Giving a tour to the man himself!

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Guess what? I got to give a distillery tour to the top dawg! The guru of distillation, the man who through humble resolve built an empire!! Yep, Tim Smith appeared in the distillery showroom at Weldon Mills the other day. Visually he played the part, with no shirt, and with his infamous overalls. If you don’t know Tim Smith from the show Moonshiners, then you just don’t know. Every time you open a new bottle of bourbon, whiskey or moonshine, you are opening a bottle of history that Tim Smith represents. Tim Smith's love for moonshining didn’t come from just wanting to make alcohol, it was part of his family’s tradition. Born and raised in Virginia, Tim grew up around the art of crafting homemade liquor and learning from his father and grandfather. His family’s recipe, which has been passed down through the generations, was considered a closely guarded secret. Despite the law’s crackdown on the practice, Tim and his crew have always seen themselves as stewards of a culture rather than criminals. Moonshining, in the Appalachian Mountains where Tim hails from, was not just about making alcohol, it was about survival, independence, and a deep sense of pride in their craft. The Smith family was no exception. While Tim's career has taken him into the spotlight, his roots are firmly planted in this rural, self-reliant lifestyle.

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The man I met certainly looked the part, but what surprised me the most, was his kind demeanor and humble personality. He listened intently as I told the Weldon Mills story, he smiled when I went through our process of making some of the top bourbons and whiskeys in the country. At the end of the tour, I asked for a picture with him, and as we posed, he gave me a shoulder squeeze and said, “Good job”! It wasn’t the accolades that meant a lot, it was the fact I did a great job in front of the man himself. Being a celebrity means nothing! What matters is the heart and soul of the person in front of you. Thank you, Tim, you have earned a lifelong fan! Raising my glass in salute as these words are written…

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​Here are some of the pictures from the staff who shared my experience –