Review: Southern Star Bourbon Finished in Zinfandel Casks
In the mid-19th century, a map of American “liquid gold” would have looked inverted to the modern eye. Before the Civil War, North Carolina stood as the undisputed titan of American viticulture, leading the nation in wine production and hosting the country’s first commercial winery. This reputation largely revolved around the Scuppernong grape, a native bronze-green variety of the Muscadine family. Yet, as the vines flourished in the red clay, another empire was rising in Statesville: the “Liquor Capital of the World.” Driven by the rail lines of 1858, Statesville became a global hub for tax-paid whiskey, fueled by rugged Scotch-Irish distilling traditions.
However, this golden era of Southern spirits eventually faced a looming shadow. By the turn of the 20th century, the temperance movement had taken a stranglehold on the South. In 1903, years before National Prohibition reached the rest of the country, North Carolina passed the Watts Act. This legislation effectively dismantled the legal distilling industry in Statesville and forced its master blenders into the hills as outlaws. As the copper stills grew cold in the Piedmont, the American viticultural crown was being handed westward.
While North Carolina’s vineyards were being plowed under for tobacco, Italian immigrants in Sonoma, California, were discovering that the rugged, fog-cooled terrain of the Russian River Valley was the perfect sanctuary for a dark-skinned grape known as Zinfandel. As the “Liquor Capital” faded into memory, these West Coast pioneers were planting the very “old vines” that would define California’s winemaking identity for the next century. Specifically, in the Piner-Olivet region of Sonoma, the soil was being prepared for what would eventually become the world-renowned Carlisle Vineyards, a site where Zinfandel flourished while the South remained legally dry.
Today, that 150-year-old gap has been bridged. The “Liquor Capital” has been resurrected, and it has reached across the continent to borrow a piece of Sonoma’s history. In early 2026, Statesville’s Southern Distilling released Southern Star Bourbon Finished in Zinfandel Casks, featuring Zinfandel wine casks sourced from Carlisle Vineyards in Sonoma, California. Serving as part of the Paragon collection, the bourbon is distilled from a wheated mashbill consisting of 70% corn, 16% wheat, and 14% malted barley. The mash underwent open-top fermentation over a period of five days before being run through a column still. Distillate came off the still at 130 proof and went into four barrels at 110 proof.
The bourbon initially aged in three barrels from Black Swan and one barrel from Speyside, all with a #4 char. The youngest barrel aged for 4 years and 11 days and the oldest barrel aged for 4 years and 232 days, maintaining an average age of 4 years and 202 days. These initial barrels were dumped on June 1, 2022, with a natural harvest proof of 116. This freshly dumped bourbon was immediately entered into three 60-gallon Zinfandel wine casks, allowing for at least another year of maturation. While wine cask finishes are extremely common in modern American whiskey, the use of Zinfandel wine casks is anything but common. Southern Distilling took a chance when stepping outside of the norm for wine cask finishes. Did it pay off? Or is there a reason that bourbon with Zinfandel finishes is uncommon? Let’s find out!
Southern Star Straight Bourbon Finished in Zinfandel Casks Review
The Zinfandel casks appear in full force right away. The nose opens with brambly black raspberry paired against vanilla pudding. As the whiskey rests, a bit of butterscotch provides a moment of sweetness before the scent shifts toward freshly tilled loam. It is a fascinating marriage of sweet and earthy. On the palate, the spirit veers away from sweet almost entirely. Baked red apples with the peels still intact lead the charge, followed by a metallic streak of iron. This transitions into the mid-palate, where under-ripe blackberries and white pepper take hold. Just as the tartness peaks, a quick hit of ripe, juicy berry fruit provides a brief counterpoint.
The mouthfeel stays lean and undeniably dry. This parched quality continues into the finish, which highlights dark chocolate before returning to that signature mix of tart blackberry and white pepper. An unexpected note of savory mushroom rounds out the tail end. The experience concludes with a finish that is exceptionally long and stays dry until the very end.
This release is worth a close look. It offers a profile that will feel entirely new to most fans of bourbon. The prominent dryness is not a trait found in many pours, and it typically sits outside my own flavor bank. While this specific direction is not my usual speed, I found the deviation fascinating. I had to slow my pace and focus more than I usually do while assessing a whiskey. I enjoyed the challenge of identifying these infrequent notes and questioning the alchemy behind them. Occasionally, a pour is so distinct that it transcends personal choice. It serves a higher purpose by stretching a taster’s sensory vocabulary, and these Zinfandel casks accomplish exactly that. For enthusiasts who appreciate both bourbon and the backbone of dry wine, this bottle is a worthwhile endeavor.
116.1 proof
B / $46 (375 ml)
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