BY MIKE FUHRMAN

Carolina Panthers legends Kurt Coleman and Wesley Walls paid a special visit to Southern Distilling Company in Statesville on Saturday afternoon to celebrate the start of the Panthers’ 30th season and the release of a special small batch of cognac-finished Southern Star bourbon whiskey commemorating the anniversary.

Hundreds of Panthers fans sampled adult beverages and lined up to get autographs from the former Panthers players. 

The distillery staff provided behind-the-scenes tours to visitors, including a small group of influencers, to showcase the process from grain milling, fermenting and distilling to storage.

Southern Star, Southern Star’s signature brand, is the official bourbon of the Carolina Panthers.

On Saturday, distillery owners Pete and Vienna Barger welcomed fans for the release party. Only 3,000 bottles of the special edition Southern Star Paragon commemorating the Panthers’ 30th season are available for purchase.

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