Ole Smoky Distillery Named ‘Hot Brand’ From M. Shanken Communications for Sixth Consecutive Year and Earns Four Prestigious ‘Growth Brand Awards’ From Beverage Information Group

GATLINBURG, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For the sixth consecutive year, Ole Smoky Distillery has been named an Impact Hot Brand by M. Shanken Communications, the leading publisher in the U.S. Wine & Spirits industry known for such magazines as Wine Spectator, Impact, Market Watch, Food Arts, and Cigar Aficionado. Ole Smoky Distillery has also been nationally recognized with four prestigious 2023 Growth Brand Awards from the Beverage Information Group, the leaders in the beverage alcohol data collection, reporting and analysis, and publishers of BeverageDynamics, Beverage Wholesaler, Cheers, and StateWays.

M. Shanken Communications’ Impact Hot Brand Award

Ole Smoky is proud to be recognized as a ‘Hot Brand’ this year. With growth of at least 15% each year from 2017-2022, Ole Smoky has now earned the ‘Hot Brand’ designation for six consecutive years. The winning brands will be featured in both the March issue of Impact and the April issue of Market Watch and honored at the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers Association’s Convention & Exposition on Monday, April 3rd at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.

Beverage Information Group’s Growth Brand Awards

Ole Smoky Distillery has earned one Rising Star Award for Ole Smoky Peanut Butter Whiskey and three Fast Track Awards for Ole Smoky Moonshine, Ole Smoky Whiskey, and Ole Smoky Salty Caramel Whiskey. The Growth Brand Awards have recognized successful beverage alcohol brands since 1997. The winning wine and spirits brands, determined by the prior calendar year’s case sales, are announced each year in the April issue of BeverageDynamics.

“These industry honors are important recognition of Ole Smoky’s growth, and we are excited to be recognized once again as we continue to grow our company’s sales, products, teams and facilities to meet the ever increasing consumer demand,” says Robert Hall, CEO of Ole Smoky Distillery. “I am proud of the hard work and dedication our team has devoted to building our brand, and I look forward to seeing what we will accomplish in 2023 and beyond.”

Ole Smoky continues to be one of the fastest growing spirits brands in the country and home of the most visited distilleries in the world, welcoming over 5.3 million visitors last year alone. In addition to again being named the most visited distilleries in the world, the brand saw tremendous growth in 2022. According to Nielsen sales data from 52 weeks ending on 12/31/2022, Ole Smoky brand dollar sales were up 53.1% vs. the prior year. Data also shows Ole Smoky significantly outpaced the American Whiskey category, which only grew 1.9% over the same period.

About Ole Smoky® Distillery LLC

Ole Smoky is the leading distiller of premium moonshine in the world, the leading craft distiller in the U.S. and the first federally licensed distillery in the history of East Tennessee. Founded in 2010, Ole Smoky's roots are traced to the Smoky Mountains' earliest settlers, families who produced moonshine with enduring pride and Appalachian spirit. Ole Smoky has been recognized on the Inc. 5000 List of the fastest growing private companies in America for three consecutive years – 2020, 2021, and 2022, as well as receiving the 2021 Shanken Communications’ Hot Brand and Blue Chip Brand Award and 2022 Growth Brand Awards for Moonshine, Canned Cocktails, and Peanut Butter Whiskey. Today, Ole Smoky’s 25 creative moonshine flavors and 17 inventive whiskey flavors can be found in all 50 states and at the company's four famed distilleries in Tennessee: The Holler and The Barrelhouse in Gatlinburg, The Barn in Pigeon Forge, and 6th & Peabody in Nashville. For more information, please visit olesmoky.com and follow Ole Smoky on social media @olesmoky.