Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine Original

Get past the initial fumes of strong ethanol and you'll find surprising butter and nutty smell to it along with corn, which is unsurprising given it's made up of 80% corn. I drink a lot so this didn't burn much at all though I imagine as a shot this would make it's presence known. They went out of their way though to make this a pleasant experience. On the tongue it reminds me of salted caramel candies. I forgot the brand but will update this review if I figure it out. Also reminds me of the Buttered Popcorn Jelly Belly. Other reviewers weren't lying when they said it's a butter-based taste though there is also some kind of nut. My best guess is walnut but I'm not up to date with my nuts. It's there though and pleasant. The finish is of ethanol though so just be prepared for that. This would honestly make for an interesting mixer when you want whiskey and butter to your cocktail. Peculiar!

Very strong corn flavor. Strangely mixes well with Dr. Pepper.

There is no such thing as bad whisky - however, this Ole Smoky is 'moonshine' and there is always an exception to the rule. Lurking insidiously in its understated jar, the spirit attacks the nose with buttered popcorn, hints of laundry and biting ethanol. The first sip sets your palate on fire, followed by corn sweetness, nail polish remover and something bitter-herbal. Raging down the throat in a fury, it settles in the stomach like a stone, while Simon & Garfunkel are singing 'Hello heartburn, my old friend'. I think this firewater merits a new rating category. RATING: 0.5/5.0 stars ≙ 30 pts → MALICIOUS

Nose - buttered popcorn, brown butter, creamy vanilla, ghee, black pepper, nutmeg, clove, moderate to high ethanol burn. Taste - buttered popcorn, creamy vanilla, brown butter, nutmeg, black pepper, rich simple syrup, ghee, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium short with buttered popcorn, black pepper, and baking spice flavors. Ole Smoky is a butter overload. Buttered popcorn, brown butter, ghee, cream. It’s all there. The nose and palate are very similar. Outside of the butter variations, there’s a bit of baking spice and pepper, but not much else. Yes, I know this is a white whiskey and not a vodka, but I figured it was fitting to throw it into the series for comparison. This stands up strongly to vodkas. I don’t think it’s better than every vodka I’ve tasted, but it easily jumps near the top of the list. There are more aromas and flavors to talk about, and that’s a good thing. Overall I would never buy a bottle, but it’s not nearly as undrinkable as I imagined beforehand. I’d probably rather drink Jim Beam Original, but it’s disconcertingly not too far off.

My first moonshine! It’s got an aroma similar to rubbing alcohol, but it’s more pleasant than that. I was expecting significant alcohol burn given that it’s 100 proof, but it’s surprisingly smooth, with very little burn. After a few sips, a nice warmth shows up in the throat. I really thought I wouldn’t like this, but it’s got a good flavor and is nice to sip. $3.29 for a 50 ml sample mason jar at Total Wine & More.