do our best to pay homage to Jim Tom by making the best version of Jim Tom's famous rye whiskey.
03:19Rye is a very tricky grain.
03:23You've got to grind it just right so you can unlock the full flavor,
03:27but not bring so much of the peppery spice from it that you can't enjoy it.
03:33Whoever makes us the best rye whiskey that we judge,
03:37that's your bragging rye you're going to get right there off the bat.
03:40But beyond that, you're going to get a little Jim Tom-related prize.
03:44We ask you all to bring your own signature mask that best represents Jim Tom's unaged legacy rye whiskey.
03:55Before you run your liquor, you're going to have to build your own condenser, just like Jim Tom.
04:03Behind you is a box of steel parts, tubing, torch, solder, whatever you need.
04:09You're going to have one hour to get us that cooling tub built.
04:12Get your worm bent, get it where it'll fit inside that can, get it soldered up where it will not leak.
04:18If you don't finish in time, or if you have an issue with your condenser,
04:24when it comes time to run, fellas, you're going to be up the creek.
04:28All right, guys, let's do this one for Jim Tom.
04:31One hour.
04:32Your time starts now.
04:34Good luck, guys, and get with it.
04:35Get on it.
04:35Here we go.
04:38We got a coal cop.
04:40Yeah, coil, we got to figure out.
04:43To make Jim Tom's signature condenser,
04:46moonshiners will bend the copper pipe into a coil with a downward slope to create the worm
04:51and solder together a watertight vessel for it to sit in called a flake stand.
04:57The alcohol vapor must flow freely from the still through the worm where it condenses into high-proof liquor
05:03as any leaks will cause the moonshiners to lose alcohol and impact the flavor of their whiskey.
05:10I got a suggestion.
05:11Let's work together, bending our coil.
05:13We got to find something in here that we can bend it around besides JJ's leg.
05:17It won't go down in the can if we use it.
05:22My personal experience of building a condenser is almost zero.
05:26I have seen it.
05:27I have helped with it.
05:28But I have never been in charge of it.
05:30I like the fact that they're helping each other.
05:33Yeah, they are.
05:34You know, it'd be really hard to do by yourself.
05:36Jim Tom would be proud of watching what's going on.
05:38We're reversing.
05:39Yeah, I want it to run backwards.
05:44As Jim Tom said, you got to run rye liquor backwards to watch you run corn liquor.
05:50Yeah.
05:51I'm Kelly Williamson, 57 years old, from Cosby, Tennessee.
05:56We've got liquor coming.
05:58I've been moonshining pretty much my adult life.
06:01Where I'm from, everybody has a family history in moonshining.
06:04It's just there.
06:05It's what happened.
06:06It's what went on.
06:06All these little rings they've got, I bet these things will make really good spacers.
06:11You know, my moonshining style is old school, and I think that's what I incorporate into it.
06:16And Jim Tom was one of the forefathers that taught us that.
06:19I spent quite a bit of time with Jim Tom over a few years, and Jim Tom taught a lot to me.
06:25You know, he had so much experience in life.
06:27He'd been everywhere and done everything.
06:31I want to win it for Jim Tom and to pay respect to him.
06:35All right.
06:36I'm comfortable with that.
06:38I've built several pot stills.
06:40So I've got a knack for building things.
06:43So hopefully that'll show up today when I really need it.
06:47I smell hair.
06:49I think you've got the most to lose here.
06:51Yeah.
06:52I'm Joe Jackson.
06:53I'm from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and I'm 38 years old.
06:56I was in the 82nd Airborne Division.
06:59I was an infantryman.
07:02I did several deployments to Afghanistan.
07:05I've been through hell and high water at this point in my life.
07:09So making liquor is kind of like a therapy session for me.
07:12Oh, smell that.
07:15Holy Jiminy.
07:16Now, I run liquor for a living.
07:19I've competed on Master Distiller before.
07:22I did not win.
07:23Joe, I now understand a little more why that label says high in English.
07:28Instantly, it'll get you high.
07:32So coming back, I'm here to prove myself.
07:35But also, I'm here to really honor a legend.
07:40I think these are all going to be interestingly different.
07:44In the moonshine world, Jim Tom is a legend.
07:46The tradition and the heritage behind what he did and accomplished is to be respected.
07:51I am a Master Distiller, and I want the judges to see it in their eyes.
07:57I have really put a lot of time and effort into this, into the science behind it,
08:01and hopefully that shines through in my final jar.
08:05It ain't pretty, but it'll do.
