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Fan-bellied leatherjacket is a bizarre looking animal
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Giant manta rays give scuba divers beautiful close up experience
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Majestic horses run free in the meadow on a sunny day
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Breathtaking beauty of British Columbia captured from above
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Curious manta rays circle around delighted scuba divers
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Gigantic fishing spider is one of nature's best scuba divers
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Monstrous whale shark dwarfs scuba divers in the Galapagos Islands
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This stunning lighthouse is the easternmost point of North America
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Ostrich gives epic performance but fails to get the girl
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Daisy the bunny munches noisily on a treat and it's too cute!
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Lion brothers meet affectionately on the African Plain
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Flamingo feeds in an unusual manner to extract shrimp from mud
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Determined fish works hard to catch crab hiding in rocks
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Mighty leopard stops to have a big drink at watering hole
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Young hawksbill sea turtle follows scuba diver over the coral reef
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African farmer and her son upload videos to pay for his education
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Sanctuary bull with intimidating horns asks guest for a head scratch
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This steel safe killed one of America's most famous men
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The beauty of Canada from one coast to the other
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Heart warming close look at a calf's entry into the world
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Anemone fish can live where few other fish can
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Surprising footage captured by child on African bus ride
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Endangered hawksbill turtle casually eats as scuba divers look on
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Olive baboons show their ferocious teeth as they playfight
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Venomous emperor sea urchin is one of the most ornate sea creatures
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Smooth green snake is one of the most beautiful in North America
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Tiny finches feast on leftover airport pizza in the Galapagos Islands
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One of the the ocean's most bizarre animals; the beaded sea cucumber
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Sanctuary goats go crazy for green bananas from guests
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Pelican shows off his impressive fishing skills and huge beak
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Gigantic humpback whale rises beside mesmerized swimmer in Tonga
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Badlands salt flats look like an alien landscape when seen from the air
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Pacific green turtle calmly eats as scuba diver watches enthralled
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Orioles are one of the most vividly colored birds in North America
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Flash flood washes out road in Kenya, Africa
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Chickens happily enjoy a feast on farm in Kenya, Africa
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Dramatic sunset footage of ominous lightning storm approaching harbor
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Old world pomegranate juice vendor has been serving fresh juice here for 50 years
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Close up look at the most high powered eyes on the planet
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Mighty leopard caches deer in a tree to keep it safe for later
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The beautiful and fascinating strawberry nudibranch
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Child giggles with delight as she sails over a waterfall in Ecuador
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This steel safe killed one of America's most famous men

1 year ago
6.77K

Jack Daniels is known throughout the world as one of the greatest whiskey producers to have ever lived. His life is the stuff of legends, and and it is also filled with mystery and intrigue. His legacy was passed down to two of his nephews when he died in October of 1911 and they continued the tradition of making Jack Daniel's whiskey according to the original recipe and in the traditional methods.
Most people in North America, and in most countries around the world have sampled this whiskey, or have at least seen it served. But few people know the incredible story behind Jack's final years, ad his death in 1911.
The Jack Daniels distillery is set on a beautiful piece of property in Lynchburg, Tennessee. Jack arrived for work before anyone else on a morning in 1909, or 1910. There are conflicting stories about the date and poorly kept written records in that era have made it difficult to be precise. But Jack needed documents from his steel combination safe in his office. He struggled with the combination and could not open the safe. Frustrated, he kicked the safe and broke his big toe. Infection set in and Jack was forced to have his toe amputated. But the infection had spread and gangrene began to form in his foot. The foot was removed, followed by a leg amputation and it was eventually clear that Jack was losing the battle with gangrene. Beyond the full leg amputation, there was nothing that could be done. Blood poisoning set in and Jack knew he was dying.
Legend has it that Jack led the life of a ladies man, with love and romance at every turn, but he had never married or had children. With no heirs, Jack passed on his distillery and his fortune to two nephews who continued the business as Jack would have wanted.
Tours of the property are conducted, showing guests the operation and the method for producing this beloved whiskey. There are few secrets here, and guests can see the entire process. Grain is ground and fermented. Maple is charred precisely to create the charcoal pellets that are used for the filtration process. Storage buildings are open, and samples are provided. A knowledgeable tour guide explains the entire operation and shows guests the different steps.
The tour is a fascinating one, full of interesting sights, smells, and facts. The legend behind this distillery, and behind the man who created it is well worth the time. Jack Daniels died because he didn't have the right combination for the safe, but he sure had the right combination of ingredients to create a whiskey that lives on, more than 100 years after he was gone.

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