If You Want Wine or Shine Come To Gatlinburg

For those offended by the drinking of adult beverages I would advise to read no further. Okay, for the rest of us adults, this blog is on some of the wine, whiskey and moonshine tasting options that are now offered in Gatlinburg. This past weekend, with my friends Clint and Cindy, we went on a tour of some of the best tasting spots in the Foothills of the Smokies. A course what Gatlinburg is most known for it is moonshine tasting. For those who don’t know homegrown corn liquor has been made in the hills and ‘hollers" of East Tennessee for generations. It wasn’t until recently that the legal moonshine market took off. One of the most successful is Ole Smoky Distillery and it was the first I visited back in 2012. The original location is known as “the Holler.

The "Holler" from the Space Needle.

As you come in to the open space you will see on the right where the magic making of the moonshine happens. On the left is the tasting room where you can try all sorts of flavors and I have tried a lot of them on number of visits I have made here including this past weekend. Of the flavored offerings I have to say my favorites are the blackberry and the cherry (which are whole cherries soak in 100 proof ‘shine). 

Some of the...

...equipment...

...in the distillery side.

Corn Mash

Tasting room

Shine Tree

While I know the flavored ones are popular I am more of a traditionalist when it comes to moonshine. Of the plain flavors, there is first the smoother White Lighting, which is good. But, it tastes more like vodka than corn liquor. However, my favorite is the Original Moonshine, which is said to be from a 100 year-old recipe. Also, it like its less harsh cousin are 100 proof. The one flavor I wanted to try, but they didn’t have for sample is Blue Flame. It is the 128 proof version of the original 'shine. While sampling if you find a flavor you like then you can buy a jar if right then and there. Besides the tasting room and the actually distillery Ole Smoky also has a music stage and has had some good act on two of my visits.

Original Moonshine

128 proof!

Monroeville performed here in 2013.

There is no doubt that the moonshine business is good. In 2014 Ole Smoky opened up a new distillery and tasting room at The Island in Pigeon Forge, which they call the Barn (I haven’t been there...yet). Then on my latest visit to Gatlinburg one of the places we were going to visit was Davy Crockett Tennessee Whiskey. I had been here back in Summer of 2013 and they had samples and whiskey (and some moonshine) for sale. Davy Crockett has some good whiskey and the store had a fun vibe. 

Front of the old Davy Crocckett store

Here you can also see...

...the whiskey being made.

Tasting area

Goodbye Davy!

But, when we started to cross the street to my surprise it was now Ole Smoky Whiskey. It turns out that Ole Smoky bought out Davy Crockett sometime around the start of the year. Now called the Barrel-House on our visit they had some moonshine for tasting and four selections of whiskey. These were the Salty Caramel, Cinnamon, Cookies & Cream and Tennessee Mud. Of these the Salty Caramel was the best. I will say I was disappointed that the Straight wasn’t on offer for tasting.

Hello Ole Smoky Whiskey.

Front hasn't changed much

Inside is a little different

Some of the new displays.

But you still can get it plus moonshine.

While Davy Crockett is gone there is a new kid on the block, Sugarlands Distillery Company. Opening its doors in 2014 it is famous for partnering with two of the stars of the reality TV show Moonshiners, Steve Tickle and Mark Rogers. They are part of the Legends Series, which including other famous moonshiners. Like Ole Smoky you can sample some of the fare at Sugarlands and the best I tried was by one of the “legends” Jim Tom Hendricks Unaged Rye which was a more traditional “shine” and was very good. I half to add that the worst was also by a “legend” it was Tickle’s Dynamite Cinnamon. It is hard to describe how bad this was, let me just say it was Peep’s bad (if you know me you know that is not very good). Oh, and the girl who was our bartender at Sugarlands was not to our taste, but overall it is a nice edition to Gatlinburg.

Inside...

...Sugarlands.

You can watch...

...the Legends Series being made.

The origin of the name.

If liquor is not your thing there are other kinds of alcohol to sample. In the “Holler” right down from Ole Smoky is Bootleggers Homemade Wines. I first visited here in 2012 and like the moonshine places they offer samples and the best wine here is the Blackberry. It was so good that I bought a bottle four years ago. Also of note from Bootleggers is their Red Wine.

Front...

...& inside Bootleggers.

Wall of wine.

Now Bootleggers is not alone, the first places we stopped at on our alcohol tour were Tennessee Homemade Wines (they are working on a website). Located across the street from Ole Smoky Whiskey it offers an assortment of wines and other things to buy. We tried a number of wines with the Blueberry Bammer and Midnight Red Muscadine standing out. However, like Bootleggers, the best wine we tried at Tennessee Homemade Wines was Fine Blackberry, so much so that I bought a bottle. I also need to add that the woman, who served us, Lindsey, was very helpful and a pleasure to deal with. This is a can't miss stop on any alcohol jaunt.

New kid on the block.

Blackberry...

& Red Muscadine are worth...

...a trip here!

So, when in Gatlinburg whether you like moonshine, whiskey, wine or all of the above there are plenty of places and they are all in walking distance, which means you don't have to drive.