Sips & Sites & Bites

There’s something about whiskey that begs for a story. And in the heart of Charlotte, North Carolina, Oaklore Distilling Co. has a great one.

Back in 2017, two neighbors … Thomas Bogan and Matt Simpkins … struck up a conversation while walking their kids to the bus stop. That friendly chat turned into a shared obsession with whiskey, which turned into a garage hobby, which turned into something even bigger: Oaklore Distilling Co.

Fast-forward a few years (and a few barrels), and their small-batch dream has become a full-fledged distillery that’s now putting North Carolina on the national whiskey map.

Oaklore’s flagship Four Grain Bourbon, already a Double Gold winner at the 2024 Barleycorn Awards, is now shipping to 42 states. And while the accolades are impressive, what really sets this bourbon apart is the story in the bottle.

Crafted at sister facilities in both Kentucky and North Carolina, the Four Grain blend leans into what Oaklore does best: letting the ingredients and the land speak for themselves.

Using a mix of corn, wheat, rye, and malted barley, Bogan selects five- and six-year-old barrels of both wheated and rye bourbons, then batches and re-barrels them for an extra 8–12 months in North Carolina’s Piedmont region. It’s a deliberate aging process that takes full advantage of the area’s humid, stable climate … offering a smoother maturation compared to the more volatile temperature swings of Kentucky.

The result? A 92-proof bourbon that’s non-chill filtered, layered with notes of toasted pecan, honey butter cake, vanilla crème brûlée, and a butterscotch finish that lingers just long enough to make you want another sip.

At $69.99, Oaklore Four Grain Bourbon delivers more than a smooth pour … it delivers a piece of the founders’ passion, their home state, and the belief that great whiskey doesn’t have to come from where everyone expects it to.

Find it online at oakloredistilling.com and you can follow their journey on Instagram and Facebook.