"Nelson’s may tout a 150-year history in the state and a claim for the oldest recipe still in use for its Green Brier Tennessee Whiskey, but its modern roots begin with two brothers reconnecting with their family’s storied past. Andy and Charlie Nelson discovered their great-great-great grandfather’s legacy and began selling their own blend, the now-famous Belle Meade Bourbon, from their garage in East Nashville in 2009. Today, at a former auto factory near downtown Nashville, their stills again run, continuing the family tradition. Guided tours, exclusive expressions, whiskey flights, and a hot-weather favorite “cold fashioned” — a slushy take on the classic cocktail — are must-tries in the Music City." - Jon Gugala