ABOUT OUR HONEY
We start our Dark Skies story with honey. Not just any honey, but locally-harvested, Appalachian Wildflower Honey. Then we rest that nectar in a barrel. Not just any barrel, but a renowned locally distilled bourbon barrel that just dumped it's juice after aging 4 years in NC. After resting the nectar 4 months in this barrel, so as to blend all the beauty of the bourbon and the honey together, we filter and bottle it with love. This honey is the first-fruit of something much greater to come to the High Country of NC and beyond... it is the beginning of something great, a lofty dream of a bourbon-enthusiast. Stay tuned for the greatness called Dark Skies. It may be many years in the making; but trust us, the end result will be well worth the wait for those who love bourbon, and for those who love excellence. The best stars always shine their brightest in Dark Skies.
ABOUT US
Benjamin Ray (bourbon-enthusiast, owner of local businesses, real estate investor, realtor, and owner of a local real estate firm) is the visionary behind the brand, and aspires to one day provide a premium, well-aged bourbon released in very small batches, and sourced from some of the most highly awarded distilleries. His goal is to stock and age bourbon barrels in a small rickhouse in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, located in the Dark Skies area of the US, resting at 2200 ft elevation (perfect for the conditions of hot summers to force deeply in, and in cold winters to draw the bourbon out of the oak barrel staves so as to reap the maximum sugars and color from the wood), and to age this selected stock for as long as it takes to achieve the flavor of greatness that the owner's pallet approves. While aging the bourbon, Benjamin, will work with a local friend/ weekly sipper and business partner, Tom Henry, to rotate the barrels often (to achieve a uniform interaction with the oak), and to taste the product, and even possibly blend the product as needed, until the right flavor profile is reached to unveil the absolute best product to the limited few who are in the know. Once the bourbon is ready, it will be released at either barrel-proof, or proofed down to 100 proof with pure, local artesian-well water located on site, and every batch will be entirely unique. The honey, Dark Skies Nectar, is just a forerunner for the bourbon; a way for the name to get out there to garnish some anticipation from the public. All good things are worth waiting for.