A growing trend in Hollywood among leading men is to take their money and invest in alcohol. Casamigos Tequila was originally owned and then sold for multi-millions by George Clooney. Aviation Gin is the lucrative liquor plaything of Ryan Reynolds. And now, the latest actor to climb into the booze game is Jeremy Renner. Yes, “Hawkeye” from “The Avengers” movies made this announcement on his Instagram regarding the Sweet Grass Vodka in Charleston.
An exciting new week !!! I’m so grateful for the progress I’ve made since the start of this year which allowed me to move forward with my interest in Sweet Grass Vodka. Their mission is rooted in community and shared experience, which is why the second I tried it, I knew I wanted to become a part of it. I’m excited for new ventures ahead.
This is a stunning development considering it was only eight months ago that Renner almost lost his life in that devastating snowplow accident. If you’ve forgotten, the incident occurred while Renner was helping his neighbors clear out the snow. He broke over 30 bones and underwent multiple surgeries after his snowplow ran him over.
Sweet Grass’ website touts the Vodka’s credentials. As seen in Forbes in 2021, Sweet Grass Vodka has been awarded by three Global Masters Awards for Micro Distillery, Smoothest and Organic, in addition to being awarded a gold medal as the Best Domestic Vodka of 2022 by The Fifty Best. Founded in Charleston, SC, Sweet Grass Vodka consists of three simple ingredients: potatoes, water and yeast. Each bottle of Sweet Grass Vodka contains a single strand of sweetgrass: purchased from the local Gullah Geechee artisans in the Charleston City Market in bushels, cut to size, washed and sanitized, dried and bottled by hand. “There’s a piece of Charleston in every bottle.”
According to People, the Charleston-made potato vodka retails for $26 and is sold in stores in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, South Carolina, and Tennessee and is available for purchase online nationwide.
Renner plans on a cross-country tour. He’ll sign bottles to promote his new brand. Details are forthcoming.
North Carolina's Best Whiskey Distilleries
I came across a story this morning that had two words together that immediately piqued my interest: bourbon tourism. Uh, where do I sign up?! Attendance at distilleries along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail surpassed 2 million in 2022 for the first time ever. Total visits exceeded 2.1 million last year, easily beating the pre-pandemic record of 1.7 million stops in 2019. In the past decade, the “amber adventure” has had a 370% surge in attendance. The distillers’ association created the Kentucky Bourbon Trail in 1999 to give visitors an intimate, educational look behind the state’s most historic distilleries. Total attendance at its 18 participating distilleries nearly reached 1.4 million last year. But, what about North Carolina’s best whiskey distilleries?
Hey, wait a minute. Nothing against Kentucky, but there is PLENTY of whiskey joy right here in the Tar Heel State to keep you sated. My wife and I have a set of friends that we spend “Sunday Fundays” exploring North Carolina breweries and wineries. This year, we’re branching out into craft cocktail spots and distilleries. In no particular order, here are five spots that are on our list to visit, tour, sample their wares, and pick up a bottle or two for our stock. So, enjoy our list of North Carolina’s best whiskey distilleries.
