Silver Cloud is the serious jar in the Sugarlands range and the one that answers what moonshine actually is, rather than what the flavored jars have made people think it is. There is no flavoring here and no caramel color. The label states spirits distilled from cane and grain, which means this is a genuinely distilled unaged spirit rather than a neutral base with something added to it afterward. It is also bottled at 50 percent alcohol by volume, or 100 proof, which is where traditional mountain shine actually lived and roughly double the strength of the sweeter jars in the lineup. Sugarlands works out of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, at the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains, and bottles in genuine wire bail Mason jars, which in this case is less a novelty than a nod to how the thing was originally carried. The sour mash method referenced on the label is the traditional practice of using a portion of a previous fermentation to start the next one, which controls acidity and produces consistency batch to batch. What is in the glass is crystal clear and unaged, with a sweet corn and cane nose, a clean grain forward palate carrying real sweetness from the cane and a warm peppery bite from the proof, and a finish that is hot and short in the way an unaged spirit should be. Drink it cold, straight from the freezer, in a small pour. It also takes a mixer well precisely because the proof gives it something to stand on, and it makes an unusually good moonshine lemonade or mule.
ABV / Proof
| ABV |
50% |
| Proof |
100 |
| Size |
750ml |
| Country |
United States |
| Region |
Gatlinburg, Tennessee |
| Category |
Moonshine |
| Expression |
Silver Cloud Tennessee Sour Mash |
| Base |
Spirits distilled from cane and grain |
| Mash |
Sour mash |
| Age |
Unaged |
| Distillery |
Sugarlands Distilling Company LLC |
| Packaging |
Mason jar with wire bail |
Tasting Notes
Color: Crystal clear, unaged with no added color.
Nose: Sweet corn and cane sugar up front, clean and direct, with a light grain note behind.
Palate: Grain forward and sweet from the cane, with a full body and a distinct peppery heat from the proof.
Finish: Short, hot and clean, fading on sweet grain without lingering.
FAQ
What proof is Silver Cloud? It is 100 proof, or 50 percent alcohol by volume, which is roughly double the strength of the flavored Sugarlands jars.
How is this different from the flavored Sugarlands jars? Those are neutral spirits with added flavoring and caramel color at lower strength. Silver Cloud is unflavored, uncolored, distilled from cane and grain, and bottled at 100 proof.
Is it whiskey? No. It is unaged, distilled partly from cane, and carries no whiskey designation. The sour mash reference describes the fermentation method rather than making it a whiskey.
What does sour mash mean? A portion of a previous fermentation is used to start the next one. It controls acidity, discourages unwanted bacteria and produces greater consistency between batches.
How should I drink it? Cold, in small pours, ideally straight from the freezer. The proof also means it holds up in a mixed drink, so it works well in a moonshine lemonade or mule.
Where can I buy Sugarlands Silver Cloud Moonshine online? Available here at Liquor On Broadway while stock lasts, with fast insured shipping nationwide.
