Review #: 35
Description: TOPO Carolina Moonshine
Spirit: New Make
Background: TOPO (Top Of The Hill) is a staple of Chapel Hill, NC. Their restaurant and brewery are located in the middle of downtown, but they also run a distillery just down the road. Their Moonshine is made from 100% NC Wheat. The tour was enjoyable and they clearly have a passion for spirits, but let’s see if it translates to the product.
Distillery – TOPO
Bottler – TOPO
Brand – TOPO
Selection – N/A
ABV – 42%
Age – Unaged
Nose – Definitely wheat, waxy candy, jelly beans, sour/bitter towards the end
Taste – Sweet bread, sugary corn flakes, thin but creamy
Finish – A little bit of baking spices, little, almost minty on the back end that dries the mouth slightly
Score: 4
Would I buy a bottle? No
Thoughts: Honestly, this was not bad. I think “moonshines” have a bad reputation since lots of craft distilleries sell it just as a way to get cash flow, and when tasting it, your mind wants to associate it with an aged whiskey. It is a very different experience though since all the influence is coming from just the distillation process. This had some nice sweetness and cream to it, though ultimately thin and falling flat on the finish which can likely be attributed to the low ABV.