With hangovers and worried mothers being the downside of working at BarChick, the highlights are things like going to visit Jack Daniel's in his hometown of Lynchberg, Tennessee; in fact BarChick can now die happy. Since no one knows when “Mr Jack” (Uncle Jack to BarChick) was born, they do the honourable thing and celebrate his birthday for the whole month of September. Obviously BarChick was invited to go out there to join in the festivities... which consisted of –

• Partying in Nashville
• Judging the cocktail competition
• Touring the Distillery
• Going to the gig on Barbecue Hill with Plan B and more importantly Steve Cropper and K.Flay
• More partying in Nashville
• Lunch at Hooters (twice)
• A lot of fried food

The party started with a competition in the UK, where barmen in bars all over the place were invited to make a sharing cocktail - using Jack Daniel's was the only rule. There were 8 heats, 8 winners, and 8 very excited boys at Heathrow where I met them (before having to wait 3 hours in Atlanta where I was questioned by immigration). The boys, the bars and the winning drinks are listed below, and if you click on the links, it will take you to BarChick's quick Q and A with them –

• Belfast - Jason Brownlee, Bar Retro - Miss BoBo’s Bootleg Brew
• Edinburgh - Grant Neave, Monteiths - Che Subtltea of Tennessee
• Manchester - Martin James Ball, Corridor - The Nearest Green Cooler
• Bristol - Richard Gaskell, Bar Orient in Cardiff - For 7 Sake
• Leeds - Rick Davies, Verve Bar - The Crockett
• London (1st Heat) – Robin Webb, 64th and Social - Jack did Jill on BBQ Hill
• London (2nd Heat) – Ben Purscow, Ziloufs – Slashed in ward no.7
• South & South Coast – Dean MacGregor, Sahara – Jack in Black

It was a tough competition for them and a walk in the park for BarChick. There were laughs, tears, broken blow torches, guitars, smoke, flirting, whipped cream, cowboy hats, a LOT of Jack Daniel's and some guy even made a pecan pie! However there could only be one winner, and it went to Dean from Sahara Bar in Reading. Yes Reading! The drink went a little something like this (and I massively recommend you all make it at houseparties, barmitzvahs, funerals, christenings, athletics meets, school discos etc)

Jack in Black (serves four) Winner Dean MacGregor from Sahara Bar, Reading

8 Barspoons Cherry Preserve 140ml Jack Daniel’s 30ml Opal Nera Black Sambuca 30ml Cherry Marnier 120ml Fresh Lemon Juice 120ml Cranberry Juice 4 x Dashes Fee Bros Barrel Aged Bitters

Things we learnt and love about Jack Daniel's -

- He was only 5ft 2 (but prob would have said 5ft 6 on his Hinge profile)

- He never got married (legend. terrible habit)

- All the Jack Daniels in the entire world is made in Lynchburg.

- They have 80 million gallons on site, and make up to 10,000 gallons a week.

- The Master Taster is only 30 something but his Dad was the taster before him, so it must be in their blood.

- Jack Daniels died after kicking his safe in frustration (well two years and a lost leg later)

- Those guys you see in the adverts actually exist, and they all talk like the bloke in the ad. Our favourite was Goose.

- It is illegal to sell alcohol in Lynchburg, so there ain’t no bars, which is probably the secret of their ridiculous success.

- Jack Daniels is the best selling whiskey in the world.