08:09I come in here and have to build a condenser, something I normally don't do.
08:14I just make the liquor, sell the liquor.
08:16But if a condenser needs to be built, I gotta build it.
08:18I ain't got mine fitting like y'all.
08:21My name's Big Chuck.
08:22I'm from Gurdon, Arkansas.
08:26Voila, cap done fell.
08:29Bitter.
08:30I've been making liquor now about seven, eight years.
08:33Started off as a means to make an income,
08:35then I kind of grew into loving the craft and learning more about it.
08:39We out in the woods, so we ain't got to worry about making a mess.
08:42I've been on Master Distiller one other time.
08:44Some old mud bugs there, crawfish.
08:46And I really shocked and awed everybody
08:49because I brought dead crawfish up here and made liquor out of it.
08:53Big Chuck, that jar bought you a ticket home.
08:55I'm awful sorry, old buddy.
08:57But not winning the previous time.
08:59I'm on a mission here.
08:59Not only am I here to pay tribute to Jim Tom,
09:02I'm also here for redemption.
09:03So victory, here we come.
09:07Holy crap.
09:09Fell apart.
09:09Means it wasn't sordered right.
09:12Hey, it might be a crooked road home, but we'll get there.
09:15As long as it don't leak.
09:19Gentlemen, 20 minutes left to finish those rascals.
09:22All righty.
09:24All right.
09:24Are you supposed to put a tube on it?
09:30I did.
09:31So then I can run it out towards the middle,
09:33so then it's not just pulling on the side.
09:37Damn, I can't do that.
09:39Is your pipe right in the way?
09:40Yep.
09:41Mmm, this is going to be tough here.
09:43Doing all these little things, seal everything really good,
09:46put all the right places in the right parts,
09:48making sure that worm's good and even and level.
09:50It's important because if it ain't set up right,
09:52you ain't going to run good liquor.
09:53I ain't no coppersmith,
09:54so this ain't going so good for me right now.
09:58You're looking a little crooked over there.
10:00Yeah.
10:01Get in there, you son of a bitch.
10:03Ben, you got five minutes left.
10:06Look at you.
10:07That boy.
10:08Oh, look at that.
10:10You're using that head for more than just a place to put that cap.
10:13I've got this thing together.
10:14It's not beautiful.
10:16By no means, Jim Tom might be like,
10:17you did the best you can,
10:19and it looks like it might work.
10:21Oops.
10:23Here, turn it up and look down in.
10:27I understand how copper works and how to put it together,
10:30so I think I'm good to make liquor.
10:32All right, I'm good.
10:34Let's see if I'm going to leak.
10:38Oh, my God.
10:41It's all leaking.
10:43Wow.
10:44Congratulations, Chuck.
10:45You have invented the sifter.
10:47Talking about embarrassing.
10:48If I get on here and this thing ain't going to run right
10:51and going to be springing leaks and I can't even run liquor.
10:53It ain't looking good.
10:54Oh, my God.
11:02It's all leaking.
11:04Even though I don't really know what I'm doing and soldering and all that,
11:07if it's leaking, then you've got to deal with it.
11:09So I'm going to solder everywhere and seal everything really good.
11:13I mean, Chuck's like a dog pissing in the snow.
11:15He's just hitting here and there.
11:17Hold the torch in one spot.
11:18You don't have to move it.
11:19Man, you've got one minute.
11:23You've got a leak.
11:25You ain't going to get to do your run.
11:28No leak in the worm.
11:30Five, four, three, two, one.
11:36You're done, guys.
11:37Step away from them cans.
11:39Whew.
11:40Y'all chase on out of here.
11:42We've got to do a little inspection on the work.
11:45Whew.
11:45That's what I'm saying.
11:50Let's go over here and see what kind of gum they've caused.
11:53It looks pretty dang good from here.
11:55It don't look horrible bad at all, even if Kelly did do it.
11:59Let's check and see if the worm has got a leak in it.
12:02Rock and roll.
12:05I know, yeah.
12:06Yeah, it'll make it spurt.
12:08Yeah, he'll lose liquor.
12:09You know, that's why you've got to do this.
12:11This ain't going to work for him like it is.
12:13So now we've got to fill the can completely up.
12:16Here we go.
12:23The seal looks good around the edges.
12:25Kelly is not leaking around the base or his...
12:28Or around the spout.
12:30We're ready to move on to number two?
12:32Jojo.
12:33Joe's worm looks the way it's supposed to look.
12:35He looks good, don't he?
