History

Origins and Founding

• Domenico Canale was born in 1843 on the Italian Riviera. At 16, he sailed to America and landed in New Orleans, after which he moved to Memphis. He founded D. Canale & Co. in 1866 as a wholesale business, where one of the products was Old Dominick brandy. In 1880 he developed Dominick Toddy, a bourbon-based cordial, which the company was particularly proud of.
• Canale died in 1919, three days before Prohibition was ratified, and his son John Dominick Canale expanded distribution in the ensuing years. During Prohibition, a large cold-chain and warehousing capacity were built, and when Prohibition ended in 1933, D. Canale & Co. had, among other things, the country’s largest chilling facility and regional distribution for Anheuser-Busch.
• In 1965 John D. Canale Jr. became chairman and led the company through periods of renewal. In 1982 the business areas were structured and separated, and in 1999 D. Canale Beverages was sold.
• In 2013 Chris and Alex Canale decided to restart the legendary Old Dominick name and planned a world-class distillery in the heart of Downtown Memphis. In 2017 the distillery produced its first Tennessee Whiskey in Memphis since Prohibition. In 2021 they celebrated paying homage to Memphis’ spirit with the slogan "Share a Sip of Pure Memphis". In 2022 they launched Straight Tennessee Whiskey to reintroduce Tennessee whiskey as a Memphis-made experience.
• Today’s Old Dominick Distillery describes itself through 150 years of history, craft, and dedication to grain-to-glass distillation, and they continue to invite tours and tastings.

Production and Distillation

• Old Dominick describes its process as grain-to-glass and as a state-of-the-art distillery just steps from Domenico Canale’s original building. There is a 1-hour sensory journey through the history and production facilities, ending with a curated tasting of their spirits portfolio.
• Tennessee Whiskey at Old Dominick is produced using Tennessee’s Lincoln County Process, which entails filtration through sugar maple charcoal during the distillation and aging in new, charred barrels. A 75/13/12 mash bill (75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley) for Bonded Tennessee Whiskey is also mentioned, highlighting a focus on specific mash bills and high quality.
• Several products are highlighted as part of a broad whisky portfolio: Straight Tennessee Whiskey, Bonded Tennessee Whiskey, 90.1 Proof Small Batch Bourbon, Cask Strength Bourbon, as well as various Huling Station Bourbon and Wheat variants. There are also age statements such as 4 years for some products and 8 years for the 8 Year Reserve Bourbon.
• The distillery experience includes The Bar, Rooftop, Distillery Store, and Private Events, indicating a combination of production, experiences, and retail at one location.

Products and Whisky Series

• Old Dominick Straight Tennessee Whiskey – 85 proof; highlighted as Tennessee Whiskey produced with the Lincoln County Process.
• Old Dominick Bonded Tennessee Whiskey – 100 proof; mash bill of 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley; Bottled-in-Bond classified.
• Old Dominick 90.1 Proof Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey – 90.1 proof; small-batch bourbon.
• Old Dominick Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey – 114 proof; high-rye mash bill.
• Old Dominick 8 Year Reserve Bourbon – Bourbon with 8 years of aging (product description available).
• Huling Station Bourbon – 100 proof; 4 years old; 4-barrel char level.
• Huling Station Straight Wheat – 90 proof; 83% wheat; 4 years old.
• Huling Station Blend – a blend of 50% High-Rye Bourbon and 50% Wheat Whiskey; 100 proof.
• The Original Toddy – bourbon-based cordial (not a straight whiskey, but a signature product in the portfolio).
• Memphis Vodka and Honeybell Citrus Vodka – not whiskeys, but part of the portfolio.

Visits and Experiences

• Distillery Bar: Open 12–7 PM, with the opportunity to enjoy handcrafted cocktails based on Old Dominick spirits.
• The Distillery and The Bar sit on and around Front Street in Memphis; there are guided tours and private events in the Upstairs Event Space and Rooftop area.
• Tours & Tastings: Distillery Tour lasting 1 hour with a curated spirits tasting; priced and available via booking. Tours are offered daily around 12–7 PM, with check-in at least 10 minutes before the scheduled time; drop-ins are not guaranteed. Price about $15 per tour (current information).
• Private events and arrangements: Offered via the Tripleseat system; business and private events can be arranged in the Upstairs Event Space.

Philosophy and Community Responsibility

• Old Dominick emphasizes sharing part of Memphis’ history through their products and experiences, and they speak of creating "Pure Memphis" through their spirits and experiences.
• The Lab section emphasizes innovation and experimentation: developing new releases and finish techniques, including collaborations and testing new flavor profiles to expand the traditional style.
• Glass Half Full Old Dominick Charitable Fund (2022) demonstrates a long-term approach to the community in partnership with the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, where employee- and donor-led decisions create funds and programs to support local partners.

In-Person and Availability

• Old Dominick is active with a fully functioning distillery and bar in Memphis; tours and the bar are open with defined hours, and options to find the nearest retailer as well as online purchasing are mentioned through "Find Near You" and "Purchase Online."