Climax Spirits Wood-Fired Whiskey
Climax Spirits Wood-Fired Whiskey is Tim Smith's 90-proof (45% ABV), 750mL American whiskey — his century-old moonshine recipe aged and filtered with toasted oak and maple wood, then cooled in oak containers for a whiskey in a class of its own. Order online at Del Mesa Liquor and taste the wood-fired difference.
- ABV / Proof: 45% ABV (90 proof) — confirmed by the Virginia ABC and the official Tim Smith Spirits site
- Size: 750mL
- Recipe base: Tim Smith's century-old moonshine recipe (corn and malted barley distillate)
- Wood-fired process: Aged and filtered with toasted oak and maple wood, which imparts its amber color and smoky, wood-fired flavor; finished by cooling in oak containers
- Distiller: Two Trees Distilling Co., Fletcher, North Carolina (per the NC ABC commission listing)
- Brand: Climax Spirits — Tim Smith's legal spirits brand from Climax, Virginia
Wood-Fired: A Century-Old Recipe Meets Toasted Oak and Maple
This is not ordinary American whiskey. Tim Smith took the same century-old moonshine recipe behind his famous clear Climax Moonshine and put it through an aging and filtration process built on toasted oak and maple wood — the wood is what gives the whiskey its amber color and its signature smoky, wood-fired character. The final step lets the whiskey cool in oak containers, rounding everything into what the brand calls a whiskey made to be in a class of its own. If you like American whiskey with visible craft and a smoky edge, this is your bottle.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Toasted oak, caramel, and vanilla with a hint of maple sweetness and smoky char. Palate: Smooth and full-bodied — corn and malted-barley character wrapped in caramel, honey, and a subtle smokiness. Finish: Long and warming, with lingering spice, oak, and sweet vanilla. (Flavor consensus across retailer and review descriptions.)
How to Enjoy
Neat or over a single rock is the way in — the smoky maple character shows best at full strength. The wood-fired smokiness also makes it a natural upgrade for a Manhattan or an Old Fashioned, adding a layer of toast that standard bourbon can't match.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "wood-fired" mean for this whiskey? It refers to Tim Smith's process of aging and filtering his century-old moonshine-recipe whiskey with toasted oak and maple wood, which imparts the amber color and smoky, wood-fired flavor — finished by cooling the whiskey in oak containers.
What proof is Climax Wood-Fired Whiskey? It is bottled at 90 proof (45% ABV), confirmed by both the Virginia ABC and the official Tim Smith Spirits site.
Is Climax Wood-Fired Whiskey a bourbon? It is classified as an American whiskey, not a bourbon — it starts from Tim Smith's century-old moonshine recipe rather than following bourbon's new-charred-oak aging rules, and the brand markets it as a whiskey "in a class of its own."
Who distills Climax Wood-Fired Whiskey? The North Carolina ABC commission lists Two Trees Distilling Co. of Fletcher, North Carolina as the distiller for Tim Smith's whiskey products.
From moonshine roots to oak-fired character, this one earns its name — order Climax Spirits Wood-Fired Whiskey online at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA, and pour something with a real story behind it.