12:36Yeah.
12:36Yeah.
12:37I'm concerned about the bottom.
12:41Now we're good.
12:42I just blasted.
12:43I'm going to pass Joe.
12:44He's good to go.
12:45Moving on down the line.
12:46The man that struggled the most.
12:49My big chuck.
12:50That soldering kind of looks like I did it.
12:53The worm looks okay.
12:54See if it leaks.
12:55Here we go.
12:58Whoop.
12:59Nope.
13:00No, sir.
13:00Absolutely not.
13:02That's got a major leak.
13:04Here.
13:05Ain't no need to look any time.
13:06That does pose a little problem for this young man.
13:12But on the upside, I really don't think his bottom leaked at all.
13:16Hell, he don't know.
13:17He's got a pound of solder on it.
13:19Well, Big Chuck's got a big leak to fix.
13:21He's going to have to include the fix, the repair of this condenser in his four-hour time frame.
13:28Jen's okay with that?
13:29I mean, it could take him one minute or take him ten minutes.
13:32That's his fault.
13:33First time he's ever done it to him, I think he's done a good job.
13:35Yeah, for me, he's never done any soldering before.
13:49Welcome back, guys.
13:50We put the mash that you built to best represent Jim and Tom's famous rye whiskey.
13:56And we got these stills and the condensers you built.
13:59There's still some issues, and Mark's going to address them.
14:02Kelly?
14:02Kelly, you've got a low spot on the very top of your worm that will cause it to spurt.
14:09Psh, psh, psh.
14:11Joe?
14:12You're good to go, boss.
14:15No problems at all with your condenser.
14:18Chuck?
14:18You've got a pretty bad leak on your inlet water valve.
14:23It's an easy fix.
14:24It's just a big leak.
14:26The good news is it's just one leak.
14:28The bad news is it's a pretty bad leak.
14:30If I can't get this all together, I won't be able to make this run happen.
14:34You don't get any additional time.
14:36You have to rectify the problems during your run.
14:39All right, boys, we're looking for a clear jar of 100 proof that brings out that spicy rye.
14:45Y'all better get it right.
14:48Three hours bring us that jar that best represents Jim Tom Hedrick's Mountain Rye Whiskey.
14:57That starts now.
14:59Get with you, guys.
15:00For the first run, Moonshiners brought their own Backwoods Rye Whiskey Mash.
15:09Producing a winning jar will come down to its spicy rye flavor and the capability of their handmade condensers
15:16to yield a high-proof shine that holds up to Jim Tom's famous whiskey.
15:20Chuck, you making a mess.
15:22Yeah, baby, we came here to make a mess.
15:26I went with about 40 pounds of rye.
15:29Then I went with about 20 pounds of caramel malt and about 10 pounds of malted barley.
15:32And then I put a couple gallons of sorghum molasses in there just to add another flavor dynamic.
15:37I ain't ever seen no match like that in my whole life.
15:39Will you wait till you try it, Josh?
15:44It's a surprise on your palate.
15:46Jim Tom, he's a pretty traditional guy.
15:48I mean, all his liquor recipes seem to be pretty cut and dry.
15:50Just a couple grains, a little sugar.
15:53And I thought I'd add my own little twist to it, man.
15:55Put some flavors in there that maybe they're not used to seeing put together.
16:00Look at yours, looking like yellow milk.
16:02What you got in yours?
16:04So I got Danko rye.
16:06It's grown in Pennsylvania.
16:06I've got Argentine orange corn, a little bit of light crystal malt, some triticale, and some oats.
16:15I ain't heard none of that.
16:17A myriad of things, I guess?
16:19Rye has a storied past.
16:20Before Prohibition, the majority of the spirits in the United States were rye whiskeys.
16:25So I wanted to pay homage to Jim Tom by using that Danko rye as a base.
16:30I went so far as to even throw a tequila yeast at this.
16:33I'm sure that was abundant in Robbinsville, North Carolina in 1990 when Jim Tom was at his heyday.
16:40Jim Tom's favorite jar of liquor was the last one that he'd drunk, and his next favorite was the next one he's going to drink.
16:46I'm going back to stories with Jim Tom and what I feel like he would have had access to.
16:52But he loved fiery, spicy rye whiskey.
16:55And I used a sample ground Carolina rye.
17:00Out of the three competitors, I'm the only one that actually knew Jim Tom.
17:04And I feel like that being from this area and knowing him and just understanding the way he did things,
17:10it should have given me a little bit of an edge.
17:13Damn him.
