It’s Time to Give Moonshine Some Respect For much of American history, the term “moonshine” has not only been misappropriated but viewed with disgust. Technically, moonshine is not just illegally distilled whiskey, but any spirit that is distilled without taxation from the government. These days, we tend to use the word to describe unaged white whiskey. The concept isn’t so different from other spirits, but for some reason, moonshine doesn’t have the same level of respect as some of its international counterparts. “People prize silver tequila, and you can buy a bottle of silver tequila that is $250 or more,” says Colin Spoelman, distiller at New York’s Kings County Distillery, which has its own moonshine. “The idea that an unaged agave distillate is somehow that valuable versus a distillate made from grains is completely preposterous.” However you currently feel about moonshine, our correspondent Caroline Eubanks will have you hankering for a pour by the end of this story. |