While the rest of my borough is out partying, I’ve taken a break to bring a new whiskey into my arsenal. Shine On Georgia Moon is something that’s caught my eye on the shelf every time I visit my local liquor store, so instead of venturing down to Red Hook to see my usual pushers at LeNell’s I opted to give SOGM a try.
Presentation:
Shine On Georgia Moon is bottled and positioned for one purpose and one purpose only: to hammer home the idea that it is moonshine. From the name, to the mason jar, to the irregular typeface on the shopping-bag-paper label, this liquor is anything but subtle. Thankfully they realize that they are so unapologetically forward in their visual presentation that they didn’t find the need to add a hokey little narrative about some old-timey man and his still out in the back woods of Georgia (or Kentucky as is the case here).
Beyond these obvious points, there is one message that seems particularly distictive to this brand – they proult declare that their product is “less than 30 days old” right on the front label. This is a clear response to the often fetishistic focus on a whiskey’s age that we see in other brands. SOGM seems to be trying to make the “freshness” of the product a selling point…not a crazy approach in the era of local food and farmers’ markets.
If you take the cheap bottling and quick time to market implied in the “less than 30 days old” tag line, and place these two qualities next to the $13+ price point, what you see is some damn shrewed marketing. The Johnson Distilling Company has taken the market’s obsession with notions of “authenticity” and manufactured unpretentiousness and turned it into a cheap-to-make, mid-market brand. Bravo.
Tasting:
Shine On Georgia Moon is no subtler to the nose than its bottling is to the eye. Before even getting to the nose however, one must struggle to pour the whiskey out of the mason jar itself – not an easy task to complete neatly. Once in the glass, SOGM definitely smells like whiskey, but very green whiskey. The dominant scent is (naturally) corn, but it really smells like the mash itself, unaged, unmellowed.
On the palate, SOGM is equally young. It moves quickly through its seasons: starting with a burst of corn, dropping into the sensation of boiled mash, then disappearing as quickly as it came leaving only a slight remembrance in the clean finish that something had passed this way. There seem few better ways to describe it than simply as ‘fast’.
Over all:
I would probably never find myself settling down with a glass of neat Georgia Moon any day soon, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t good uses for a green whiskey such as this. For instance, I can imagine with a little simple syrup and mint this would make a fine julep; or perhaps replace the mint with a wedge of lime and the simple syrup for cane syrup for a variation on Ti’punch. In fact, SOGM reminds me more of a rhum agricole than a bourbon or any other American whiskey – so it might be best to treat it as such.
September 7th, 2008 at 11:29 pm
I saw this odd little one in the local liquor store, which enticed me but looked fairly risky. Your review provided ample info on this oddity, which was very helpful!
P.S. Nice to see some variation in the circle of whisky bloggers for focusing on American spirits; you deserve to be read more widely!
December 20th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
My experience was a harsh clingy after taste resembling a belch after drinking water from a cheap garden hose this is by far no quality item but a tawdry novelty that insults the fine art of making moonshine corn whiskey this stuff is similar to what the old aficionados called “pop skull” made by scurrilous n`er do wells in car radiators!
December 21st, 2008 at 11:32 am
Ha! Good note Russel – I think that’s exactly the impression they were trying to give! They want to add an edge of unlawfulness, of danger to the aura. I was merely trying to contextualize it rather than rationalize it.
Thanks for reading!
December 30th, 2008 at 11:21 pm
[...] and perhaps some woodiness, surrounded by the fresh-green corn. This isn’t too far from Georgia Moon when compared with many other selections on this [...]
March 1st, 2009 at 8:29 pm
[...] whiskey that’s four months old? At the very least, this would be an experience similar to Georgia Moon or perhaps last week’s brandy, both young spirits. At best, the creator had worked some [...]
July 29th, 2009 at 11:04 pm
[...] expecting something only slightly less harsh than the fresh-off-the-still taste of something like Georgia Moon. Where it could differ though is in the fact that it’s made with a 100% wheat mash, which I [...]