17:17All right, gentlemen, you have officially burned 30 minutes.
17:21So where's the leak at?
17:30It looks like it's right in here.
17:32Oh, yeah.
17:33This leak is on a joint there, so I think it throwed a worm on the side and got it fixed, got it connected.
17:39Now we're rolling.
17:40An hour and a half in, an hour and a half left, guys.
17:48So far, so good.
17:49If it ain't leaking now, I'm going to say you're home free.
17:52Take me home.
17:55Yeah, this is going to run soon.
17:58I've got liquor.
18:00All right, here we go.
18:05You're running, baby.
18:07Sargum's coming through.
18:09I can smell that sargum.
18:10I'm getting the sargum on the nose, and it's kind of presenting a funky nose.
18:14I am worried about that.
18:19And yeah, molasses is an acquired taste.
18:21I mean, a lot of people like it or you don't.
18:23That's all them fancy ingredients I'm working out for you, boys.
18:25I want notes on notes and flavor bridges on flavor bridges.
18:29That's what I'm aiming at.
18:30I understand that flavors and all these infusions is the way of the future, but without some
18:36heritage to it, that doesn't hold on very long and very strong.
18:40Just remember this part.
18:42Rye whiskey, rye whiskey, don't let me down.
18:46That's about the poorest representation I've seen of it, but well done.
18:54I played this thing pretty close on what I felt like Jim Tom would do.
18:59We've got the spice of the rye, and I've got the proof good.
19:02I think I'm ready for you to have one.
19:04Bring it on, big dog.
19:06Nice and clear.
19:07That's the one.
19:09Sample.
19:10Chill out a little bit.
19:11One minute, gentlemen.
19:15Not meaning to ensue any panic or anything, but you're about to run out of time.
19:22It's a hunter-proof on the head.
19:23It ain't got the nose I like, but it's got the smoothness and it's got the sweetness.
19:2815 seconds, gentlemen.
19:30I think I got it.
19:31I know we've got some sweetness and that spicy characteristic of rye that is beloved by Jim Tom.
19:37Five, four, three, two, one, you're done.
19:42We've got three pretty clear jars right here.
19:44Hopefully, old Jim Tom will be smiling from up above at these jars.
19:48I promise she is.
19:49I'm going to go ahead and say that this is a proud day of my life, getting to be here and be part of this.
19:54We're going to go do a little tasting and deliberating.
19:58Here we go.
19:59Gentlemen, it's time to start tasting a little of this liquor and see who is best representative of our dear old friend, Jim Tom Hedrick.
20:11We set a criteria of a minimum of 100 proof and the majority of the grain in the mash pill had to be rye.
20:18All right, y'all start with Kelly?
20:20Yeah.
20:20That right there is a clear jar, my friend.
20:25That's a nice feed.
20:26She's high in proof.
20:28I'm going to say he's a buck ten.
20:30I just played mine pretty close and tried to do traditional as much as I could.
20:35It's definitely spicy.
20:44It's absolutely rye whiskey.
20:47Nice, sweet flavor up front.
20:49Very sweet.
20:51Even when it is, it's got a good nose on it for rye.
20:53It finishes off on the back end with that hot, spicy pepper.
20:58That's what rye whiskey is supposed to be.
21:02Let's see what Joe Jackson's working with.
21:04Danko rye is his primary ingredient.
21:07He's got Argentina orange corn.
21:10I'm going to say he's neighborhood 80.
21:12I wanted to find in the mash a way to unlock those little bridges between the flavors.
21:21It's like drinking water with alcohol in it or something.
21:25It's very, very light on the nose, but it don't have any of the spicy pepper on the back end like rye is noted for.
21:35I think that's what Danko is known for is a smoother finish.
21:39It's definitely low proof.
21:41The flavor profile is kind of reminiscent of a non-aged bourbon, corn liquor with some barley in it.
21:48How about Big Chuck?
21:49You going to check it out?
21:50I mean, Chuck's jar is clear.
21:52That's a nice-looking day.
21:56That's right on Amani there, Andy.
21:58He's probably closer to 100.
22:00All the flavors didn't come together like that, so I pulled the proof down a little bit on that final jar
22:05just to try to tone it down a little bit so that fiery rye wasn't on the end.
22:10It reminds me of some kind of pie crust or something.
22:14Graham cracker?
22:14Something like that.
22:16I'm going to say it's from that chocolate bowl.
22:20I don't get none of the peppery rye.
22:24I mean, how is it possible, as much grain as he had?
