Legal moonshine (a contradiction in
terms) is commonly sold as unaged white
whiskey or “white dog,” though it’s little
surprise that many producers prefer the
more illicit description. Joe Baker, propri-
etor of Ole Smoky Moonshine, explains:
“
We call our product moonshine because
we make it the same way families have
always done it here in Tennessee. They
called it moonshine so that’s what we
know to call it.”
Southern states have a built-in ap-
preciation for moonshine as part of their
culture. Appalachian-born brands like
Popcorn Sutton, Stillhouse, Catdaddy,
Midnight Moon, Georgia Moon, Virginia
Lightning and Ole Smoky draw from
their collective family and regional reci-
pes, with stories of fast cars and jail terms
adding to their allure.
Liquor Barn, located off Interstate 75
in Caryville, TN, proclaims itself as “moon-
shine headquarters” on billboards that
attract tourists and locals by the carload.
Moonshine sales there are second only to
bourbon; Popcorn Sutton is the top-selling
brand, followed by Ole Smoky, says man-
ager Patrick Silcox. “Everybody’s looking
to buy moonshine. Some of it’s the market-
ing, some want to just buy a souvenir and
many just want to know what it tastes like,”
says Silcox. His customers range from 21-
70
years old, male and female, though the
women tend to prefer the flavors.
Silcox tastes a lot of moonshine, and
says you can tell a good one by its smooth
sip and “the way it heats up your stomach,
like a bourbon.” He insists the difference
in flavors between moonshine brands is
palpable—more so than vodka, because
of the various recipes. Ole Smoky has
corn sweetness, Goodtime (from Geor-
gia) has notes of cane sugar, and Popcorn
Sutton “tastes like something you would
get in the back woods.”
In Missouri, Steve Drda at Randall’s
Wine and Spirits (which has four loca-
tions in the St. Louis area) sees the trend
already reaching a plateau after a sum-
mer spike: “We have 22 SKUs of white
whiskey; plain does slightly better than
flavored, with cherry being the best sell-
ing of the flavors. Personally, I think the
white whiskey sales will die off sooner
than later,” he says.
Ron Vaughn from Denver’s Argonaut
Wine & Liquor is not ready to say
moonshine has peaked. He cites the “bad
boy image” of moonshine as a sales benefit:
“
Our sales are probably double what they
were last year; while on a small base, it’s
still a 100% increase. The new TV show
M
oonshine, at its roots, was simply a term for
illegal booze made by unlicensed distillers,
historically in the Appalachian region of the
South. It was mostly made from corn, unaged
for quick distribution and consumption. Today, this clear spirit’s
rather colorful (and shady) history makes it ripe for perhaps the most
authentic marketing in the spirits business—and a fine target for
drinkers seeking something truly novel.
S
h
i
n
e
taking a
to
white whiskey
By brandy rand
As this rebel spirit takes off, suppliers and re-sellers
consider how best to offer it
