Virginia’s Whiskey Boom Sparks Moonshine Fears

Roanoke Rapids, NC – March 22, 1934: The sale of whiskey has just become legal in Virginia, with state dispensaries now stocking the potent spirit in larger cities like Richmond and Norfolk. While the move may bring cheers from those who enjoy a good dram, it’s a different story for law enforcement in North Carolina. As the floodgates of legal whiskey open in Virginia, there’s concern that the illicit moonshine trade will suffer a corresponding slump. ‘No legally manufactured whiskey can equal that of the corn and rye of North Carolina properly aged in charred oak barrels,’ say whiskey aficionados. But that’s a claim that’s hard to substantiate – especially for those who can’t afford the luxury of aged, bottled-in-bond whiskeys. For now, it’s business as usual in the Tar Heel State, where the black market for moonshine is still thriving. As one observer notes, ‘Folks who don’t like to have too much around the house or who can’t afford the investment of properly aged, bottled-in-bond whiskeys’ will likely continue to seek out cheaper alternatives. The question on everyone’s mind is: how long will the moonshine trade hold out against the tide of legal whiskey?