When Tennessee state law recently changed to allow the distillation of spirits, Ole Smoky Moonshine Distillery took the opportunity to showcase their particular art of mountain-made moonshine. They became the first federally licensed distillery in the history of East Tennessee, utilizing the recipes and experience of local families who’ve secretly been making moonshine up in the Smoky Mountains for over two hundred years. Corn grown in local farms are transported to the family mill and ground, then converted into the clear corn liquor at the distillery. But that’s not what makes this 80% corn whisky special — no, that would be the pure apple juice, ground cinnamon and other spices that are blended in with the homemade moonshine to create a rich apple pie taste — an authentic recipe loved for ages in Appalachia. With a strong taste of apples and cinnamon, the 40 proof whisky could be well substituted for calvados or other digestif, but probably wouldn’t make for pleasurable sustained drinking. Shots? Definitely. Apple laced cocktails? Most likely. But as a post-meal dessert it would excel. Find it for about $25 a bottle, er, mason jar.