I grew up on the Tennessee/Virginia Border. Came to Texas at 18 in the military, fell in love with place right out of basic. Stayed here or close by in the military when I could, Finished college here between military assignments, and when I got out, stayed here in Texas. Married a Texas girl and have Texas born kids and grand kids.
But I still have a long family history in Va. (George Taylor My ancestor landed in Northumberland County Va. in 1635) and a lot of love for family traditions and lore. And I can vouch for that booze. When my uncle gave me the recipe, he took me to a valley in Virginia where the McMillan family lived prior to WW2. We went to a rock, and from under that rock he retrieved 2 jars of whiskey. The rest was not obtainable because the rock had shifted. That booze was made in late 1942 just before he was drafted. There were 25 Quarts stashed there originally. When he came home from WW2, (he was a recon scout and was captured along with his first cousin in France), the McMillan family had moved about 40 miles from that old farm. The home had burned so they moved to a small town. He got on with his life. He waited till late in life to go look for it with me. We salvaged 2 quarts. It had turned a pale yellow. By the time we drank some of it in 1966, it was the smoothest tasting whiskey I've ever drank. I don't know how long those two jars lasted him but all who sampled it, sampled history, and art, and the best corn whiskey on the planet.
I recorded the recipe and his story for family history. And posted the recipe and technique here. After that batch he never made made whiskey again. His mom, my grandmother, was dead set against her family making the stuff, but they did on occasion. My mom's youngest brother made the stuff till he got into his 50s. I suspect they'd made since they arrived in the country in the 1700s.
As for revenuers, we can make it legally I think. all it takes is an 18 dollar permit and pay tax on each gallon.
Anyway, I felt all good 119th campers should know how to make the stuff as well as cook in a dutch oven. Who knows, one of the old crowd may have a yen to make some moonshine.-)
^5 and salute
BT