CHATTANOOGA WHISKEY
Chattanooga Whiskey co. located in the heart of downtown chattanooga across from the historic Chattanooga Choo Choo.
The micro-distillery and tasting room, known as the Tennessee Stillhouse is the first home for the Chattanooga Whiskey Company. The 100-year old building tells its own story and is adjacent to the former site of one of Chattanooga’s first distilleries.
Haskel Sears mastery of reclaimed wood, offset by exposed brick walls is at the heart of this extraordinary renovation. Accomplished carpenter, Matt Sears, used repurposed materials throughout the interior to create an unusual connection to the art and science of whiskey works.
A former whiskey still was flattened to become the retail desk at the front door. Farther down the main hall are rough hewn wood beams from an ancient barn flanking a wall of texture and pattern created with barrel staves that were originally used to age whiskey from their 2008 production run.
At the bar, 100-year old pine flooring from a local factory was refinished to become the bar top, barrel staves span the space under the bar and the bar stools are refurbished wood. In fact, all the wood is reclaimed, even the shelves behind the bar and glass-fronted display cabinet with copper-plating.
But nothing whispers the history of whiskey as much as the handcrafted chandeliers over the bar created from the barrel hoops and snake condenser coils of former stills.
The artistry and workmanship of Haskel Sears turned this unassuming brick building into a museum quality destination for tens of thousands of visitors. One of the Southside’s most popular tourist stops offers daily tours of their experimental distillery and whiskey sampling in the tasting room. Chattanooga Whiskey’s historic storefront on Market Street offers the sale of award-winning Chattanooga bourbon whiskey under the 1816 brand.
Designed and built by Haskel Sears. Photography and web design by KCULP.