August 31st, 2009 at 5:02 pm
I found an old jar of this in my grandmothers cabinet. I have no idea how old it could be, but it still has the paper A.T.F. stamp from the jar to the lid. It also has a state of Georgia liquor stamp on it with numbers and such. Does anyone know how to date this un-opened jar off the numbers on these seals??? I’d like to know how old it is…my best guesstimate is from between 78-86 seeing as how there are a lot of un-opened bottles with seals with dates on them. This was the only one that didn’t have a date stamp on. Needless to say any info on this would be helpful!!!…no longer is this jar less than 30 days old!
December 12th, 2010 at 6:52 pm
Well I first tried this shine when I got back from Iraq, and I wasnt pleasently surprised. I thought that it would be much like the rough shine I have tried in the past, but it wasn’t. Granted, it is not a smooth sipping kentucky or tennesse whiskey. But I love shine and it was rather nice, I now have a bottle at my house all the time.
June 10th, 2011 at 11:02 pm
My brother just brought some SOGM home. i’ve gotten it from the jar into my own smaller jar. Now I just have to get it past the lips. Brother says, “the jars on the shelf, and i dont plan on opening it again” OMG……
July 30th, 2011 at 2:39 pm
коиу помог похудеть слимкодпоследствия излишнего весасемечки и диетауринотерапия по малахову похудениевсе о лишнем весекак выглядит яйцо диетическоедиета при тахикардиидиета со счетом калорийкремлевская диета великолепно подходит для тех женщин которые не толькопомогает ли прыжки через скакалку похудетьдиета при остеоартрозекнига как похудетьпохудеть изначально маленький вессрочно надо похудеть на 5 кг за три неделидиеты при ревмотоидном артритекак похудеть с помощью уксуса рецептдиета при удалении почкинародные средства от похудениядиеты примерное меню на деньвода в кремлевской диете
September 3rd, 2011 at 8:46 pm
This is the best thing in this life.
October 18th, 2011 at 5:39 am
I think those who are trying to pour SOGM are missing the point (and the marketing gimmick) that this is meant to be sipped straight from the jar, and passed around. As well, it’s not smooth in the sense that a more refined bourbon or single malt scotch may be, but with it being only 80 proof (and IMHO somewhat sweet), it sure is easy to sip. The corn aroma is certainly stronger than other corn whiskeys I’ve tried, and at first I didn’t think I cared for it, but after a while it grew on me. I’ll be buying more soon, as even though it is a 750 ml jar, with the relatively low alcohol content (for shine) it goes pretty quickly.
December 17th, 2011 at 1:05 pm
I just got a jar of the peach shine & Im bout to try it after I eat!!!
December 21st, 2011 at 12:59 am
When I lived in CHS SC, a co worker of mine, lets just call him “the Colonel” Colonel Lingus, why he used to come around every now and again with a jar of the smoothest sipp’n shine in da low country. I have been watching “moonshiners” on the discovery channel lately and thought, I’d like to git me a jar o dat stuff! So I went down to the local ABC and picked one up. I should have just put the 12 bucks in the red kettle! UGH! Are you kidding me with this CRAP?!?!? SOGM you got my 12 bucks!
January 1st, 2012 at 5:02 pm
This is an Anachronism and most people are missing this point! This is the whisky my ancestors made when they settled in the Apalatia in 1720. Yes it was crude, yes it was unrefined! Was the beers and meads back 3,000 to 5,000 years ago any different? The single malts, single barrels are the sweet fruits from the whiskey family tree. SOGM are one of the true roots of that very tree! This is what brought in money and food for destitue families! This is where it all began here in the U.S. (Rum… Bahama invention). Whisky like SOGM is what started the “Whiskey Rebelion”! It is just like those that distilled it in those days, a people unsophisticated and unrefined by their U.K. copunterparts that whooped the U.K. and began this great nation! It is the Red, White & Blue Sweat & Blood of our ancestors and what they could sip while relaxing after a day of skull duggery! It came from the corn forged by Amwerican callused hands, brewed by American water, fermented by American yeast, distilled by Yankee inginuity from a proud Celtic roots that broke the Roman yoke in Britania! God Bless!
January 5th, 2012 at 1:06 pm
Drink it out of the mason jar and you dont have to worry about making a mess tryin to put it in a glass. Duhh.
