The Tasting Panel magazine

January / February 2017

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80  /  the tasting panel  /  january/february 2017 MOONSHINE Through the Fire PHOTO: VAN GALLIK OLE SMOKY MOONSHINE LENDS ITS VOICE (AND CAUSE) TO REBUILDING A TOWN SET ABLAZE by Karen Moneymaker N ovember 28, 2016, is a date that will be long remembered in the town of Gatlinburg, Tennessee. As the town was returning to work after the Thanksgiving holiday, wind-driven sparks from a neighboring fire (the Chimney Tops 2 fire, first reported on November 23) landed in the Gatlinburg area and ignited quickly, thanks to high winds and low humidity. What had become known as the 2016 Great Smoky Mountains wildfires rapidly consumed nearly 18,000 acres, claimed 14 lives and injured 134, becom- ing one of the most devastating natural disasters in Tennessee's history. "The fires spread very quickly, so it created a chaotic and scary situation," remembers Cory Cottongim, President of Retail and Operations for Ole Smoky Moonshine. "The fires caused communication issues with some of the cell towers, so many people attempting to warn family and friends in Gatlinburg were frustrated. It all happened very fast. The fires destroyed the homes of 14 of our employees, and many others were displaced since part of Gatlinburg was closed off in the immediate aftermath." Cory Cottongim, President of Retail and Operations for Ole Smoky Moonshine, the leading distiller of premium moonshine in the world and the first federally licensed distillery in the history of East Tennessee. PHOTO COURTESY OF VISIT GATLINBURG

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