Knox Whiskey Works sits in a converted warehouse on Jackson Avenue in downtown Knoxville, bringing craft distilling back to Tennessee’s third-largest city. Founded in 2014 by brothers-in-law Peyton Manning (yes, that Peyton Manning) and longtime friend Mike Smith, along with distiller Chris Fletcher, the operation started with a simple goal: make great whiskey where great whiskey belongs. Fletcher, who cut his teeth at Corsair Distillery in Nashville, handles the production side while the business partners focus on building something that honors Tennessee’s distilling heritage without getting trapped in it. The 8,000-square-foot facility houses a 500-gallon copper pot still from Vendome Copper & Brass Works, the same company that built stills for some of Kentucky’s most famous distilleries. They’re producing bourbon, rye, and white whiskey, with their flagship Knox Bourbon leading the charge. What started as a passion project has evolved into a serious operation—they’ve expanded twice since opening and now distribute across multiple states. The team isn’t trying to reinvent whiskey, just make honest spirits that reflect their corner of East Tennessee. Visitors get a real distillery experience here, not a polished tourist show. You’ll see grain coming in, mash cooking, fermentation happening, and barrels aging. The tasting room feels like what it is—a working distillery that happens to welcome guests. Fletcher or one of his team usually runs tours, and they’re happy to talk about everything from grain bills to barrel char levels. It’s worth the trip if you want to see how craft whiskey actually gets made.