We’re often asked where Junction 35 Spirits got its name. Well, it all goes back to the old days, deep in the mountains of Sevier County. Way back before the mountains were a national park, a lot of it was logging country. Those logs were transported down the mountains on trains, and the moonshiners often worked as loggers by day and bootleggers by night. They got wise that they could save a lot of time by sneaking their 'shine down the mountains by hiding it on the trains, thus avoiding the patrols looking for hooch being transported down the few roads in the county. Those trains stopped in the area between Pigeon Forge and Sevierville near the crossing of Latitude 35 North, then got hooked up to the old Slow and Easy to Knoxville. The shine would be unloaded and bootlegged throughout East Tennessee by any means they could find, whether it continued on the trains, automobiles, horseback, or even by foot to their best customers.
Junction 35 is the result of combining locals with a passion for our community, good food, and great spirits. Just like during the railroad industry boom, The Junction was the name of the place where people gathered, met new friends, and celebrated. We want our distillery, kitchen, and bar to be that place for everyone who visits the Smoky Mountains. We have a motto at Junction 35, to Drink - Dine - Distill. By that, we mean: drink responsibly, dine well, and distill the very best spirits around.