Move over, celebrity spirits. The NFL is getting in on the whiskey game. Southern Distilling Co. teamed up with the Carolina Panthers for a limited-edition bottling of Southern Star Paragon to commemorate the 20th anniversary of winning… 2nd place?
“As a longtime Panthers fan, I’m thrilled to celebrate the 20 th anniversary of our team’s first NFC championship. I grew up here, and it’s where my wife Vienna and I have raised our family and started our business. We’re proud to have grown tremendously and earned national recognition, and it’s a privilege to celebrate our success alongside the Panthers in this way. I can’t wait for us to share this release honoring the 2003 team — and I’ll be keeping a bottle on hand to raise a glass to future success, too!”
~ Southern Distilling co-founder and CEO Pete Barger
Look, I had no idea people celebrated winning the conference championship in the NFL. I thought participation trophies pennants were only a baseball thing. I’m fully on board for celebrating anything, though, when it results in creating a limited edition Panthers whiskey – especially when it’s as good as Southern Star Paragon.
Paragon is my happy place for wheated bourbon, so this project was right up my alley. It saw six barrels hand-picked by a group including Southern Distilling founders, Panthers reps, and others. Each has its own unique character, but they’re all high-proof with a nice throughline of spiciness, vanilla, honey, and nuttiness. The whiskeys were bottled at cask strength, resulting in a little under 1,000 bottles. If you don’t get a chance to grab one from the distillery or a local ABC store, it sounds like they’re already cooking up the next Pathers collaboration for the 30th anniversary of the team.
My only advice, should you find a bottle of Panthers whiskey, is to ignore their motto. This isn’t a time to, “Keep Pounding.”
Southern Star Paragon, Panthers Commemorative Edition – $100
Upcoming bottle signings
Southern Distilling Company’s co-founder Pete Barger and a special surprise guest will be on hand for bottle signings in two stores. No guarantees that the Panthers whiskey is still available, but who doesn’t love a chance to meet and greet while getting a Herbie Hancock on their bottle?
Saturday, November 4th from 12-1:30pm
ABC Store #30 – Steel Creek
13720 Steelecroft Pkwy, Charlotte, NC 28273
Wednesday, November 11th from 4-5:30pm
ABC Store #14 – Cornelius
19701 Statesville Road, Cornelius, NC 28031
