FIX: This story was updated at 3pm on Friday, September 4th. The story has been correct to say that Marianne Eaves was the “first master distiller in the world”. The initial story incorrectly stated that she was the “first master distiller in the world”.
Mark Rivers is a New York based real estate agent who understands the importance of location. He also knows a good story when he hears it and would argue that really good stories, the ones that people really have behind them, have more than a little truth.
“You can’t beat a good, honest story,” he said. “You can’t make it. It has to be authentic and this has a great soul and spirit. You can’t pretend and like people said, ‘It’s’ Field of Dreams’ meets’ Tin Cup.'”
If you build it, they will come, play golf and drink bourbon.
He’s talking about Sweetens Cove, the nine-hole golf course in South Pittsburg, Tennessee that has been named one of the 50 best 9-hole courses in the world by golf.com. It ranked 7th with editors describing it as “A 9 hole course that really packs a punch! Even though the track itself is interesting and keeps a player intrigued from start to finish, the atmosphere surrounding the course is perhaps even more noteworthy and memorable. There are no rules for Sweetens other than to have fun, and the experience is consequently unmatched. “
Part of that fun, and come out, or is it tradition, is that there is no clubhouse, but golfers for years would have taken a shot of bourbon before exiting number 1 and then left the bottle in a nearby shack for the next guy. . Rivers loved the history and the course, so much that he bought the course in 2019 with some friends and fellow supporters, including some high-profile celebrities like soccer great Peyton Manning, former number 1 tennis champion Andy Roddick and the musician / Moon The founder of the Drew Holcomb river festival.
Everyone loved the bourbon story so much, they decided to take things to the next level and create their own special blend, and when they looked for who and how to make it happen, they stumbled upon two more fortuitous opportunities.
They found that 100 bottles of bourbon, which conveniently had been created in Tennessee 13 years ago, had remained intact in a Kentucky distillery. Then they found Marianne Eaves, the world’s first master distiller.
“When we found out she was actually born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, we knew that,” Rivers said.
Eaves was tasked with creating the perfect blend of bourbon that would equal the uniqueness of the course and represent everything Sweetens Cove. The result is five batches of a limited edition ultra premium blend that is uniquely Tennessee. It was hand blended in Columbia, Tennessee by Eaves.
Only 13,500 bottles were produced and the first batch release sold out almost immediately in May and the second batch was released in July. The remaining lots, retailing for $ 200, will arrive at retail outlets throughout Southern Saturday.
Like the golf course, Eaves said bourbon is about the whole experience.
“I always like to see that the product is complex, balanced and rich in nuances, but that each of the five batches will have a different flavor profile but always focusing on the mouthfeel and experience was as important as the flavors themselves.”
Roddick, a Texas resident, said the principals involved are mostly friends or friends of friends who want to focus on Tennessee.
“If he had been outside of Tennessee, I don’t think Peyton would have been interested at all,” he said.
He added that having celebrities like him, Manning and Holcomb involved “can be a double-edged sword, but it can be a real opportunity when done right. The quality has to be there and you can’t go too far on skis.”
Rivers said it was clear from the start “That this wasn’t a celebrity vanity project for anyone involved. We are all very involved and have always wanted it to be great.”
Which for him means keeping what makes Sweetens Cover special, special. He said he had heard from many people after purchasing the course that they had heard the intent was to drastically change things by adding a clubhouse and possibly another nine holes as well.
He also heard from someone who wanted such great changes.
“We will not change the social fabric,” he said.
However, some changes have been made
“Like the plumbing,” Roddick said with a laugh.
“I think I said, ‘Why don’t we start plumbing a bathroom? That wouldn’t be a bad start.’
A remark was also added, or what Rivers calls a “murmur,” so friends could watch their teammates pull out or pull out the last hole.
“All the improvements were made on the basis of socialization.”
Eaves, who lived in Chattanooga for about a year after he was born before moving to Kentucky, said the spirit of Sweetens Cove was heavily on his mind as he tasted each of the 100 barrels of bourbon.
“Absolutely,” he said. “I was determined to make the most delicious product I could out of those barrels.
She also said that while she was given total control of the product, the principals wanted to be involved as much as possible.
“They wanted to be part of the process, but they didn’t place any restrictions like the number of batches or anything like that. It was really fun for me and really rewarding.”
Contact Barry Courter at [email protected] or 423-757-6354.
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