22:27I think his predominant grain was one of those barleys, one of those other balts that he used.
22:32It's got a really good flavor, and I think it would age really, really well.
22:37Absolutely.
22:38I think Jim Tom would have been happy with any of them.
22:41Yeah.
22:41I know where I sit on this pew.
22:43I know where Jim Tom would be at.
22:45If it's good enough for him, it's good enough for me.
22:47Ain't that the skinny end?
22:48That's right.
22:49Let's go, guys.
22:53Yeah, man.
22:54There comes the maestro's.
23:04Now, what we asked y'all to do was bring us a spicy rye jar just like Jim Tom Hedrick was known for.
23:12At 100 proof.
23:15Big chuck over here.
23:17Your liquor was more of a rum.
23:19I don't think you got enough rye in there.
23:21The barleys that you put in there, the crystal malt, they brought just a melon oak to it.
23:25Didn't have that spicy rye bite like you want with the rye.
23:28It's supposed to punch you right in the tongue right off the bat.
23:31Yeah.
23:31But fine drink of liquor.
23:33Thank you, sir.
23:34All in all, the drink come off clear.
23:37I didn't really think it was going to come off clear.
23:38I figured it'd be cloudy.
23:39And being made out of rye, too, I figured it'd be like gasoline in a jug.
23:44But it had a really good flavor.
23:46It blew my mind, honestly.
23:48Yeah.
23:48Joe, I think Jim Tom, he would have smacked his lips two or three times just trying to
23:55get a feel of where it was at.
23:57You didn't bring a spicier rye.
24:00I think what you brought us there was a really good wheat liquor with some rye.
24:04But all in all, fine drink.
24:08Kelly, you stuck to more traditional Jim Tom recipe with very simple ingredients.
24:14The spicy pepper burned on the back end.
24:17It's typical of rye was there.
24:19You tried to stay as true to what you thought the recipe would be, and it worked out for you.
24:25Thank you, Josh.
24:26Man, we can't get you out of the stock room unless we get to ordering which market is going
24:29to take you up.
24:30And the way that plays out is, Kelly, you're number one.
24:40You had the spiciest rye.
24:42Second one in the gate to the stock room, Big Chuck.
24:46So that brings in Joe driving the caboose.
24:50That being said, Mark's going to take you all to the stock room and let you get you some groceries.
24:56Set your jars down and follow me.
25:00Welcome to our stock room.
25:09This is your chance to add additional ingredients to build up on Jim Tom's legacy and create the
25:16next generation of rye whiskey, which he so loved.
25:19We got a lot of stuff in here, but here's the catch now.
25:24We don't have enough of everything for everybody to get the same item.
25:30Kelly, you're in first.
25:31You're getting one minute.
25:33Your time starts now.
25:37Them peppers will be good, Kelly.
25:38Get them.
25:39Yeah.
25:39My whole plan on this thing is to go apple.
25:42Apple rye is a win all the way around all the time.
25:45I love it.
25:45I've done it before, so I know what I'm looking for.
25:48How you doing over there, boss?
25:4915 seconds.
25:50Getting some apples.
25:51If I could find some caramel or some cinnamon, whichever one is in the stock room, that's
25:56what I'm going to come away with.
25:57Five, four, three, two, one.
26:02Drop your basket, boss.
26:04I think Kelly took every apple in the store.
26:06All right, Chuck.
26:08Your time starts now.
26:12You know, I know how you are.
26:14There ain't no doubt in my mind, you're going to pick out the most weirdest stuff over there
26:17and make it work.
26:18Yeah.
26:19Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
26:20I got to balance this drink out.
26:22What I was going to do was apples, but Kelly wouldn't got every single apple in the bunch,
26:26so I had to deviate.
26:28I notice you're not worried about bruising them?
26:30No.
26:31That's fine.
26:31Absolutely.
26:32I'm going for peaches, baby.
26:34You're halfway through, Chuck.
26:35Yeah, we got to throw them in there and bring them up better.
26:36There you go.
26:37Get them started.
26:38I've seen a jar of brown sugar.
26:40I found a little old jug of apple juice.
26:42I got some little syrup that I might could add to it to give some sweet effect.
26:45Here we go.
26:45Five, four.
26:46I got it, baby.
26:47Well, isn't that peachy?
26:50Joe, you ready?
26:51Yes, sir.
26:52Let's get busy.
26:53Your time starts now.
26:55Go.
26:56So I'm going in the stockroom third.
