Just like fine bourbon is rare, so is a total solar eclipse. Combine the two together and you have a reason to celebrate. And that is exactly what the founders at Casey Jones Distillery in Hopkinsville, Kentucky are doing. When the previous total eclipse occurred on August 21, 2017, Hopkinsville, Kentucky was at the epicenter of the eclipse and the distillery welcomed 12,000 of their closest friends. On April 8, 2024, this area will experience a partial eclipse but that doesn’t mean these distillers still can’t celebrate 100%.
For the second time in seven years, Casey Jones Distillery will be releasing its Total Eclipse Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Moonshine. And as a bonus they’ll be releasing a seven-year-old Single Barrel Eclipse Cask strength spirit distilled around the time of the last celestial event in 2017.
“Twice in my lifetime, I’ll experience the shadow of the eclipse over our land here in Hopkinsville – a rare and spectacular gift that inspired me to create something special. In 2017, we introduced our Total Eclipse Moonshine, and for the upcoming eclipse in April, we’re proud to introduce our four grain Total Eclipse Kentucky Straight Bourbon – a nod to our rich distilling traditions and those once-in-a-lifetime moments that bring us together,” said Casey Jones Master Distiller AJ Jones.
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Casey Jones Distillery will be celebrating totality the entire weekend of April 6-8, 2024. Beginning on Saturday they’ll be releasing the 7-year-old single barrel, and their Total Eclipse Bourbon and Moonshine is available now at the distillery.
The 2024 eclipse will be happening in Hopkinsville on Monday, April 8, 2024, beginning at 12:44pm, peaking at 2:03pm, and ending at 3:19pm CDT. You can check the map and time for the 2024 solar eclipse across the U.S. by city here.
On Monday the distillery will host an intimate gathering for friends, fans, and locals where guests can mix and mingle while sipping on signature cocktails and enjoying nature’s majesty.
“Come on down, meet the folks behind the bottle, and let’s share in this magic together. Here in Kentucky, we’re all about hospitality and good spirits, and we’re eager to pour you a glass of both,” Jones continued.
One Weekend with Three Releases
Total Eclipse Kentucky Straight Bourbon is a perfectly balanced, four grain bourbon made with a mashbill of 75% corn, 10% wheat, 10% rye, 5% malted barley. It was aged for a minimum of two years and bottled at an approachable 100 proof (50% ABV). The whiskey is distilled in small batches in a hybrid pot still by Master Distiller AJ Jones, who has a storied family legacy of still building, bootlegging, and American Whiskey production.
Tasting notes provided by the distillery say the whiskey yields aromas of baking spice and butterscotch on the nose while the palate reveals a semi-sweet body of orange zest, toasted oak, and a pecan nut finish.
Named the “Official Spirits of the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse” by Senator Whitney Westerfield on the Kentucky Senate floor, 100-proof Total Eclipse Moonshine was inspired by a Prohibition-era family recipe distilled from equal parts corn and cane. Debuting in 2017 to coincide with the previous total solar eclipse, Total Eclipse Moonshine offers a velvety smooth sipping experience with sweet corn and vegetal sweetness. To help put size of this event in perspective, the distillery sold out of its initial run of 50,000 bottles of Total Eclipse Moonshine in 2017.
And finally, seven years ago, the distillery laid down their Total Eclipse Cask Strength Single Barrel spirit. It was entered into a new Kelvin Cooperage oak barrel with a medium toast, #4 char at 101 proof and was bottled at a robust 109 proof. One of only four barrels will be released as a distillery exclusively on Saturday, April 6.
Tasting notes provided by the distillery say the nose on this cask strength spirit is inviting with rich with vanilla and caramel and mild molasses nose. The body is sweet, butter, mild toasted brown sugar, maple syrup, and slight black pepper. And finally, there is a lingering light finish with oak influences.
Total Eclipse Kentucky Straight Bourbon has a suggested retail price of $49.99 for a 750ml, Total Eclipse Moonshine has a suggested retail price of $29.99 for a 750ml, and Single Barrel Total Eclipse Cask Strength specialty spirit has a suggested retail price of $99.99. These are or will be available at the distillery and select retail locations.
Casey Jones Distillery was founded in 2014 by Arlon Casey Jones (“AJ”), grandson of Casey, and his wife Peg Hays. In 2022, the distillery welcomed a new partner, Cody Turner, to the team. Together, they operate the Hopkinsville, Kentucky distillery and visitor center with a focus on tradition and authenticity in the distillation of small-batch craft spirits. Building on an infamous family history of still building, bootlegging, and Kentucky whiskey, the distillery produces some of the finest, award-winning bourbon and moonshine in the Commonwealth.
When Will the Next Total Solar Eclipse Cross Over the U.S.?
If you miss this one, you’ll have to wait another 20 years.
The next opportunities to experience a total solar eclipse over the United States will be 20 years from now in 2044 (in North Dakota and Montana) and 2045 (as it crosses from California to Florida). We recommend you get out and see this one. Cheers!
Related Stories
– Casey Jones Distillery is Counting Down to the Next ‘Great American Total Solar Eclipse’ with 2 New Releases
– It’s Hip to be Square – Casey Jones Distillery Debuts ‘The Grandfather’ a Beautiful New 200 Gallon Square Copper Pot Still
– Casey Jones Distillery Announces $1.9 Million Investment to Expand Distillery Operations and Tourism Experience
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What is a Total Solar Eclipse?
A total eclipse is a lineup of the sun, the moon, and Earth according to the National Park Service. The moon will be directly between the sun and the Earth, casting a shadow on the Earth. Totality (total eclipse) occurs when the moon covers the entirety of the sun except for the corona, or sun’s atmosphere. The longest total eclipse time occurs at the center line, where you experience the moon’s shadow’s full width. Outside the cone or umbra, viewers will experience a partial eclipse.
When Will the Next Total Solar Eclipse Take Place in the U.S.?
The next opportunities to experience a total solar eclipse over the United States will be in 2044 (in North Dakota and Montana) and 2045 (as it crosses from California to Florida).
Except for the brief period of total eclipse, the only safe way to look directly at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun is through special purpose solar filters.
