Ole Smoky Moonshine

The location

Ole Smoky is located in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Gatlinburg is a small town with about 4000 inhabitants which lies about 60 kilometres Southwest of Knoxville. The location of the distillery is of historical significance as Ole Smoky became the first officially licensed distillery in East Tennessee after the ban on distilling spirits was lifted.

The history of Ole Smoky

Like many other moonshine distilleries, the origin of Ole Smoky is kept somewhat secretive. How long the producers of Ole Smoky have been gaining experience making whisky is unknown, however what is known is the official founding date on July 4, 2010. At this time, Ole Smoky was one of only four distilleries in the whole state of Tennessee.

The original distillery “The Holler” played a special role in the development of the brand. In fact, during its short existence, it has become the most visited distillery in the US. Of course, this is not only due to the cozy atmosphere of the location but also due to the large selection of moonshines which can be sampled there.

Thanks to the big success of The Holler, the company has opened three more venues: Another one in Gatlinburg named Barrelhouse, one in Nashville and one in the small town of Pigeon Forge.

What is moonshine?

So what does moonshine mean? The term moonshine refers to spirits that were produced illegally. Today, the term is used for modern spirits that were inspired by the production methods of the illegal distillers during the American Prohibition. The whisky is mostly made from corn mash and is bottled non-aged. Traditionally, moonshine is bottled in mason jars, which is why many modern moonshine brands use them as well. Moonshine is often used to make liqueur or sold with brandied fruit. The alcohol content varies greatly depending on the type of moonshine.

How is Ole Smoky moonshine produced?

Ole Smoky moonshine is produced from 100% neutral grain. This results in the spirit being especially mixable. The recipe is more than one hundred years old and was passed down for generations.

The Ole Smoky assortment

Besides the classic Ole Smoky Moonshine Original, the company also offers its spirit in countless flavour varieties. While some products reach more than 50% alcohol – for example, the Harley Davidson Charred Moonshine – other lighter releases lie between 15 and 35%. Some examples are the classic Apple Pie Moonshine with 20% or the Lemon Drop with 32.5%.

Ole Smoky at Gustero

Besides single malts from Scotland, pure malts from Japan and bourbon from the US, Gustero also offers a selection of high-quality moonshine whiskies from all over the world. While we love classics like the Ole Smoky Tennessee Original Moonshine, we also recommend the flavoured varieties like pumpkin pie, apple pie, blueberry or lemon drop. No matter if you’re new to the world of moonshine whisky or if you’re a real expert, at Gustero you will find something to your taste!