John Lunn

John Lunn was born December 20, 1969 in Spring Hill, Tennessee to his parents, Harry Lunn and Evaline Kincaid Lunn. John attended Spring Hill High School and went on to earn his Bachelor’s Degree in chemical engineering from Vanderbilt University. 

John Lunn, was a proud Tennessee native, and he got his start at George Dickel in 2004. He made Dickel whiskeys for 11 years there and served as the Master Distiller at Cascade Hollow Distillery, in Tullahoma, Tennessee. He primarily worked on the range of George Dickel Tennessee Whiskies, including the "No. 8 Classic," "No. 12 Signature," and he started both the "Barrel Select" expression and “Hand Selected Barrel” program, all these products were known for utilizing virgin lambs wool blankets in conjunction with a unique charcoal filtering process that was characteristic to Tennessee whiskey production. During his tenure, Lunn saw the spirits giant Diageo show the first sparks of interest in Dickel since acquiring the brand from United Distillers. He said it was sad to watch the UK-based conglomerate ignore its Tennessee property, leaving it to whither on the vine. During that same time, John collaborated with veteran distillers in Virginia to re-launch of the restoration of George Washington’s distillery at Mount Vernon.

He officially departed Dickel on Friday the 13th 2015 and moved to Avery Trail Distillery owned by J & M Concepts in the town of Newport, in hills of northeastern Tennessee. At Avery Trail, Lunn was responsible for the historic Popcorn Sutton brand, though this was ultimately short-lived as Sazerac purchased the distillery, but not the Popcorn Sutton brand, in late 2016.

In 2017 he became employed by Sazerac Company of Kentucky, and he was given free rein over the company’s Tennessee whiskey production. Lunn was Plant Manager for A&J Bond Distillery (Sazerac Tennessee) in Smyrna, Tennessee. The yet-to-be-released A&J Bond brand required Lunn to modify the distillery to begin utilizing the Lincoln County process. Lunn worked with distiller Allisa Henley, who had previously worked alongside him at Dickel and Avery Trail, to create a new Tennessee whiskey mashbill for Sazerac. The A&J Bond Whiskeys has been maturing since 2017. Sazerac is currently preparing for the release of the first of these whiskeys, the oldest of which, a 6 years old Tennessee Whiskey which will debut in early 2025.

John loved collecting farm toys from years past and had achieved quite a collection.  He also had a love for older model Jeeps.  He attended Sunday worship at Mt. Lebanon Cumberland Presbyterian Church where he was baptized as a young teen and where he served as an elder for 18 years and Sunday School Superintendent for many years. His brother, Tom Lunn, was his best friend.  He loved his niece and two nephews, Lindze, Gabe and Duanne Lunn. He also spent time every month at his longtime dear friends, Brian and Elizabeth Noakes, for dinner on their farm in Pulaski, Tennessee.

His partner in life was Mary McClelland of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. He loved his all his co-workers at Sazerac Company and especially his longtime work partner, Allisa Henley. John passed away at his residence in Manchester, Tennessee on March 30, 2023.