An evening in the Valley with Jack Daniel's master distiller

• "I want people to understand the quality and the craftsmanship that goes into making our whiskey," Fletcher told Axios about the tasting events.
• Rakesh "Rocky" Patel, owner of Rocky Patel Premium Cigars, was on hand at Magnum's with cigars and a how-to lesson on pairing them with whiskies.

Zoom in: Everyone knows the company's flagship Old No. 7 Tennessee whiskey, but Jack Daniel's has a lot of other offerings.

• Attendees got to taste JD's Single Barrel Barrel Proof Tennessee Whiskey, Single Barrel Barrel Proof Rye, Sinatra Select and a special twice-barreled rye that isn't available outside the Lynchburg, Tennessee distillery.
• Each tasting came with a cigar chosen for an ideal pairing.

Best pours: The Distillery Series rye was incredible — creamy and smooth, without the spicy bite you'd normally expect.

• The barrel-proof rye is the Magnum's store pick, which I thought was particularly tasty.

What's next: Fletcher said Jack Daniel's has some rye whiskey, "some barrels that we've been holding back and watching them," that Fletcher expects to be ready this summer that he's excited about.