‘First’ legal whiskey in Alabama for 100 years

Opelika’s John Emerald Distilling Company has released what it claims is the first legal Alabama-distilled whiskey in a century.

An Alabama-based distillery has launched the “first” legal whiskey in the state in 100 years

Legal whiskey production stopped in the state in 1915 just ahead of Prohibition – the nationwide ban on the sale, production and importation of alcoholic beverages between 1920 and 1933.

“It’s the first legal whiskey made in the state of Alabama in 100 years, since Prohibition,” said John Sharp, co-owner of John Emerald, as reported by AL.com. “Prohibition came along and nobody made a whiskey, basically, until we actually started doing this.”

However, the firm’s John’s Alabama Single Malt Whiskey is thought to be the first official whiskey to launch in the state.

“Obviously, this had to be in the barrel for a while, so therefore it was the last thing we released,” added Emerald.

“We tried to hold off, but the demand was so great, honestly, that we did kind of a trickle out, kind of like a pre-release.”

The whiskey is aged in five-gallon barrels and the distillery uses temperature control to “simulate seasons” and speed up the maturation process.

I believe others here trying in the state are using traditional techniques where they’re just going to have to wait probably a minimum of three years,” commented Jimmy Sharp, son of John Sharp.

“People were buying it before we were trying to sell it, basically, which was good.

“We were happy with it then, but it will also get a lot better. We’re just tweaking it a little bit, trying to find the longest it can age in five-gallon barrels.”

John’s Alabama Single Malt Whiskey is available in two local ABC stores, plus several bars and restaurants in the Opelika-Auburn region.