Tennessee lawmakers are challenging a year-old state law regarding the requirements to make "Tennessee Whiskey," Fox News, reported.

According to the law, whiskey isn't "Tennessee Whiskey" unless its fermented in the state from at least 51 percent corn mash, aged in new charred oak barrels, filtered through maple charcoal, and bottled at an 80-proof minimum.

However, the world's most well-known Tennessee whiskey producer, Jack Daniel's, already makes its whiskey almost identical to the state law requirements, not giving much creative wiggle room for other Tennessee distilleries to work with.

The law essentially prohibits the whiskey makers from marketing their spirits as "Tennessee Whiskey," which is a popular style of drink in the nation's liquor industry.

Jack Daniel's would have lawmakers and consumers alike believe otherwise as they claim that their competitor George Dickel, manufactured about 15 miles up the road by British conglomerate Diageo PLC, is the one pulling the strings.

Jack Daniel's Master Distiller Jeff Arnett at the Lynchburg, Tenn. distillery said the company has worked hard to perfect the "Tennessee Whiskey" designation and that such a change in the law would damage the state's reputation of providing the popular spirt.

"It's really more to weaken a title on a label that we've worked very hard for," Arnett said. "As a state, I don't think Tennessee should be bashful about being protective of Tennessee whisky over say bourbon or scotch or any of the other products that we compete with."

According to Fox, last year's law was enacted at the command of a Brown-Forman Corp., a Louisville, Ky.-based company, which is the corporate parent of Jack Daniel's.

Republican state Rep. Bill Sanderson said his bill would save companies money, as it will mainly change the law regarding the allowance of reusing barrels, which can cost about $600 each.

"There are a lot of ways to make high-quality whiskey, even if it's not necessarily the way Jack Daniel's does it," Sanderson said. "What gives them the right to call theirs Tennessee whiskey, and not others?"

Sanderson admitted that Diageo has urged the Representative to introduce the bill but argued its goal is to help Tennessee's micro distilleries.

Guy L. Smith IV, Diageo's executive vice president, agreed with Sanderson that the bill goes beyond corporate competition but about representing the smaller companies trying to make a name for themselves.

"This isn't about Diageo, as all of our Tennessee whiskey is made with new oak," Smith said. "This is about Brown-Forman trying to stifle competition and the entrepreneurial spirit of micro distillers."