Honey | Wild flowers | Nougat | Vanilla | Light oak | Candy corn | Dab of butterscotch hardcandy 

Spiced honey | Baking spices | Rye spice | White peppercorn | Cinnamon syrup | Faint cornbread | Underlying milk chocolate | Silky mouthfeel

Honey | Dry oak | Milk chocolate | Green peppercorn spice | Lingering honey sweetness

Located in Statesville, North Carolina, Southern Distilling Company was founded by Pete and Vienna Barger in 2013. The company produces a number of whiskeys at their 20-acre distillery campus. Although many outside of North Carolina may not be familiar with their name, the company has over 65,000 barrels aging and formally announced the creation of Statesville Contract Distilling, a long-standing service now marketed under their new brand.

Initially released in 2024, Southern Distilling Company is back with their second batch of Southern Star Bourbon Finished in Honey Barrels, and this year’s release makes sure you remember that fact from start to finish. The bourbon opens with scents of honey and wild flowers, along with underlying sweet scents and a touch of light oak. This sweetness flows into the palate, where a silky mouthfeel greets you that bursts forth with spiced honey and various other spices. Faint cornbread and milk chocolate add intrigue and additional sweetness. The finish puts honey front and center, along with more milk chocolate, dry oak, and green peppercorn spice. 

In order to produce their honey finished bourbon, Southern Distilling Company first aged their bourbon for 7 years, followed by finishing it for 12 months. This extended time in the finishing barrel heavily influences the sip from start to finish and borders on being almost too much honey influenced at points. Thankfully, the bourbon's proof allows a few other flavors to push through and add a touch of balance to the overall sip. There is no doubt that this bourbon is anything but a honey finished bourbon, and if you’re looking for a sip that is on the sweeter side, you’ll feel right at home with this year’s release of Southern Star Bourbon Finished in Honey Barrels.