Fast cars and wild whiskey
Once upon a time,moonshine was big business,and the American South played out a daily game of cat and mouse as fast cars raced for the border. Jim Leggett goes in search of an American institution
The Dukes of Hazzard TV series may be relegated to reruns, but a new âDukesâ movie introduced a fresh generation of fans to moonshine, rustic humour and gleeful car chases. In search of former moonshiners whose real-life adventures inspired âHazzardâ story lines, I headed for the Cherokee foothills bordering the Carolinas, Georgia and Tennessee.
Even today family ties bind many to the old whiskey cult. I found one enterprising exdistiller holding a foot-stompinâ âMoonshiner Reunionâ in tribute to âgood olâ boys anâ good olâ moonshineâ.
Here old-timers who once tuned bootleggersâ cars meet for a beer, and recall adventures and high-speed car chases. Often as not, talk turns to fine corn whiskey made here since these valleys were settled by Scots- Irish during the 18th century, their secrets of distilling âwhite lightninâ handed down.
Alcohol has attracted the interest of taxmen since the Civil War ended the Southâs political aspirations, and formerly tax-exempt whiskey and resentment to liquor taxation lives on. A decade ago a Mooresville, N.C., judge barked to an arrested moonshiner: âState can sell it, so can you!
Case dismissed.â On a rural S. C. farm once known for cotton, peaches and excellent corn whiskey moonshiner Barney Barnwell (retired, of course) greets legions of old friends and fans to his annual Moonshiners Reunion.
Sporting a full grey beard, battered Stetson hat, blue denim overalls, boots with soles are held together w.....
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By Jim Leggett
Section : Whisky Production
Page number : 18