January 7th, 2012 at 7:21 pm
i have poured this crap down the sink! i wolnt buy so called shine from a ABC store agian. moon sucks, midnight moon sucks, and so on and so forth. if you want real corn find NC homemade. ABC is a sorry excuse and should be shut down.
January 12th, 2012 at 5:49 am
Jesus H Christ this stuff is BAD when drank neat!
Imagine drinking some rainwater from one of the bottom tyres in a 20-year-old old tyre pile… Yes, it’s *that* bad!
You still have to try this stuff though. ;)
January 20th, 2012 at 4:55 pm
I like the stuff. Ive bought about 6 jars.
January 30th, 2012 at 2:20 pm
If you like the taste of burnt wood in your drink this is not for you. If you appreciate the taste of fresh corn whiskey this one deserves your attention. Haven’t found any that tasted like the stuff my grandfather made but it’s close enough. Just so you know not all shine was as potent as jet fuel. Most of the folks I knew that made it proofed it afterwards to around 100 -105.
February 1st, 2012 at 5:35 pm
Where I come from we drink that straight out of the jar…why fool with a glass?
February 3rd, 2012 at 9:26 pm
This stuff is good mixed with anything! I am not a moonshine expert but I love this! And no hangover with it! That is one thing I have found with all unaged corn whiskey compared to anything else I drink. Give this stuff a shot for yourself and make your own decision. One thing about real “moonshine” is it all tastes different.
February 18th, 2012 at 11:46 am
Dont drink this Neat, or in a glass… What the hell were you thinking. If its under 108, it dont need ice. And if it comes in a glass,why you gonna pour it into another. Its for sharing,sharing that beautiful fresh corn, and light mash taste with a great aftertaste that makes you howl. And little to no headache.
I brought it to a party,just left it on the counter. Everybody was scared til the first swig was taken,an hour later it was gone.guys and girls alike. Its a party starter,and if you cant get your hands on a steady supply of some homemade, heres your brand… 9 to 12 bucks for a hood time. But dont get it fooled and think you make it neat,that ridiculoud, would you serve wild turkey neat? Ridiculous. Appalachia lives
February 26th, 2012 at 11:41 am
I just got a 4/5 quart bottle from a man who is old. He said the moonshine from your company is about 50 years old. I tried it and it tastes very good. Just wondering how old it can be and is it still safe to dring. No side effects from it. Has a seal on top the jar. It is red and says federal revenue, has a partial #38765731. Thank you Kerry Snyder
April 1st, 2012 at 3:34 pm
My grandfather & grandmother met through moonshine. Papa was a bootlegger & Meme’s dad was a moonshiner. He made enough money runnin the stuff for her old man to move to a bigger city & open it’s 1st gulf station. He was a mechanic. He made shine in the back of the gulf & sold to everyone from old ladies who needed “their tires serviced” to the cop who “needed windshield wiper blades”! This is as close to the real stuff as it gets! When I opened the jar, it almost brought tears to my eyes. Remembering the smell of Papa’s shop. Then a taste & I was right back @ 12 years old, stealin a jar w/ a cousin. We got caught! But, for what it is, legal moonshine, it hits the spot. Sit outside, w/ a couple of buds & pass that jar around;) See if y’all don’t have a good ol’ time!
April 9th, 2012 at 1:37 am
I wish I could get Shine On Georgia Moon Corn Whiskey in five gallon jugs. It sure tastes better than any other 80 to 100 proof anything. Try a chilled shot of Jack Beam Knob Creek or even my favorit Rip Van Winkle then a smooth sip of this mild corn yummieness. Shine On Georgia Moon Corn Whiskey even has the heads and tails cut off so you dont have the next day blues or headach. It is not fine whisky it is fine corn likker. Heck try the pint for five bucks and if you dsapprove send the rest to me…
April 29th, 2012 at 11:00 pm
I love this stuff. very close to the real thing.
May 4th, 2012 at 10:34 pm
I have bought and drank this stuff. While in strong in flavor, I have complaints about it. And have also found it to be great in cooking especially as a degazer and a “secret ingredient” in my BBQ sauce and chili.
May 4th, 2012 at 10:35 pm
btw no complaints about it…. sorry