Southern Distilling Company, award-winning whiskey distillers proudly reigniting North Carolina’s whiskey traditions with its award-winning Southern Star line of spirits, was recently recognized by Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler as the 2023 Exporter of the Year.
Pete and Vienna Barger, Southern Distilling Company co-founders, received the award during the 19th Annual Agricultural Development Forum hosted by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services during the Southern Farm Show.
In 2023, the homegrown and family-owned Southern Distilling Company exported three of its award-winning craft whiskeys internationally to Germany, marking the first time Southern Star products were available outside the United States. The whiskeys distributed to Germany included Southern Star Paragon Bottled-In-Bond Wheated Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Southern Star Double Rye Whiskey, and Southern Star Standard High-Rye Bourbon Whiskey.
“We are honored to be recognized as North Carolina’s 2023 Exporter of the Year,” said Vienna Barger, co-founder of Southern Distilling Company. “This year, we look forward to bringing more of our award-winning portfolio internationally as we cheer on our local partner, the Carolina Panthers when they play in Munich this fall.”
