There are distilleries that spend decades chasing recognition, and then there are distilleries that just quietly make great whiskey until the world catches up. Southern Distilling Company falls into the second category. Tucked away in Statesville, North Carolina, this operation has been building a reputation for serious, award-winning whiskey without a lot of fanfare. But their latest release is the kind of thing that makes even seasoned bourbon drinkers stop and take notice.
Image credit: Southern Distilling Company
The distillery just dropped something they're calling Southern Star Paragon Bourbon Finished in Zinfandel Casks, and the story behind it is as interesting as what ends up in the glass.
It Started With a Phone Call
According to Pete Barger, co-founder and CEO of Southern Distilling Company, this whole thing began the way a lot of great ideas do — with a conversation between friends. "It started with a conversation and a bit of curiosity between friends," Barger said. From there, the team reached out to a boutique California winery to track down the right barrels.
What they got back apparently exceeded every expectation they had going in. Barger described the wines that had previously lived in those barrels as almost port-like, with a depth that isn't easy to find. "The wines that lived in these barrels were almost port-like with a deep complexity. We knew we had to go all in!" he said.
That decision — to go all in — meant finishing their bourbon in those used Zinfandel wine barrels for more than a full year. That's not a quick dip to pick up a hint of something. That's a serious commitment to letting the wood and whatever the wine left behind do real work on the spirit.
What You're Actually Getting in the Glass
The result of that patience is a whiskey that layers flavors in a way that takes a minute to fully appreciate. On the nose, you're getting baking spices, toasted vanilla beans, and charred oak — familiar territory for bourbon drinkers, but with enough going on to keep things interesting from the first sniff.
Where things get genuinely different is on the palate. The wine influence comes through in a way that doesn't feel forced or gimmicky. There are wine tannins, dried cherries, raisins, and chocolate working together in a combination that makes sense once you think about it, but still manages to catch you off guard. Zinfandel-style fruit characteristics — that ripe, almost jammy quality the grape is known for — translate surprisingly well into whiskey when the barrel time is handled right.
The finish hangs around, which is exactly what you want from a bottle at this proof level. It's long and warm, and it closes out with oak and what the distillery describes as a gentle campfire smoke. That last note gives it a grounded, rugged quality that keeps it firmly in bourbon territory despite everything the Zinfandel barrels brought to the equation.
The Proof Matters
At 116.1 proof, this isn't a casual, low-commitment sipper. It's a high-octane expression that rewards attention. Drinking it neat is absolutely an option, and at that proof it's going to hit with some heat. Adding a splash or two of water is worth considering — not to water it down, but because a small amount of water can actually open up the aromas and flavors in a way that neat pouring sometimes doesn't allow. Experienced bourbon drinkers know this trick well, and with a whiskey this complex, giving it room to breathe in the glass makes a real difference.
Why This Release Is Worth Paying Attention To
Wine barrel finishes have become more common in the American whiskey market over the past several years. Some of them are interesting, and some of them exist mainly as a marketing angle. What separates the ones worth buying from the ones that are just a gimmick usually comes down to time and barrel quality. A quick finish in a mediocre barrel doesn't do much. A long finish in barrels that held genuinely exceptional wine — wine that was rich and complex on its own — is a different story entirely.
The fact that Barger and his team went through the trouble of sourcing from a boutique California winery rather than just grabbing whatever was available speaks to the intent behind this release. They weren't looking to slap a label on something and call it innovative. They wanted casks with character, and by their own account, they got that and then some.
Southern Distilling Company isn't a massive operation with unlimited inventory, which means a limited release like this one isn't going to stick around. When a smaller distillery brings something like this to market, it tends to move quickly among the people who pay attention to what's happening outside the major brands.
Where to Get It and What It Costs
Southern Star Paragon Bourbon Finished in Zinfandel Casks became available on February 21st. Here's the catch — it's only available at one location: Southern Distilling Company's Statesville Tasting Room, which sits at 211 Jennings Road in Statesville, North Carolina. A 750ml bottle is priced at $49.95.
That price point is reasonable for what this whiskey is offering. High-proof, limited-release, barrel-finished bourbon from a distillery with a track record of quality? Fifty dollars is not a stretch. For anyone within driving distance of Statesville, making the trip to the tasting room seems like a worthwhile afternoon. For those further away, it might be worth watching to see if the distillery expands availability down the road, though there are no guarantees with a release like this.
The Bigger Picture
Southern Distilling Company continues to demonstrate that serious American whiskey isn't just a big-brand game. North Carolina has been quietly developing a legitimate craft spirits scene, and operations like this one are a big part of why that's happening. They're not chasing trends so much as following their own curiosity — which, as Barger made clear, is exactly how this particular whiskey came to exist in the first place.
For the bourbon drinker who has worked through the standard lineup and wants something that offers a genuinely different experience without abandoning what makes American whiskey worth drinking, this Zinfandel-finished expression is exactly the kind of thing worth seeking out.
