Lynchburg Lemonade
Tennessee whiskey, triple sec, lemon and lemon-lime soda over ice. The 1980 Alabama bar drink that became Jack Daniel's signature cocktail — and the subject of a famous lawsuit.
Built to the standard modern spec; not yet tested in our kitchen. How we test.
The recipe.
Scaling adjusts quantities only. Prepare shaken drinks in individual portions.
Let’s make a good drink.
Fill a collins glass with ice.
Add the whiskey, triple sec, lemon juice and syrup if using to a shaker, fill with ice, and shake briefly.
Strain into the glass over the ice and top with lemon-lime soda.
Stir once and garnish with a lemon wheel and a cherry.
A thoughtful finish
- Fresh lemon in place of the original sour mix is the only change the drink needs to be good.
- A dry 40% orange liqueur keeps it from being too sweet against the soda; with a cheap sweet triple sec, drop the syrup.
- Any Tennessee whiskey or bourbon works; the name is the brand's.
Common mistakes
- Sour mix and a sweet triple sec together, which is the 1980 recipe and is cloying.
- Too much soda.
- Flat soda or no ice; it is a long, cold drink.
A few good questions.
What is in a Lynchburg Lemonade?
Tennessee whiskey, triple sec, lemon and lemon-lime soda over ice. Tony Mason's 1980 original used sour mix and Sprite.
Why is it called Lynchburg?
For Lynchburg, Tennessee, home of the Jack Daniel's distillery — which is in a dry county, so the drink cannot be bought there.
What was the lawsuit?
Tony Mason sued Jack Daniel's in 1987 for taking his recipe without compensation. A jury found for him and awarded one dollar; appeals followed for years.
Can I use bourbon?
Yes. It is the same drink without the name; a Kentucky Lemonade, if you like.
Variations
- John Collins — Bourbon, lemon, sugar and soda.
- Whiskey Sour — Whiskey, lemon and sugar.
- Long Island Iced Tea — The other 1970s–80s soda-topped sour.
- Tom Collins — Gin, lemon, sugar and soda.
Where it comes from
1980 · Huntsville, Alabama · Tony Mason · Tony Mason's Restaurant
Tony Mason, a restaurateur in Huntsville, Alabama, created the Lynchburg Lemonade in 1980 — Jack Daniel’s, triple sec, sour mix and Sprite, named for the Tennessee town where the whiskey is made — and served it at his restaurant. A Jack Daniel’s sales representative tasted it, and within two years the distillery was promoting it nationally as its signature drink. Mason sued in 1987 for misappropriation of a trade secret; a jury awarded him a dollar, and the appeals went on for years. The drink outlived the litigation and is still the one Jack Daniel’s puts on its own menus.
Sources
- Mason v. Jack Daniel Distillery, Alabama Court of Civil Appeals, 1987 (legal)
- Robert Simonson, A Proper Drink, 2016 (book)
- Difford's Guide, Lynchburg Lemonade, 2015 (reference)
Strength. About 1.67 US standard drinks at an estimated 11.2% ABV, estimated from the ingredients and technique, not measured. What that means.
A little character in every sip.
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