One of the fun and interesting new things for adults to do in the Tennessee Smokies is to follow the Spirits Trail of the Smokies. This is an unofficial trail of distilleries, moonshine retailers and homemade wine producers in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville and Kodak, TN.
If you are just coming into the Smokies off of I-40, you can hit two of the participants on the Spirits Trail right away. Thunder Road Distillery sits on the northwest corner of I-40 and Exit 407 and features several flavors of moonshine, free tastings and great merchandise for souvenirs. Eagle Springs Winery sits on the southwest corner of the same interchange and offers wines made from local grapes and honey. Have a free tasting and get a free glass with each purchase.
Next stop, Pigeon Forge, where you can visit no fewer than three locations on the Spirits Trail. The Old Forge Distillery is located next to the historic Old Mill Restaurant and General Store, and features their signature 1830 Original Distillers Blend Moonshine, plus six additional flavors. Their gift shop features homemade knives which you can see being hand forged next door.
If you make your way to Gatlinburg you can enjoy moonshine, wine and whiskey in five different Spirits Trail locations. Bootleggers and Ole Smoky Moonshine have their original locations in Gatlinburg, and there is also Sugarlands Distilling Co., Doc Collier Moonshine and Davy Crockett Tennessee Whiskey.
Corn and cane are the primary ingredients of Sugarlands 100 Proof Silver Cloud Moonshine, but this is just one of the 9 flavors of shine offered at Sugarlands Distilling Co.. You can also enjoy live music at the Back Porch concert Series.
Simple is best was what Doc Collier used to say, and that is the philosophy behind their 12 different moonshines. Only corn, sugar, English Mountain Spring water and fresh fruit and ingredients go into Doc Colliers. By a bottle and pick yourself up something purty from Doc’s Shine Shop.
Davy Crockett was a famous Tennessean and now his name graces the label of a genuine, white oak barreled, full flavored, sugar maple dripped whiskey named Davy Crocketts Tennessee Whiskey. You can sip the original or 5 other flavors of locally made whiskey right off the Parkway in Gatlinburg, in sight of the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, an area where ole Davy himself once roamed.
Pick up a copy of the Spirits Trail of the Smokies in book and brochure racks throughout the Tennessee Smokies or at the central and east Tennessee Official State Welcome Centers. Then come to the Smokies and hit the trail yourself. Take home a bottle or two, some moonshine, wine or whiskey glasses and some local souvenirs for good sippin’ memories for you and your friends.
Get more information about the Smokies, maps and coupons at the Best Read Guide website at
https://www.bestreadguidesmokymountains.com/ .