LeeEvolved
Climax Moonshine Original Recipe
White — Virginia, USA
Reviewed
May 6, 2018 (edited October 21, 2024)
This is the original recipe Tim Smith used on the TV show, Moonshiners. It’s an unflavored, corn whiskey that’s bottled at 45% ABV. It is contract distilled by Belmont Farms Distillery located in Culpeper, VA. This distillery is located about 75 Miles away from the Shenandoah mountain location of Tim’s “hidden stills”. This distillery also produces the Kopper Kettle line of spirits and Virginia Lightning corn whiskey.
The nose here is all butter and corn. There’s some sugar notes that creep in and make it seem closer on the nose to butterscotch candies. The palate is similar with an overwhelming sensation of sucking on a stick of warm butter. There’s little to no heat or harshness, mostly because this stuff is watered down to a more appropriate 90 proof. Most good, illegal moonshine is 125+ proof and doesn’t need much blending down to make it palatable.
Overall, it’s more hype train whiskey that’s become very popular due to the television show, etc. This stuff is currently only available in Virginia, but I believe Tim is actively searching for more struggling craft breweries/distilleries to “rescue” so he can expand into other state’s liquor markets. In fact, the Fire No. 32 cinnamon version is now being distilled in Asheville, NC so it’s probably available in that state, as well. At $30 for a 750ml bottle, it’s ridiculously overpriced but if I rate it as a typical moonshine, I’d say it’s just about as average as the rest on the legal market. 2.5 stars.
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I bought a bottle of this when I saw it in Tennessee, but haven’t tried it yet. I do like the taste of clear, unaged corn whiskey, so I’m hopeful. I’ve since seen it at Total Wine & More stores here in California, and picked up his Wood-Fired Whiskey there as well.
@BDanner - he may very well make all 3-4 versions of his “hooch” at both distilleries to avoid extra taxation in both states, but if you look up Kopper Kettle in Virginia they advertise on their roadside sign that Climax is made there. This is all marketing hype because moonshine is so hot right now, lol.
This is available in NC as well. I thought all versions were contract made by Troy & Sons out of Asheville, NC?
Yeah, there was controversy around the name until he clarified that Climax is the name of his hometown, somewhere in the western part of Virginia.
Ahaha, I never thought I'd see "Climax" and any spirit in the same sentence let alone as a name :-)