The Whiskey Trip - Season 4, Episode 1 - Randy Stamey, Distiller - SharpTop Distilling Company

On this episode of The Whiskey Trip, Big Chief heads into the North Georgia mountains to sit down with distiller Randy Stamey at SharpTop Distilling Company in Jasper. The conversation explores SharpTop's Appalachian roots, hands-on approach to distilling, and the careful balance between honoring traditional mountain spirits and building a modern Georgia whiskey program grounded in patience and purpose.

Jasper itself is woven deeply into the story. Long before legal distilling returned to the region, these hills carried a strong moonshine tradition, with families quietly running corn liquor through the mountains during Prohibition and the decades that followed. The area is also known for its historic marble mines, which helped define the local economy and supplied stone used in notable buildings across the country. Today, SharpTop Distilling sits squarely in the middle of that history, located between the old jail and the county courthouse, a powerful reminder of how an outlaw tradition has come full circle into a respected, legal craft.

The tasting begins with Honest Man's Friend & Protector Moonshine, a corn whiskey made from a 100 percent corn mashbill. The pour delivers classic Southern character with notes of hot buttered popcorn and a subtle hint of caramel, keeping the grain front and center and showcasing the clean, honest profile of a true mountain-style corn whiskey.

Next, the glasses move to Connahaynee Reserve Barrel Aged Whiskey, built on the same 100 percent corn mashbill but transformed through time in the barrel. The aging brings added depth, oak influence, and structure, highlighting the natural progression from still to barrel while preserving the sweetness and simplicity of the original corn-forward spirit.

In the second half of the episode, Randy introduces Sharptop Lawless McClain's Cut Straight Bourbon Whiskey. This bold expression carries a mashbill of 64 percent corn, 24 percent rye, and 12 percent malted barley, is aged more than four years, and is bottled at 100 proof. The higher rye content brings spice and backbone, balanced by corn sweetness and a maturity that reflects SharpTop's commitment to doing things the right way, not the fast way.

The episode closes with a look toward the future as Randy shares his excitement about a bourbon currently aging quietly in the rickhouse, one that is not yet ready for release but already showing serious promise. It is a fitting reminder that great whiskey is never rushed and that at SharpTop Distilling Company, goodness truly takes time. Pour a glass, settle in, and Take the Ride with Big Chief and Randy Stamey on The Whiskey Trip.

⛰️ GIVEAWAY TIME with @sharptopdistillingco x @thewhiskeytrip 🥃

We’re teaming up with our friends at Sharptop Distilling Co. to hook one lucky winner up with a killer prize pack straight out of the North Georgia mountains.

What you can win:
🥃 A bottle of Lawless McClain’s Cut Straight Bourbon
🧢 Sharptop Distilling Co. cap
☕ Sharptop coffee cup
🪙 The Whiskey Trip challenge coin

How to enter:
⛰️ Drop a rock emoji in the comments
👥 Tag 4 friends
🔁 Share this post
🤝 Follow @sharptopdistillingco and @thewhiskeytrip

⏰ Winner announced Monday at 6 PM CST
🇺🇸 Must be 21+ and reside in the USA

Good luck, pour something good, and as always—Take the Ride with Big Chief 🥃🔥