Midnight Moonshake Vanilla 750ML

Midnight Moonshake Vanilla 750ML is a 750ml vanilla cream liqueur built on a corn moonshine base, bottled at 17% ABV (34 proof). It stands apart as the first vanilla moonshine cream liqueur on the market, merging two distinctly American traditions — small-batch moonshine and the classic diner milkshake.

Quick Facts: ABV: 17%  |  Origin: Madison, North Carolina, USA  |  Style: Vanilla Cream Liqueur  |  Distillery: Piedmont Distillers, Inc.

Production & Heritage

Piedmont Distillers, Inc. holds the distinction of being North Carolina's first legal distillery since Prohibition. The distillery's flagship Midnight Moon line draws from the family moonshine recipe of Junior Johnson, NASCAR Hall of Famer and legendary Appalachian moonshiner. Moonshake Vanilla uses a 100% American corn base distilled in small batches at Piedmont's Madison, North Carolina facility, then blended with real vanilla cream to create a spirit that bridges the gap between traditional moonshine and modern cream liqueurs.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Sweet vanilla bean leads immediately, followed by warm cream and a faint undercurrent of corn spirit. The nose is decidedly dessert-forward, recalling fresh vanilla ice cream.

Taste: The entry is smooth and milky, with rich vanilla cream coating the palate from the first sip. At mid-palate, the corn moonshine base emerges with a gentle warmth that keeps the sweetness from becoming one-dimensional. The blend stays balanced, never veering into cloying territory thanks to that underlying grain backbone.

Finish: Short to medium in length, the finish lands soft and creamy with lingering vanilla and a whisper of toasted corn. The low proof keeps the exit gentle and approachable.

How to Drink Moonshake Vanilla

Served chilled or over ice, this liqueur delivers its fullest vanilla flavor straight from the freezer. It also works well as a versatile cocktail ingredient. In an Espresso Martini, it adds a vanilla milkshake dimension that replaces standard vanilla vodka with more body and sweetness. Blended into a Brandy Alexander variation, it substitutes for crème de cacao while introducing a corn-spirit twist. Mixed into a simple Root Beer Float cocktail — poured over vanilla ice cream with root beer — it amplifies the dessert character with real moonshine warmth.

Best For

• After-dinner dessert course as a standalone digestif or poured over ice cream
• Introducing moonshine-curious drinkers to the category through a familiar, approachable flavor
• Summer entertaining where chilled, low-proof sipping spirits keep the mood relaxed
• Building a cream liqueur collection beyond the standard Irish cream options

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Moonshake Vanilla taste like? Moonshake Vanilla delivers a rich, creamy vanilla profile built on a subtle corn moonshine base, resulting in a flavor that recalls a classic vanilla milkshake with gentle warmth on the back end.

How does Moonshake Vanilla compare to RumChata? RumChata uses a Caribbean rum base with cinnamon and vanilla flavoring at 13.75% ABV, while Moonshake Vanilla leans on a 100% corn moonshine foundation at 17% ABV with a purer vanilla focus and no cinnamon spice. The moonshine base gives Moonshake a distinctly American grain character that differentiates it from RumChata's rum-driven profile.

Is Moonshake Vanilla good for cocktails? At 17% ABV with a thick, creamy texture, it functions well as a mixer in dessert cocktails, frozen drinks, and coffee-based recipes where you want vanilla sweetness without needing additional cream.

Where is Moonshake Vanilla made? It is produced at Piedmont Distillers, Inc. in Madison, North Carolina — the state's first legal distillery following Prohibition. The facility specializes in corn-based moonshine and moonshine-derived spirits.

What foods pair well with Moonshake Vanilla? Warm brownies benefit from the vanilla cream contrast against rich chocolate. Bread pudding with caramel sauce echoes the liqueur's dessert character. Fresh berries, particularly strawberries, play well against the sweet vanilla base. Pecan pie pairs naturally, with toasted nut flavors complementing the corn spirit backbone. Churros dusted in cinnamon sugar provide a textural contrast to the smooth, creamy sip.

What sizes does Moonshake Vanilla come in? The standard offering is a 750ml bottle.

Is Moonshake Vanilla worth the price? Moonshake Vanilla positions as an accessible, entry-level cream liqueur that competes directly in the value tier alongside products like RumChata and Baileys, offering a unique moonshine twist that justifies its place in the category without a premium price tag.

Why Moonshake Vanilla?

This is the first cream liqueur to use a corn moonshine base rather than the Irish whiskey or Caribbean rum foundations that dominate the category. That distinction gives it a flavor identity that genuinely stands apart — lighter grain sweetness, a cleaner vanilla delivery, and a connection to Appalachian distilling tradition through Junior Johnson's family recipe. Produced in small batches from 100% American corn at North Carolina's historic Piedmont Distillers, it brings real provenance to a category often defined by mass-market blending. For anyone looking to explore cream liqueurs beyond the usual suspects, Moonshake Vanilla represents a legitimately different starting point.