Southern Distilling Co. - Southern Star Bourbon Finished in Honey Barrels

If you are looking for honey barrel this holiday season the folks at Southern Distilling Company in Statesville, North Carolina has the bourbon for you. The distillery is releasing its Southern Star Bourbon Whiskey that has been finished in honey-soaked barrels.

Bourbon Finished in a Wildflower Honey-Drenched Barrel for an Entire Year

Southern Distilling Co. - Founders Peter Barger and Vienna Barger
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Southern Distilling Co. Founders Pete and Vienna Barger.

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Southern Star Bourbon Finished in Honey Barrels is a cask-strength bourbon, bottled at 106.8 proof and finished in a honey-drenched barrel for a year. This bourbon is a tribute to craftsmanship that spans generations, it’s elegant enough for a special occasion, while also being delicious for a daily indulgence. A meticulous blend of local grains and a final year maturing in a wildflower honey-saturated barrel create a spectacular depth of flavor with hints of toffee, fruit, walnut, and a delicate sweetness that balances warm, peppery spice.

“A few years back, a local honey producer asked us for a barrel to age some of his honey in, to infuse it with the flavor of whiskey. After the honey had aged, they sent the barrel back and the inside was still coated with honey. Of course, we couldn’t let it go to waste,” shared Pete Barger, Co-founder and CEO of Southern Distilling Company.

“We filled the barrel with one of our select bourbons that had already been aging several years and put it in the rickhouse for another 12 months. When we finally tasted it, we were floored. It’s a limited release, so you’ll want to get your hands on a bottle.”

Southern Star Bourbon Finished in Honey Barrels Tasting Notes

Southern Distilling Co. - Southern Star Bourbon Finished in Honey Barrels
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Color + Appearance: Rich amber color with a warm glow
Nose + Aroma: Sweet and butterscotchy with a hint of black pepper 
Palate: Toasted Werther’s Original, delicate honey with a rich, creamy texture 
Proof: 106.8 (53.4% ABV)
Price: $59.95 / 375 mL

This release will be first available at Southern Distilling Company’s Honey of a Holiday event held at the Statesville distillery on December 14, 2024, from 2:00 p.m.- 5:00 p.m. EST. Guests are encouraged to arrive early to secure a bottle of this seasonal release, limit one bottle per person. The celebration will include product sampling, signature cocktails, Bushcraft BBQ food truck, live music, complimentary bottle engraving, shopping, and more. 

Southern Distilling Company was founded in 2013 by Pete and Vienna Barger. One of their founding goals was to reignite North Carolina’s whiskey tradition while celebrating the innovative spirit of America’s craft spirits industry. Southern Distilling draws on Statesville’s heritage as the “liquor capital of the world” in the late 1800s. It’s a whiskey tradition years in the making for the Bargers — and generations in the making for local farmers and centuries in the making for the state. Southern Distilling Company family of artisan spirits includes Southern Star Paragon Wheated Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Southern Star Standard High-Rye Bourbon Whiskey, Southern Star Double Rye Whiskey, and Southern Star Double Shot Bourbon Cream, and Hunting Creek Bottled-in-Bond Straight Rye Whiskey, among others.

The destination distillery is open for tours, tastings, and craft cocktails, plus hosts public and private special events throughout the year. Southern Star products are available in more than 20 states, with rapidly expanding national and global distribution.

Learn more about Southern Distilling Company.
View all North Carolina Distilleries.
View all U.S. Distilleries.

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Southern Distilling Co. - Serves the World from Statesville, North Carolina
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