For All Chinquapin Bourbon Enthusiasts 2.21.2025

Chinquapin Barrel Pick of Conviction Bourbon

Southern Grace Distillery (Whiskey Prison) in Mt. Pleasant, NC, maker of Conviction Bourbon, has agreed to allow us to do a special barrel pick of a 6 year or Double Oak bourbon, with the bottles carrying a special Chinquapin designation. This special bottling will be available only through the Cashiers ABC store (Jackson County) and/or by advanced order from the distillery.

A barrel pick means Chinquapin owners, who are able and can participate, will sample bourbon from 4-5 unique barrels of bourbon that are ready to bottle and pick their favorite and the best one for this special bottling. Thomas Thacker CEO and Master Distiller has agreed to come to Chinquapin to do the tasting.  Ideally, our tasting panel would be around 10 people but no more than 16.  The majority vote will determine the pick, and the bourbon will be bottled the following 2-3 weeks.  It will then take a couple more weeks to reach the ABC store in Cashiers.

Most barrel pick programs require whoever is doing the barrel pick to purchase all the bottles from the special bottling (approx. 200). Southern Grace is allowing us to do a pick without any requirement for purchase. Whatever bottles aren’t pre-purchased or sent to the Cashiers ABC store by special direct ship from this bottling will be sold onsite at the distillery. You can buy a single bottle or more than one as a pre-purchase if you want, or wait until it is available in the Cashiers ABC store, if you would like a bottle. No purchase is required, however. Unfortunately, there is no special pricing allowed by NC ABC by state law. This is just to have some fun in the neighborhood!  Mark has approved and is excited for people on the Plateau to see that Chinquapin has its own special bourbon.

More details forthcoming, but if you are interested in being on the tasting panel, please let me know at adobson1600@gmail.com We plan to do the tasting and pick on March 25th in the evening (alternate day being March 26th). Location will likely be at the Outpost, and we will have some snack or appetizers suitable for a tasting. Spouses of tasters who don’t care to participate will have the option of some nice wines to try.   

When our bourbon is ready, we will plan a larger bourbon tasting event for the neighborhood in the spring.  

Disclaimer: I am an owner of the distillery which is why we can have a barrel pick without obligation to buy. “All with the purpose of having fun in the neighborhood”.

Cheers,

Allen Dobson

Conviction was awarded Best Bourbon at the New Orleans Bourbon Festival, a Gold Medal at the MicroLiquor Spirit Awards, and a Double Gold Medal at the Fifty Best Bourbons Competition.      https://www.southerngracedistilleries.com/