SOUTHERN STAR PARAGON WHEATED STRAIGHT BOURBON (Release No.1 @ 92 Proof) 70/16/14 Mashbill *NOSE: Pleasant. Butterscotch, Vanilla, Dry Dusty Oak, Brown Sugar, KC BBQ Sauce, and a Little Heat. *NEAT: Simple. A Little Youngish and on the Thin Side. Vanilla, Light Citrus, and Musty Oak. Mild Heat builds in the chest with a Light Coating of Vanilla clinging to the palate. *SPLASH: A little water brings Caramel and Light Maple to the palate. I recommend, but only a few drops. *VERDICT: Southern Distilling has been around long enough now that they are beginning to release their own distillate after several years of sourcing from MGP. My understanding is that this is some of the first Bourbon from these folks to be completely made from NC Grains and Distilled, Barreled, and Bottled on-site in Statesville. As a result, the mid-$40's price tag is about $25 less than the Wheated Bourbon it replaces. As they can begin blending in some older stocks, the quality of this one is only going to go up. 3.5 Stars, but they get the "hometown bump" to a 3.75. Worth a try, especially if you're a native of The Old North State.