Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine Original

Nose: An instant hit of ethanol, faint vanilla, a twist of lemon peel … and not much else. Palate: Ethanol with overtones of popcorn, acetic acid and acetone. The texture is slightly oily and not that bad. Finish: Short. Surprisingly citric. The nose was unexpected. I thought this would just have the bland aromas of vodka with maybe some corn on the sides, but it was a bit more interesting than that. It does have the sweet vanilla presence that is characteristic of vodka but there is also a mild citrus hint. The palate follows on in the same manner and the finish just trails out into a peppery citric flavour. Not as bad as I thought it might be, but nothing to praise either. I thought it was adequate but overpriced and I'd never consider buying a full bottle. The only valid comparisons for this moonshine are against another moonshine or vodka. I have not tasted any other corn moonshine so I can’t form an opinion there, but in comparison to vodka it reminded me of the Citron Absolut vodka I tasted here a while back, but on the whole I thought the vodka was better. Not horrific, and come the apocalypse when I’m reduced to drinking moonshine distilled from rotten fruit in my own jury-rigged still I’ll probably look back at this with longing … but not before. Tasted from a 50ml official sample. A full bottle of this costs AUD$86 and I'll be chuckling at the absurdity of that for days to come. “Adequate” : 72/100 (2 stars)

Nose - buttered popcorn, brown butter, creamy vanilla, ghee, black pepper, nutmeg, clove, moderate to high ethanol burn. Taste - buttered popcorn, creamy vanilla, brown butter, nutmeg, black pepper, rich simple syrup, ghee, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium short with buttered popcorn, black pepper, and baking spice flavors. Ole Smoky is a butter overload. Buttered popcorn, brown butter, ghee, cream. It’s all there. The nose and palate are very similar. Outside of the butter variations, there’s a bit of baking spice and pepper, but not much else. Yes, I know this is a white whiskey and not a vodka, but I figured it was fitting to throw it into the series for comparison. This stands up strongly to vodkas. I don’t think it’s better than every vodka I’ve tasted, but it easily jumps near the top of the list. There are more aromas and flavors to talk about, and that’s a good thing. Overall I would never buy a bottle, but it’s not nearly as undrinkable as I imagined beforehand. I’d probably rather drink Jim Beam Original, but it’s disconcertingly not too far off.

Get past the initial fumes of strong ethanol and you'll find surprising butter and nutty smell to it along with corn, which is unsurprising given it's made up of 80% corn. I drink a lot so this didn't burn much at all though I imagine as a shot this would make it's presence known. They went out of their way though to make this a pleasant experience. On the tongue it reminds me of salted caramel candies. I forgot the brand but will update this review if I figure it out. Also reminds me of the Buttered Popcorn Jelly Belly. Other reviewers weren't lying when they said it's a butter-based taste though there is also some kind of nut. My best guess is walnut but I'm not up to date with my nuts. It's there though and pleasant. The finish is of ethanol though so just be prepared for that. This would honestly make for an interesting mixer when you want whiskey and butter to your cocktail. Peculiar!

There is no such thing as bad whisky - however, this Ole Smoky is 'moonshine' and there is always an exception to the rule. Lurking insidiously in its understated jar, the spirit attacks the nose with buttered popcorn, hints of laundry and biting ethanol. The first sip sets your palate on fire, followed by corn sweetness, nail polish remover and something bitter-herbal. Raging down the throat in a fury, it settles in the stomach like a stone, while Simon & Garfunkel are singing 'Hello heartburn, my old friend'. I think this firewater merits a new rating category. RATING: 0.5/5.0 stars ≙ 30 pts → MALICIOUS

This is straight "firewater"... the only taste is corn mash and that of a high octane jet fuel. If you're looking to shoot the moon, this is your poison. At 100 proof it's a different bite than that of a Wild Turkey 101... this sneaks up on you but literally leaves you in beastmode for hours on end. I recommend mixing it with a cranberry juice or a ginger ale for ultimate enjoyment. Either way yer gonna get lit! 🥃Cheers!

If I could take the smell that a Diesel engine makes, combine it with burnt rubber, and then have someone next to you fart all while sniffing rubbing alcohol, this would be it. I did make it better by infusing it with blue berries and strawberries for a couple weeks.