Store bought "moonshine"

[TOAD]

I have never had the real thing, but i have tried many store bought moonshines. What i would like to know is, is there anything on the market that tastes real? Kind of, to get perspective. My first batch of shine was smooth as glass compared to the liquid barbwire they sell legal. In a perfect world, i would know a legendary moonshiner, sample his product, and say, thats what im aiming for.

Also, opinions of various store bought shines welcome.

[OlympicMtDoo]

I tried some store bought Moonshine that I got for christmas, it was pretty damn good I must say, but if you can buy it in a store , is it moonshine anymore? There are as many types and tastes of moonshine as there are those of us who make it and it all comes down to what you like the taste of, wheather you like to make whiskey, brandy, vodka, or what ever, it's all moonshine when you make it out back behind the shed.

[Durace11]

IMO nothing store bought can compare to homemade until the store bought gets into the high end, sometimes the really high end.

[ipee7ABV]

i tried some with berries in it and compared it to my razzberrydroper not even close. it had a bunch of heads and mine was 65% and smooth

[Ghost]

Bonded likker is no longer moonshine in my book - but thats just me!

[Kidnapper2]

I just bought a jar of Nascar legend Jr. Johnson's Midnight Moonshine, blueberry shine. 100 proof neutral and the jar is filled about 3/4 with blueberries.

Not too bad really. Good over ice. They also had a blackberry that would be worth a go I think. I bought it just to see what it would taste like and maybe get a new idea for recipes n such. So when the season comes back around I will make up some neutral, cut it to 100, and just add a bunch of berries and see what happens

[steve2md]

I tried the Ol Smoky Moonshine Cherries, ok when mixed, but it's still just a neutral with maraschino cherries in it. I think a good corn likker would be better....

[TOAD]

Now see thats what i thought (all of yas) its not real shine. Heck, some of them say right on the bottle "neutral with added favors". And it was kind of hard to believe that my first few tries with all of their rookie mistakes could be so much better than the professionals. I guess they have to make it harsh and unpleasant to keep up with what the uninformed expect moonshine to be like.

[tallen702]

Now see thats what i thought (all of yas) its not real shine. Heck, some of them say right on the bottle "neutral with added favors". And it was kind of hard to believe that my first few tries with all of their rookie mistakes could be so much better than the professionals. I guess they have to make it harsh and unpleasant to keep up with what the uninformed expect moonshine to be like.

I think it's part expectation of an ignorant public, yes, but I also think it's a cost/profit issue as well. If they're a NDP (non-distiller producer, a la Bulleit and Whistlepig) they've got to pay a distillery to make their product for them driving up overhead meaning they have to use lower quality spirits to keep the cost down. I also think that some of these legal "moonshine" producers don't come from a craft background like we do. We want to make good stuff that we're going to drink or give our friends to drink. If you're head distiller's background is running 300 gallons of shine plastic milk jugs ever few weeks, well, they aren't going to be as skilled at or as interested in crafting a fine beverage as most of us are.

As for the OP, I've had some. It's booze in a mason jar. Not particularly high quality, but it doesn't taste of plastic and it won't kill ya, but that's about all the praise I have for it.

[Usge]

Recognizing everybody's taste buds change day in day out..over the years this is what I've tried and my best recollection of it:
The moonshine around where I was from ranged from slightly sweet with a grain taste on the finish (the good stuff) to more of a turpentine taste sort of blended together (the bad stuff) and everything inbetween....bits of both.

Georgia Moon (blech). Tasted like watered down heads.
Ole Smokey - smooth enough at 80 proof but flavor tastes like turpentine...has that vibe. Had plenty of illegal shine that had that same taste to it. (everything down to the teeth blended together)
Mellow Corn (should be called yellow jacket). Really rough tasting...like it was aged with a varnished door.
Jr Johnson's midnite moon: more like a corn vodka. Very little taste, slightly sweet,...and the cut edges to the heads side. Has a rubbing alc like dry finish.
Cat Daddy (infusions by Jr Johnson). Really, really bad. I just have no idea. Can't even taste the likker in it. And what's there was really bitter, base.
Pritchards white Corn Whiskey: Yes Sir!! I really liked this one and it had the vibe of the better stuff I've had from where I was from.
Buffalo Trace White dog: at 60% it was a bit hot and scratchy. It was also notably a bit cloudy if that gives you any indication about the cut. But, the flavor wasn't God aweful like some of the others. More of a whiskey cut..meant for aging.
Tuthilltown Corn Whiskey: This is yankee whiskey, but well done. Yankee whiskey tends to have a very forward, fresh, corn taste. Nicely done, but a bit of a different style than the stuff I'm used to.
Same could be said about some others I've tried that I cannot remmeber the name of (people brought it to me). Some from Va. Same thing..very bright, fresh corn taste that goes dead after a bit.