PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. — While the Great Smoky Mountains continue to attract millions of visitors, people from all over see something else that shines in their eyes — East Tennessee's classic moonshine.
According to Ole Smoky Distilleries, they were the most visited distilleries in the world in 2021.
The Ole Smoky Tennessee distillery destinations welcomed more than 5.7 million visitors in 2021, up from the distillery's previous record of 4.5 million visitors. The distillery crafts both moonshine and whiskies and features tastings for visitors every day of the week.
Ole Smoky’s 'The Holler' in Gatlinburg welcomed 2.6 million visitors in 2021 and The Barrelhouse in Gatlinburg welcomed 1.1 million guests, Pigeon Forge’s distillery, The Barn, welcomed 1.3 million visitors, and Nashville’s 6th & Peabody welcomed 700,000 visitors in 2021.
According to Ole Smoky's spokesperson, Ole Smoky Moonshine is also the number one selling moonshine brand in the world.
“In 2021, Ole Smoky Distillery saw significant brand growth and more than 1 million additional visitors experiencing our four distilleries in Tennessee. We are proud that each year more and more people visit our distilleries to try our growing variety of quality moonshine and whiskey products,” said Robert Hall, Ole Smoky Distillery's CEO.
He also said the distillery opened in 2010 and since then, it's become a well-known brand all around the world.
"We are bigger than all of Scotland and all of Kentucky combined in terms of [distillery] visitations," Hall said.
The Knoxville History Project's executive director, Jack Neely, said there is one big reason moonshine has become so popular over the years — it is legal. Once people across the world had a chance to legally taste moonshine, they naturally get a chance to taste drinks from a region that is no stranger to 'shine — East Tennessee.
He said that could have helped bring people to the region, hoping to taste it again from the source.
"Most moonshine comes from East Tennessee and comes through Knoxville, it's kind of distributed through Knoxville to other parts of the country," Neely said.
Hall said their moonshine has a unique variety, but also a vastly different recipe from other distillers.
"We actually use a recipe that was in one of our founder's families over 100 years, so we have that authenticity," Hall said.
Ole Smoky Distillery has been recognized for two consecutive years on the notable Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing private companies.