STATESVILLE, N.C. (September 17, 2025) – North Carolina’s Southern Distilling Company is making its mark in the American Single Malt whiskey category with a new, limited-release expression: Southern Star American Single Malt Whiskey. Distilled and bottled in-house in Statesville, this six-year-aged whiskey is bottled at 114.8 proof, showcasing the distillery’s expertise in crafting bold, complex spirits.

The release comes on the heels of the distillery receiving the American Distilling Institute’s (ADI) 2025 Distillery of the Year award – the Bubble Cap Award – cementing Southern Distilling Company’s reputation for innovation and quality.

“We’ve been waiting for the perfect moment to release our American Single Malt,” said Pete Barger, co-founder and CEO of Southern Distilling Company. “After hosting a tasting event in July with Brewzle and hearing the overwhelming response from whiskey enthusiasts, we knew it was time for Southern Star to make its mark on the category.”

Southern Star American Single Malt Whiskey pours an amber hue and delivers a layered bouquet of sweet mint, toasted oak, warm grass, delicate floral notes, and rich caramel. On the palate, it unfolds into a woody depth of burnt honey sweetness, finishing with a hint of bitter dark chocolate for a complex, lingering experience.

This limited-edition release will be available starting September 19 at Southern Distilling Company’s Tasting Room (211 Jennings Road, Statesville, NC) and will roll out to local North Carolina ABC stores in the following weeks.

‍Southern Star American Single Malt Whiskey (114.8  Proof / $49.95 MSRP)

• Color + Appearance: Opulent amber color with summer glow
• Nose + Aroma: Sweet mint, toasted oak, warm grass, light floral notes, and gooey caramel
• Palate + Taste: Creamy, a thick mouthfeel, woody, with a burnt honey, lingering sweetness, and a bitter dark chocolate finish

Known for its specialized customer service and quality whiskey production, Southern Distilling Company was also the first contract distiller to offer bulk American Single Malt Whiskey production to new and existing clients when the category was announced in December 2024. With over a decade of experience producing high-quality single malts, the distillery supports clients both large and small looking to enter the American Single Malt category. The fermentation and distillation system at Southern Distilling Company is optimally designed for single malt production at scale, capable of producing and aging more than 20,000 barrels annually.

For more information, visit SouthernDistillingCompany.com.

‍About Southern Distilling Company
Family-owned and operated by Pete and Vienna Barger, Southern Distilling Company has proudly reignited North Carolina’s distilling tradition while embracing the innovative future of America’s craft spirits industry. Headquartered in storied Statesville, N.C. — once labeled the “liquor capital of the world” in the 1800s — Southern Distilling Company has grown to become one of the country’s largest privately owned distilleries since being founded in 2013. Today, it offers an innovative range of new-fill barrel production, aged-barrel sales, barrel-warehouse aging, and co-packaging for more than 170 brands globally. Rooted in North Carolina’s agricultural community, Southern Distilling Company supports a stringent grain-to-glass sustainability process that sources quality grains from farms within 20 miles of its facility.

Southern Distilling Company also produces its own line of award-winning artisan spirits. The distillery is open for tours, tastings, and craft cocktails, plus hosts public and private events year-round. For more information, visit SouthernDistillingCompany.com.