Golden Pond Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark Moonshine 750ml

Golden Pond Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark Moonshine takes the confection-counter favorite and pours it into a jar-worthy Kentucky spirit. Rich cocoa arrives first, dark and slightly bitter in the best way, before a wave of cool mint sweeps through and a candy-sweet cream note ties the two together. It is unapologetically a dessert moonshine, and it commits to the role completely.

This is one of the more ambitious flavors from Golden Pond Distillery, the family-run producer in Cadiz, Kentucky whose name nods to the storied moonshining town that once stood between the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers. Layering chocolate against peppermint without letting either dominate takes a deft hand, and the balance here is what separates it from one-note novelty spirits.

At 40 proof, the alcohol stays politely in the background, warming the cocoa the way a splash of brandy warms a truffle. The texture is noticeably plush for an unaged spirit, with enough body to coat the glass and carry the chocolate through a long, minty finish.

Treat it like the after-dinner pour it wants to be. Serve it lightly chilled in a cordial glass, float it over espresso, blend it into a milkshake, or add an ounce to hot cocoa for the fastest peppermint mocha in the house. Around the holidays it doubles as a clever hostess gift for anyone with a sweet tooth.

• Size: 750ml
• Proof: 40 (20% ABV)
• Age: Unaged, flavored after distillation
• Origin: Cadiz, Kentucky, United States
• Distillery: Golden Pond Distillery
• Style/Class: Flavored corn moonshine, dessert style
• Composition: Corn moonshine with dark chocolate and peppermint flavors
• Tasting Notes: Dark cocoa, cool peppermint, sweet cream, long minty finish