JJ January has one foot on the field and the other at Old Dominick Distillery
Words by Stephanie Burnette
JJ January is a memorable name, and his life is equally notable. The Mississippi native was drafted at 18 by the Brewers. The high school short stop became an outfielder and played professional baseball for five years. He went on to play in independent leagues too, but a quick stint coaching junior college led him back to MLB—this time as an umpire.
He loved the challenge of Ump School. For five weeks, six days a week, prospective officials spent mornings in the classroom learning the rulebook and afternoons on the field for mechanics via repetition of plays. January found the work exciting and was ready for the season.
“Fourteen consecutive weekends a year, plus a couple days during every week, I worked a different ballfield,” he says. January officiated at every level of professional baseball but eventually tired of the air travel. Conversely, the off-season felt quiet, and he considered his next move.
College baseball came calling. He liked driving to the universities and didn’t mind the windshield time. He enjoyed watching talented kids move through the college ranks too. In 2022, He joined the SEC as an umpire full-time. A year later an ad popped up on LinkedIn, and January recognized it for what it could be: the perfect off-season position.
Old Dominick is one of Tennessee’s oldest distilleries. A young immigrant named Domenico Canale found his way to Memphis in the mid 1800s and began selling groceries including his own whiskey. The company thrived until Prohibition. An unopened bottle of vintage Old Dominick Toddy inspired his descendants to distill once more, and Old Dominick became the first modern day producer of whiskey in Memphis since Repeal Day.
January says he showed up at the distillery to proposition Ben Brown for the job he had posted on LinkedIn. He had little experience to offer, and his schedule would be erratic at best, but a love for Tennessee whiskey and a willingness to learn drove him to show up.
Brown recalls January’s enthusiasm was hard to deny. Today, January leads tours and tastings at Old Dominick. He also hosts private events both on- and off-site. Some mornings he jumps into production to bottle and label or helps scoop grain into fermentation tanks.
“To me it’s not really work,” says January. “I meet all types of interesting people, and we make great spirits. That’s the thing about Old Dominick, I get to see Tennessee Whiskey made when I’m at the distillery. It’s really something. This is a perfect job.”
Three Questions with SEC Umpire JJ January:
Q. Favorite position to ump?
A. Being at a plate keeps you focused because you’re making decisions, and I love the adrenaline of working home plate. As umpires we manage situations, manage egos, manage coaches, diffuse situations. The camaraderie of the game—the teams and getting to know the other officials—is hard to replicate. It’s a special thing.
Q. Favorite college stadium to officiate?
A. I like them all. The best is when the fans really know the game; Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi State all come to mind. I went to one field four times last year and the fans would call me out by name. They tell you what’s what. Doesn’t matter if it’s bad or good, it’s a lot of fun.
Q. Favorite bottle at the distillery?
A. Hands down our Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey. It’s a high proof spirit, aged seven years, not too long and not too young. It’s perfect to me; sweet at first with a note of butter caramel. The sugar maple charcoal filter gives it a bit of smoke, you can’t miss that about Tennessee whiskey.
A Taste of Memphis
Though Old Dominick may be best known for producing Tennessee Whiskey, the bar at the Memphis distillery shakes up beautiful seasonal cocktails, including these two refreshers for Spring:
Spring Garden
Mint to muddle, reserve a sprig for garnish
2 oz cucumber infused Vodka
.5 oz simple syrup
.5 oz fresh lime juice
Elderflower Tonic Water
Shake all ingredients with ice. Strain into a martini glass. Top with elderflower tonic water for a bit of sparkle. Garnish with mint leaf.
Honeybell Iced Tea
1.5 oz Honeybell Vodka
1.5 oz hibiscus tea
.5 oz lemon juice
.5 oz simple syrup
Shake all ingredients with ice. Strain into Collin’s glass. Serve with ice and no garnish.
