Still Talk'n Uncut Podcast

Still Talk'n Uncut Podcast

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Still Talk'n Uncut Podcast episodes

  • Don Smith is the founder and CEO of South Mountain Distilling Company

    Don Smith is the founder and CEO of South Mountain Distilling Company, a craft distillery located in Connelly Springs (near Rutherford College), North Carolina. A fifth-generation distiller, Smith transitioned his family’s long-standing moonshine heritage into a fully legal, award-winning commercial operation that opened its doors in 2016.

    54 min
  • Rod Parton Drop Zone Distilling

    Rod Parton is a fourth-generation moonshiner and the founder of Drop Zone Distilling, which is located in Knoxville, Tennessee. He is known for being the first in his family to take their long-standing moonshine recipes "legal."

    • Military Background: He served as a Paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division and is a Gulf War/Desert Storm Veteran. The name "Drop Zone" is a direct tribute to his paratrooper service.
    • Law Enforcement: Before opening the distillery, he spent 28 years in law enforcement, including time as a Tennessee State Trooper, and three years as a firefighter and recovery diver.
    • Family Heritage: His recipes date back to 1934 and were passed down from his great-grandfather and grandfather. His distillery features products like "The Jumpmaster’s Reserve" and "Legacy Moonshine."

    About Drop Zone Distilling

    • Locations: The original distillery and tasting room are in South Knoxville, with a second location that opened in Pigeon Forge, TN, in late 2022/early 2023.
    • Community Work: The business is known for being a "give-back" company, with proceeds from specific products benefiting organizations like the Wounded Warrior Project, Folds of Honor, and the Thin Blue Line/Thin Red Line of Tennessee.
    58 min
  • Smokey Mountain Squatch Shine is a moonshine brand founded by Tracy Arvin.

    Smokey Mountain Squatch Shine is a moonshine brand founded by Tracy Arvin. The brand is deeply rooted in Arvin's personal history and his lifelong interest in the legend of Bigfoot.

    Origin and Inspiration

    The brand serves as a tribute to a childhood encounter Arvin had in 1978 in Eastern Kentucky. According to Arvin, while walking to his school bus as an eight-year-old, he was repeatedly followed by a mysterious "thing in the woods" that whistled and emitted a powerful, skunky odor.

    This experience culminated in the disappearance of a neighbor's dog, which was later found dead in a manner that convinced Arvin and his family that the predator was not a person or a bear, but a Sasquatch. This event had a profound impact on him, eventually leading him to create a brand centered around the cryptid.

    Brand Presence

    • Community Involvement: Tracy Arvin is an active figure in the moonshining community. He has been featured at events like Squatch-A-Palooza at Drop Zone Distilling in Knoxville and the Hillbilly Jam in Maggie Valley.
    • Collaborations: He is often seen collaborating and "talking shop" with other notable figures in the moonshine world, such as PhilBilly and Moonshiner Bruiser.
    • Media: Beyond the moonshine brand, Arvin hosts a podcast called All Things Unexplained, where he discusses various mysteries and cryptids
    52 min
  • Mena Pratt Master Distiller Winner Absinthe

    Mena Pratt (also referred to as Mena Killough Pratt) is a Master Distiller known for her background in herbal medicine and her appearance on the Discovery Channel show "Moonshiners' Master Distiller," which she won.

    Here are some key details about her:

    • Background: She started her career as a massage therapist before getting a degree from the Blue Ridge School of Herbal Medicine in 2013. Her knowledge of herbalism led her into the hospitality industry as a server/bartender, where she began utilizing her knowledge to create custom bitters and incorporate botanicals into cocktails.
    • Distilling Career: Her path became clearer when she researched amari (herbal liqueurs) and realized their historical connection to herbalists. She has worked as a Master Distiller at Unknown Wood and Grain (formerly part of Unknown Brewing Company) in Charlotte, North Carolina.
    • Specialty: Her expertise blends the worlds of herbalism and distilling, resulting in unique creations like Blue Lotus cocktail bitters and a Reishi Mushroom Syrup.
    • Media Appearance: She gained wider recognition after winning an episode of Moonshiners' Master Distiller, where she even crafted an absinthe despite not having made one before the show.
    1 hr 4 min

About Still Talk'n Uncut Podcast

From the publisher's feed

Welcome to Still talk/n uncut podcast. This podcast is all about moonshine and people who make moonshine.