Price - $18.99 (375ml)
ABV - 45% (90 proof)
This white distillate from Flag Hill in Lee, NH has previously only been available at the on-premises tasting room. It's newly available in the state Outlet stores and is worth a try, even if it is a bit pricey.
I'm thrilled to see quality spirits being produced in-state, and Flag Hill has a reputation for doing it right - sourcing high-quality ingredients from local suppliers whenever possible. As the state's first distillery, founded in 2004, they've set the bar high and if this moonshine is any indication, they'll be adding a top shelf bourbon to the lineup very soon.
It's distilled from corn and malted barley and is clearly unaged. Handsomely packaged in a clear glass bottle styled after the classic moonshine jug - thumb handle and all - it really looks the part. This empty is sure to wind up in my wife's collection.
The nose is hot as one might expect, but less so than I expected. It smells of corn syrup and candy (red lollipops came immediately to mind) and seems uncommonly rich for something that hasn't seen any wood yet. There's a very subtle hint of burnt grain in there, too, but that's fairly typical.
The palate follows along nicely, but it's incredibly smooth. I don't like using that term because it's so frequently abused, but 'shine is often pretty harsh and this definitely is not. That burnt note is absent in the taste, which is nice, and it finishes shortly with rich, dusty grain. Some small-batch whites leave an unpleasant, lingering aftertaste but this is neat and clean. I can't imagine how tasty this will be after a few years in a good barrel.
I'd hold this up as one of the finer moonshines I've sampled, but at this price it ought to be. There are plenty of aged, quality bourbons in this same range. That being said, I'm happy to pay a bit more to support a local endeavour and I understand that getting into aged product is a very expensive proposition for the distillery. So, I'll choose to look at it as an investment in fine bourbon for the future.