26:58There's a lot of things that have been taken off the shelf that, you know, I could have
27:01potentially used to infuse in my run.
27:04Halfway there, Joe.
27:0530 seconds left.
27:06So right now, I've got a buttload of citrus to work with.
27:09I see a lot of citrus going in the basket.
27:11I went for the mandarin oranges, the lemons, the limes.
27:14Anything citrus that I could grab, I put it in my basket.
27:18Four, three, two, one.
27:22You're done.
27:22I hope you're all happy with your ingredients.
27:28Either are or you ain't.
27:29Too late now.
27:31We ready to get this flavor run started?
27:33Yes, sir.
27:34Grab your baskets.
27:35Let's go.
27:35Oh!
27:36All right, guys.
27:47Y'all going to rerun the rye whiskey that y'all made from your first run.
27:51Now, this time, you can add your additional flavor.
27:54We don't want the classic rye that Jim Tom was known for.
27:57We want that rye whiskey with your spin on it.
28:00So, that being said, anything goes except for low-proof whiskey.
28:07We want that 100-proof jar.
28:10This runs for all the glory, all the bragging rights, and a special Jim Tom Master Distiller prize.
28:18All right, guys.
28:22Y'all going to rerun the rye whiskey that y'all made from your first run.
28:26We don't want the classic rye that Jim Tom was known for.
28:29We want that rye whiskey with your spin on it.
28:33You got four hours, gentlemen.
28:35Your time starts now.
28:37Good luck and get with you.
28:38I'm going to tell you, now, Joe's mash is pretty mash.
28:54It's all you want to work on my own.
28:55I always think that'd look good, too.
29:00Mm-hmm.
29:02There we go.
29:03Now you're cooking with gas, literally.
29:08I'm going to keep everything simple.
29:10I'm going to go with what I know.
29:11I know rye, and I know apple.
29:13Jim Tom always made simple, good liquor, and that's what he always said do.
29:18Keep it simple and stick to your guns, and that's what I tried to do here.
29:23Needs a little argo.
29:25Needs a little liquor in it.
29:26I'd put some mash in it if it was me, but just me.
29:29There we go.
29:32I'm going to puree these apples.
29:33I'm going to put them in a thumper so that it has a little bit of time to, you know,
29:38just kind of steep itself in, and I feel like we can carry the flavor over.
29:43Mm, look at that.
29:44That's some good-looking stuff right there.
29:46Oh, I ain't going to lie.
29:47That's what you make good liquor out of right there.
29:50Well, we'll see.
29:51His thing's the simplest.
29:53Kelly's making stuff Jim Tom made himself, and Kelly knew that, too, but he had the advantage.
30:00He was able to get those apples.
30:01He's cutting up his peaches and throwing them in there.
30:06Yeah, leaving them seeds out of there, though.
30:09The traditional moonshine back in Arkansas, back during the Prohibition era, they would
30:13infuse their pot with fruit, so I'm going to put peaches in my pot, so that way, as the
30:19liquor's churning and earning, it's going to pull through them peaches and maybe throw
30:23some peach in the body of that drink.
30:25All right, I'm whipping up a little old peach sauce over here and going to thump them.
30:34Cook this down here.
30:36Got a little brown sugar, a little bit of syrup.
30:39If I can't bring a little bit more of that rye to it with the peach, peach gumbo.
30:45Peach gumbo rye.
30:46Never heard of that.
30:47Well, we asked them to put their spin on it.
30:50Guys, you burned 40 minutes.
30:53All right, here comes the real work.
30:55I see G.I. Joe's over here trimming an orange.
31:03I know what he's bringing to that thumper is citrus times 10.
31:08So I've got some oranges, limes, some lemons.
31:11I'm going to go for a citrus mountain brandy.
31:14Citrus mountain brandy, that just goes together.
31:17It does.
31:18It just rolls off your tongue.
31:20It keeps dropping the citrus over there, though.
31:23If you treat rye right, it really brings forward a floral, botanical note.
31:30So I'm expecting that note to really play well with that citrus.
31:34Struggling here.
31:35I can't peel fast enough.
31:37You better hurry up.
31:38I'm about to start running.
31:39Well, my still's at 140.
31:42All right, guys.
31:43You're halfway home.
31:44Burned two hours.
31:45Got two left.
31:46I'm running, baby.
31:48You running?
31:49Yeah.
31:50Running fast, too, boys.
31:53That's all right.
31:54I'm going to run it hot.
31:55You're going to give them some spice, Chuck.
31:59I'll be down.
32:01There we go, daddy-o.
