Ole Smoky Distillery, Friends of the Smokies ReUp Partnership to Support Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Local Heritage

Ole Smoky Distillery announced today its renewed partnership with the Friends of the Smokies, an East Tennessee non-profit organization that assists the National Park Service in its mission to preserve and protect the Great Smoky Mountains National Park by raising funds and public awareness and providing volunteers for needed projects.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park encompasses more than 800 square miles in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. No other area of equal size in a temperate climate can match the park’s amazing diversity.

“The Great Smoky Mountains and Moonshine have a long and storied history together. As our proud home, Ole Smoky’s mission, vision and values are centered around the heritage and richness of the Smokies. We are honored to partner with the Friends of the Smokies to ensure the protection of the most visited National Park in the United States. With more than 12 million visitors in the last year alone, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is, by far, the most visited national park in the United States,” said Robert Hall, CEO, Ole Smoky Distillery.

In the mid-1700s, many Irish and Scottish immigrants settled in the Smoky Mountains. They brought with them their Celtic music (which later morphed into bluegrass) and their time-honored practice of distilling whiskey. While European whiskey is often made with malted barley or other grains, the settlers in the Smokies used locally grown corn.

“This is a wonderful way to commemorate the most-visited distillery in the world and No. 1 moonshine brand in the US, while supporting America’s most-visited national park,” said Tim Chandler, Executive Director and CEO of Friends of the Smokies. “The commitment and financial support our partners contribute is critical to the success of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Proceeds from Ole Smoky Distillery will benefit various programs that protect and preserve our beloved national park.”

Ole Smoky Distillery has released a new limited-edition commemorative Ole Smoky ‘Friends of the Smokies’ Blackberry Moonshine that can be purchased at Ole Smoky’s Holler and Barrelhouse Distilleries in Gatlinburg and The Barn in Pigeon Forge. A portion of the sales of each moonshine jar sold benefits the Friends of the Smokies. Additional Ole Smoky Distillery events and activities to support the Friends of the Smokies will continue into 2021.