STATESVILLE, N.C. (June 9, 2025) – The bourbon landscape is changing — and Southern Distilling Company is leading the way. The North Carolina-based distillery has won Best in Class Wheated Bourbon at the 2025 ASCOT Awards for its Southern Star Paragon Bottled-in-Bond, outperforming some of Kentucky’s iconic distilleries in one of the competition’s most-watched categories. This award signals a bold new chapter for American whiskey — one where excellence knows no state lines.
“Wasn’t the first time, won’t be the last,” said Pete Barger, co-founder and master distiller at Southern Distilling Company, known for its award-winning Southern Star bourbons and rye whiskeys and Statesville Contract Distilling services. “We’ve always believed our North Carolina-based Southern Star portfolio could stand tall next to any bourbon — and now the industry agrees.”
The ASCOT Awards, founded by renowned spirits critic Fred Minnick and judged through rigorous blind tastings by industry experts, are among the world’s most prestigious honors in the spirits industry. Southern Distilling Company’s win for Best in Class Wheated Bourbon highlights North Carolina’s rising prominence in the whiskey world.
Crafted in small batches, Southern Star Paragon Bottled-in-Bond is aged at least four years and bottled at 100 proof (50% ABV) in accordance with the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. Priced at $49.95, this award-winning bourbon delivers a soft, subtle entry on the palate with a wonderfully balanced, slightly sweet taste, layered with classic vanilla and caramel and finished with a long, lush, lingering warmth. It’s a whiskey that reflects both Southern Distilling Company’s dedication to tradition and its drive to lead bourbon forward—all from the historic whiskey hub of Statesville, once one of the largest producers of whiskey in the U.S. pre-Prohibition.
Southern Distilling Company also earned a Double Platinum medal at the 2025 ASCOT Awards for its Southern Star American Single Malt — a highly anticipated new expression set to launch later this year. The recognition affirms Southern Distilling’s expanding range and its ability to compete at the highest level across whiskey categories.
A longtime leader in premium contract whiskey production, Southern Distilling Company was the first contract distiller to offer bulk American Single Malt Whiskey to new and existing partners. With nearly a decade of experience producing high-quality single malts, the company is actively shaping the future of this emerging category through both its Southern Star line and its Statesville Contract Distilling services.
To learn more about the award-winning Southern Star portfolio, visit SouthernDistillingCompany.com.
For information on contract distilling, visit StatesvilleContractDistilling.com.
About Southern Distilling Company
Southern Distilling Company has reignited North Carolina’s distilling tradition while embracing the innovation of America’s craft spirits industry. The 20-acre distillery campus is proudly located in Statesville, North Carolina, a city with a big role in bourbon’s history. Before Prohibition, Statesville was known as the “Liquor Capital of the World.” It is now home to a state-of-the-art 36,000 square-foot distillery where days are spent distilling the highest quality bourbons and ryes and watching over more than 65,000 barrels patiently aging in the rickhouses. Southern Distilling Company has grown to become one of the country’s largest privately owned distilleries since being co-founded by Pete and Vienna Barger in 2013. Southern Distilling Company supports sustainability and regenerative agriculture processes and sources quality grains from farms within 20 miles of its facility. It also produces Southern Star bourbons and rye whiskeys—its own line of award-winning artisan spirits. The distillery, located along Interstate 77 near the I-40 interchange is open for tours, tastings, cocktails, and bottle sales. It also hosts public events and experiences throughout the year. For more information, visit SouthernDistillingCompany.com.
About Statesville Contract Distilling
Statesville Contract Distilling, the contract distilling division of Southern Distilling Company, offers a diverse range of standard and custom new fill whiskeys, extensive aged barrel inventory, warehouse barrel storage, private label production, and co-packing for more than 150 brands globally. Statesville Contract Distilling’s mission is simple—to honor its Statesville, North Carolina roots while building on a decade-long reputation for combining the artistry of distilling with cutting-edge technology and unparalleled personalized service to produce craft-quality spirits at scale. For more information, visit statesvillecontractdistilling.com.