32:04My liquor's running now.
32:05It's coming through.
32:06It's pretty high proof.
32:07You can smell the apples in it.
32:09I'm going to put some cinnamon sticks in my thump keg.
32:13I'm only going to put a few in here.
32:15If it don't carry a lot of cinnamon flavor, that's okay, because I'm going to hopefully
32:19have a good apple flavor.
32:20Less is better than cinnamon.
32:21It don't take much.
32:22If you find out, you done overpowered yourself.
32:24I believe if I can control the cinnamon, I can pull enough apple flavor through to make
32:29it work.
32:31Hour and a half in, hour and a half left, guys.
32:35There we go.
32:37It smells like citrus coming up the end of that spout right now.
32:41Working with citrus is challenging.
32:43It has a lot of really bright notes that can overpower whatever base spirit you put it through.
32:49Is it working out like you wanted it, too?
32:52Somewhat.
32:53I'm going to have to try to blend it all together and make it merry.
32:56A lot of those big, bright citrus notes were at the beginning.
32:58So I might have to take, like, just a...
33:02A little bit of the high fruit.
33:04Just, like, a touch.
33:09You're blending right now?
33:10Running it back through that cinnamon and charcoal, just running it across it again.
33:14Pulled maybe just a touch more cinnamon flavor.
33:16A touch.
33:18Just so you know, guys, you're down that straightaway headed home.
33:2230 minutes left.
33:23I believe Kelly's about ready with his.
33:33It's a good, solid jar of rye apple with a hint of cinnamon to it.
33:37You can smell the apples in it, and you can kind of smell the cinnamon.
33:41I'm going to believe I'm going to win this thing, because if I believe it, I will, and I want that trophy really, really bad.
33:46All right.
33:47Gentlemen.
33:48Nice and clear.
33:49My jar.
33:50Beautiful, clear jar.
33:53You got five minutes left to get us a jar on the table.
33:58I believe Chuck's ready.
34:00Yes, sir.
34:01Bring it in here, big man.
34:02I believe he is.
34:03He's got it chilled.
34:05Absolutely.
34:07Enjoy.
34:08This final jar does have the peach.
34:10It ain't got the smell I want, but the flavor's all the way there, front to back.
34:14I think this is it, brother.
34:15Well, I wouldn't waste any more time.
34:17Bring it on, JJ.
34:19This jar is my best foot forward.
34:21The rye is there.
34:22The citrus has really played well with it, and I think that Jim Tom would love it.
34:27We're going to go taste and deliberate, and then we're going to try to reach a decision
34:31on who gets the title of the Jim Tom Hedrick Memorial Run.
34:36Look, Robbinsville, North Carolina, and Cock County, Tennessee, there ain't much difference
34:48in them.
34:49Jim Tom's like us.
34:50Yeah, I remember him saying that.
34:52You know, not only did Jim Tom excel at making good whiskey, he absorbed it pretty good, too.
34:59Ha-ha.
35:00Wow.
35:01I ain't going to drink too much.
35:02I just drank enough to get rid of the flu.
35:06God, I miss him.
35:07What a character.
35:09Who's to you for coming down here and helping me with this?
35:11The Jim Tom Mountain Rye, and their twist on it.
35:20We've got to have 100 proof liquor, bare minimum.
35:23Absolutely.
35:24This is Big Chuck's.
35:25It says R.I.P. Jim Tom on the top of it.
35:28Shake it up a little bit.
35:35Worked out how I planned.
35:36I mean, it was a little peach on the nose.
35:38I didn't really have that on that first run.
35:39Oh, you did.
35:40It was just a different one.
35:41Yeah, yeah, yeah.
35:42Chuck was going for peach gumbo.
35:45Being so full of grains, just making it really hot.
35:50But that's pretty good.
35:52I'm confused whether it's rye, spicy heat, or just heat from heart run liquor.
36:01That sort of played out well, but that ain't nothing but plain and simple, fierce liquor.
36:09Let's move on to these other two.
36:10All right, y'all.
36:11This is G.I. Joe's.
36:15Pretty good proof.
36:17I've done a lot with, like, citrus gins, so I just wanted to balance it.
36:27He's up there, ain't he?
36:28Mm.
36:28Well, I think the fruit definitely made it farier.
36:31I get a lot of citrus.
36:33Yeah, it's citrusy.
36:34It's a good jar.
36:36Tastes good.
36:36I think it's got some good qualities to it.
36:39It's a good drink.
36:41All right, Josh.
