Special to Iredell Free News
Founded with a goal of reigniting North Carolina’s long whiskey tradition, Southern Distilling Co. burnished that legacy with six medals at this year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Southern Distilling brought home double gold for Southern Star Paragon Cask Strength Single Barrel Straight Bourbon Whiskey and gold for Hunting Creek Bottled-in-Bond Rye Whiskey, along with four silver medals.
“This is one of the most prestigious spirits competitions in the country,” said Vienna Barger. “We’re proud that six spirits we entered received recognition this year, including the new Hunting Creek that we look forward to sharing with whiskey lovers soon.”
This double gold at SFWSC for Southern Distilling Company and the Southern Star product line emphasizes the premium quality of this North Carolina wheated bourbon which first entered the market in 2022. The Paragon Single Barrel Wheated Straight Bourbon Whiskey is bottled at cask strength, with notes of sweet mint, vanilla bean, and cardamom with a rich texture and a 70 percent corn, 16 percent wheat, and 14 percent malted barley mashbill.
Hunting Creek Rye Whiskey debuted in North Carolina in April. The bottled-in-bond whiskey commemorates a celebrated rye whiskey sold at the turn of the century, distilled in the Statesville area in the late 1800s and shipped across our early nation.
The distillery also earned silver medals for Southern Star Standard High-Rye Straight Bourbon, Southern Star Paragon Bottled-in-Bond Wheated Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Southern Star Double Rye Whiskey, and Southern Star Double Shot Bourbon Cream Liqueur.
Founded in 2000, the SFWSC is one of the world’s most respected spirits competitions. During the competition, blind tastings are conducted by a thoughtfully curated list of judges, each with a seasoned, trusted palate.
Medal winners range from the most renowned international distillers to small-batch producers. Earning an SFWSC award is a testament to hard work and an indicator of the highest caliber of quality. Visit sfspiritscomp.com to review the complete list of 2023 results. Attendees of the Top Shelf Tasting Alliance event June 16-17 at Resorts World Las Vegas will have an opportunity to sample the double-gold winning Paragon Cask Strength Single Barrel Straight Bourbon Whiskey.
About Southern Distilling
Pete and Vienna Barger founded Southern Distilling Company in 2013 to reignite North Carolina’s whiskey tradition while celebrating the innovative spirit of America’s craft spirits industry. Homegrown and family-owned, Southern Distilling draws on Statesville’s heritage as the “liquor capital of the world” in the late 1800s. The Southern Distilling Company family of artisan spirits includes Southern Star Paragon Wheated Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Southern Star Standard High-Rye Bourbon Whiskey, Southern Star Double Rye Whiskey, and Southern Star Double Shot Bourbon Cream, and Hunting Creek Bottled-in-Bond Straight Rye Whiskey, among others. The destination distillery is open for tours, tastings, and craft cocktails, plus hosts public and private special events throughout the year. For more information, visit www.SouthernDistillingCompany.com.