DSR – NC – 028: Southern Star Paragon Single Barrel Cask Strength Wheated Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Company/Distillery: Southern Distilling Company, LLC
Location: Statesville, North Carolina
Mash Bill: 70% Corn, 16% Wheat, and 14% Malted Barley
Age Statement: No Age Statement; Straight Bourbon implies at least 2 years.
Color & Viscosity: The Southern Star Paragon Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon presents a light mahogany color in the bottle, shifting to a light tawny hue in the glass. Initially, a thin viscous lip forms, which then thickens to a medium density. This lip develops into droplets that quickly form legs, cascading gracefully down to the bottom of the glass, where they seamlessly blend with the rest of the whiskey.
**The sample used for this review was provided, no strings attached, by Southern Distilling Company, LLC**
Bottle Label Information:
Front Label
Southern Star Paragon
Single Barrel
Cask Strength Wheated Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distilled in Statesville, North Carolina
Barrel No. 02132
Southern Distilling Co.
Making tasty products for happy people.
Proprietor Pete Barger
Product of the USA
Back Label
Our Paragon wheated bourbon captures the distinct essence of a traditional North Carolina whiskey. From our local grains to your glass, this is something to be savored. Enjoy.
Distilled, Aged & Bottled by Southern Distilling Company, LLC
Statesville, North Carolina | DSP-NC-21052
Distillery Background
Southern Distilling Company, LLC
Southern Distilling Company, LLC, located just 45 miles west of Winston-Salem in Statesville, North Carolina, was founded in 2013 by husband and wife team Pete and Vienna Barger. The town of Statesville seemed like a logical home for a craft distillery as it was formerly known as the “Liquor Capital of the World” in the 1880’s…a time when quality whiskey and brandy wholesalers dominated the Statesville landscape. The Bargers set out to build onto Statesville’s liquor tradition and open up the first distillery since Prohibition.
The Bargers would go on to build one of the largest and most technologically advanced craft distilleries in America. The Statesville distillery is 25,000 square feet in size and the facility houses a 40-foot tall 18″ diameter Vendome Copper & Brass Works continuous column still. The still allows the distillery to produce up to 500,000 proof gallons of spirits per a year. The facility is also home to a 2,500-gallon mash cooker and a small batch copper and stainless steel pot still system.
The size of the distillery lends itself to be shared with Southern Distilling Company, LLC, offering a full range of services to both domestic and international companies including contract distilling using custom mash bills, bottle and packaging services, warehousing, and more. In addition to their contract distilling offerings, Southern Distilling’s in-house product line includes its Southern Star Paragon Wheated Whiskey label, Southern Star Double Rye Whiskey, Southern Star Double Shot Coffee Bourbon Cream Liqueur, Southern Star High-Rye 10-Year Reserve Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Southern Star White Whiskey, and Southern Star High-Rye Straight Bourbon Whiskey.
Paragon Wheated Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Southern Star Paragon Wheated Straight Bourbon Whiskey is the distillery’s brand that was released in late 2021. This is distilled, aged, and bottled on-site at the Statesville, NC distillery using a mash bill of 70% corn, 16% wheat, and 14% malted barley. This bottling is done from one single barrel and bottled at a cask strength of 107.4 proof. There is no age statement, but straight bourbon implies a minimum of 2 years in the barrel. Southern Star Paragon Single Barrel Cask Strength Straight Bourbon Whiskey is available to buy at NC ABC stores for $69.95. The Paragon series also offers a Straight Bourbon Whiskey ($49.95) and a Bottled-In-Bond bottling ($59.95).
Tasting Notes
Tasting Date/Vessel: July 14, 2024 – Neat in a Glencairn glass
Nose
Christian: In the bottle, Southern Star Paragon Single Barrel Cask Strength Whiskey offers a nice richness. Notes of charred oak, vanilla custard, and dark brown sugar well up deep from within the bottle. In my Glencarin glass, this whiskey is super sweet on the nose. A warm vanilla custard, sweet caramel sauce, and a very light hint of corn and wheat grains. A gentle swirl of the glass allows a buttery component to move forward, reminding me of toffee.
Mike: Much like the Paragon Bottled in Bond, nosing this whiskey directly from the bottle reveals faint notes of oak char and tobacco. However, the strong presence of the ‘tax’ strip label glue overshadows any subtler aromas. When poured into the glass, the whiskey leads with notes of pancake syrup, while subtle hints of freshly sliced apples linger in the background. A gentle swirl releases a brief whiff of ethanol, which quickly dissipates to reveal lighter aromas of honey and powdered cinnamon.
Mouth
Christian: On my tongue, this whiskey has a nice full body mouth feel that generously coats the palate and roof of my mouth with a nice viscosity. Sipping on this whiskey brings a very quick hit of sweet butterscotch before a punch of cinnamon spice takes over. In addition, notes of vanilla bean and sweet corn pudding can be found as well.
Mike: My first sip of this Paragon Single Barrel introduces bold flavors of bitter oak char and aged leather. Mid-palate, a semi-sweet cinnamon icing note emerges, eventually fading into the dry warmth of a cinnamon stick. On a second pass, the whiskey reveals a touch more sweetness upfront, with honey-like notes followed by creamy honey butter flavors. Overall, this wheated bourbon has a semi-dry mouthfeel and doesn’t quite deliver the fully developed range of flavors I’m looking for on the palate.
Finish
Christian: Wow, it’s amazing how much more of a punch this cask strength offering produces compared to the Bottled-In-Bond for only an additional 7.4 proof points. The finish is medium to long in length and warms considerably from the chest up into the throat. Loads of oak barrel char, earthy roasted corn, and burnt sugars (very light, but they are there). The finish is just a little bit bitter and very dry.
Mike: This lower-proof single barrel bourbon, at 107.4 proof, delivers a smooth finish with a soft, warming cinder sensation in the lower throat that builds gently and lingers pleasantly. On the palate, faint hints of soft leather and a gentle powdered sugar sweetness contribute to a refined and enjoyable overall experience.
Our Rating
Final Thoughts
Christian: Southern Star Paragon Single Barrel Cask Strength Wheated Straight Bourbon Whiskey is, in my opinion, the best of the three Paragon products we have tried. The nose is well developed with generous amounts of sweetness and dark rich flavors. On the palate and in the finish is where it seems the young age on this whiskey shows. There is a nice base of flavors here, but they could really grow and develop with a few more years in the barrel aging. The same with the finish, to some this will be a little harsh even at just 107.4 proof. However, that
is something that could be mellowed and cleaned up with more time in the barrel. Thanks to Southern Distilling for the samples for us to review! We do appreciate it.
Rating: 3.00 Rickhouses
Mike: This single barrel offering from Southern Distilling shows promise. Similar to the Bottled in Bond bourbon, it has several positive attributes that could benefit from more time in the barrel. I observed that the Paragon single barrel evolved as it sat in the glass, a common trait with some whiskies. With increasing local interest in North Carolina for Southern Distilling’s single barrel picks, I’m excited to compare this one. Fortunately, a Rickhouse Ramblings reader has generously offered a sample of one of these single barrel picks. While the price point of $69.95 may be prohibitive for some, keep an eye on this release—there’s potential that these single barrel picks will provide the additional flavor profile depth I’m seeking, and we’ll offer an update once we receive the sample.
Rating: 3.00 Rickhouses
Gallery
