About Blonde Whiskey
At Peaceful Valley Farm in McDowell County, North Carolina, John McEntire is the last remaining farmer in the world growing Crooked Creek Corn. A seventh generation farmer, John’s great-grandfather, Rufus, began harvesting Crooked Creek Corn on the McEntire farm in the 1850’s. The warm days and cool nights, together with the breeze from the Appalachian mountains, create a unique environment which results in an incredibly sweet, white corn that has a trademark taste and purity.
Crooked Creek Corn is an heirloom variety, open-pollinated white corn. Analyzed by researchers from the University of Tennessee, Crooked Creek Corn was found to be unadulterated and non-genetically modified. Each eight to ten foot tall stalk of Crooked Creek yields only a single ear of corn, making it incredibly expensive to grow and maintain. “It yields less than half of what a hybrid crop would produce,” says Troy Ball, the master distiller at Asheville Distilling Co. “Our cost is much higher, but it’s the price you pay for excellence.”
Together with rare heirloom Turkey Red Wheat, Ball uses the white corn harvested on Peaceful Valley Farm in order to craft Blonde Whiskey. After milling, mashing and fermenting Crooked Creek Corn and Turkish wheat, Ball distills the wash twelve times through her 2,000 liter, Kothe copper-pot still imported from Germany. Afterwards, she mellows the whiskey for approximately two years in 53 gallon, Black Swan Honeycomb barrels. “The honeycomb-laced staves of our barrels offer enhanced flavoring, creating a velvety, vanilla, caramel Blonde,” adds Ball.
Blonde Whiskey has a slightly oaky aroma, with hints of maple, vanilla and dried fruits. The whiskey is slightly oily, with touches of honey, dark fruits, roasted nuts and oak on the palate. The finish is sublime and mellow, with hints of fruit, vanilla and oak.
The whiskey earned the Silver Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2014, and the New York World Wine & Spirits Competition. Pick up a bottle today!
About American Whiskey
There are two main representatives of the American whiskey family, bourbon, and rye, but some other spirits don't fall into those two strictly regulated categories.
There's equally strictly regulated American single malt, made from 100% malted barley, Tennessee whiskey, essentially bourbon filtered through maple charcoal and aged in new charred oak barrels.
And then there's moonshine, a high proof (150- 170 proof) distilled spirit mainly made out of corn which gained popularity during the prohibition.
Check out our impressive selection of American single malts, or find your new favorite in our rich whisk(e)y selection, and get familiarized with what the world has to offer.
