Old Tennessee Distilling Company sits in Kodak, Tennessee, just outside Sevierville in the heart of the Smoky Mountains. Founded by Mark Carson in 2014, this family operation started when Carson decided to leave his career in construction to pursue his passion for making authentic Tennessee whiskey. The distillery operates out of a 10,000-square-foot facility on Outdoor Sportsman Place, where they produce moonshine, whiskey, and flavored spirits using traditional methods passed down through generations of Tennessee distillers. Carson’s journey into distilling wasn’t accidental—his family has deep roots in East Tennessee, and he grew up hearing stories about the region’s rich moonshining heritage. After years of perfecting his craft on a smaller scale, he decided to go legitimate and obtained the proper licensing to open Old Tennessee Distilling. The operation started small but has steadily grown, with Carson focusing on quality over quantity and staying true to traditional Tennessee distilling methods. His son Tyler Carson joined the business, making it a true family operation that bridges old-school craftsmanship with modern safety and consistency. Visitors get an authentic look at small-batch distilling in action. The facility houses traditional copper stills alongside modern equipment, and you can see the entire process from grain to bottle. The atmosphere feels genuinely local rather than touristy—this is a working distillery first, visitor attraction second. The tasting room showcases their full range of products, from clear moonshine to aged Tennessee whiskey, and the staff actually knows the production process inside and out because most of them work it daily.