Confectioners’ sugar | Glazed bread | Light vanilla powder | Faint oak | Summer fruits | Delicate

Peach bread | White peppercorn spice | Oak | Vanilla bean | Faint cinnamon spice | Gentle

Cinnamon spice | Chewy oak | Leather | Caramel chews | Lingering gentle heat

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 ofStatesville Contract Distilling, a long-standing service now marketed under their new brand.

Wheated bourbons tend to be gentler compared to their rye counterparts, and Southern Star Paragon Bottled in Bond Wheated Bourbon is no exception. The bourbon opens with a delicate aroma of confectioners’ sugar, glazed bread, and summer fruits. The fruit theme carries over to the midpoint as peach bread kicks things off, along with gentle white peppercorn and cinnamon spice. The sip ends on a pleasing lingering gentle heat, which is preceded by classic notes with chewy oak and caramel chews, which are the highlight.

It’s a wholly approachable whiskey that will please fans of wheated bourbons. More so, this bourbon serves as a great introduction to Southern Distilling Company. It’s easy to get caught up in only seeking out well-known distilleries from Kentucky; however, this whiskey serves as a great reminder that you can often be rewarded if you step outside of your comfort zone and try something new.

The bottle in review is from release number 2018B.