36:42We're on to Kelly now.
36:44See there?
36:45Spot on.
36:46Pretty beat.
36:46For me, it was an honor to do this because of Jim, Tom.
36:51And the rest of it was a game playing with you guys to see if I could get y'all to mess
36:55yourself up.
36:56Yeah.
36:56This is a smooth jar for the proof.
37:02The cinnamon is not overpowering.
37:04Man, I'm going to tell you right now, that's a good jar.
37:05I can tell the spiciness is still there.
37:09The rye's there.
37:10Just enough of spice on the back.
37:12And that cinnamon does not run away with it.
37:15That is a good jar of liquor.
37:17You've got fruit, then you've got that spice added to it.
37:20Kelly, let me tell you something.
37:21Oh, that's a fine jar of rye liquor right there.
37:24Rye whiskey.
37:25That's rye whiskey.
37:26I sure did miss him.
37:28I think at the end of the day, Jim, Tom would have been tickled to death with all three
37:33of these jars.
37:34Oh, yeah.
37:34He hasn't been drinking them.
37:35I just think that there's one on the table that Jim, Tom, would have liked better.
37:39And that's what we have to judge on.
37:42All right.
37:43Here we go.
37:47Oh, we're going to find out now.
37:48Here we go.
37:49Oh, here's the biggie.
37:50This is it, boys.
38:01All right, boys.
38:02Being here that we're running liquor in Jim, Tom's name means that his legend's never going
38:08to die.
38:08In honor of the master steel builder, Jim, Tom, Hedrick, this will go to the winner.
38:17It not only looks like something he would have built, it sounds a lot like him, too.
38:23Rye whiskey, rye whiskey, please don't let me down.
38:28You ever been sung to by liquor steel?
38:32I love that.
38:34Now, the trophy with Jim, Tom singing in it and the little mini steel, that's sharp, man.
38:38And I really want to win that thing.
38:41Well, guys, it's been pretty bittersweet.
38:44We're here to honor the memory of Jim, Tom.
38:46I think we've all done just that.
38:48Chuck, your liquor was a little hot to me.
38:51Yeah.
38:52And it had a lot of flavor.
38:54I mean, good flavor.
38:55Jim, Tom would have drank the piss out of it.
38:59Big Chuck, I tasted all those malts.
39:03I tasted your sorghum in there, and it played out well.
39:07Joe, you went with the citrus.
39:11It came through like gangbusters.
39:15It didn't overpower your dank old.
39:18It was still there on the back end where a rye should be to me.
39:22But it wasn't quite the rye that would have been in this region that Jim, Tom, relied on.
39:28But I'm telling you, for a screwdriver or a Sonny all day, it'd be its best friend.
39:33Thank you, sir.
39:33Kelly, I saw cinnamon sticks over there, and I was terrified that you were making a mistake.
39:43Well, it smelled like an apple pie, and it was a very smooth flavor.
39:47And you stuck to the Jim, Tom, recipe, and that jar is mighty fine.
39:53Thank you, Josh.
39:56You all did your level best, paying honor to one of our greats.
39:59But it's my pleasure and honor to name the Master Distiller winner that gets this prize in honor of Jim, Tom.
40:13And that person is...
40:17Kelly, you win it again, my friend.
40:25Woo-hoo!
40:26Good job, big dog.
40:27Thank you, guys.
40:29Yes, sir.
40:30I have no doubt it wasn't easy, because I have tasted both of those, and these guys did bring great, great.
40:36Well, I didn't win this one, but hey, I think Jim, Tom, would have liked me as a person.
40:41And most importantly, I think he'd have liked my liquor, man.
40:44Me and you got nothing to be ashamed of.
40:46Y'all winners, my book.
40:47Looking down at my jar, I really think that this is something that Jim, Tom, would have definitely dug into.
40:53I'll pay it forward to make sure that I keep that heritage alive and keep Jim, Tom's memory alive.
40:59You kept it simple, like Jim, Tom did.
41:02Jim, Tom, would have said, keep it simple now.
41:04Don't make it too complicated, and we're going to drink a whole jar.
41:07My time with Jim, Tom, helped me to understand that there's a history to this liquor-making business, and if we stay true to that, there will be a future to it as well.
41:18And you guys chase on out of here and enjoy those drinks together.
41:23Thank you, guys.
41:24Let's go have a cocktail, guys.
41:25Yeah, let's go get a drink.
41:26I'm going to drink yours since it's so damn good.
41:28I'm going to drink yours since it's so damn good.
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