Virginia Distillery Co.
Overview of the Distillery
Virginia Distillery Co. is located in Lovingston, in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and specializes in American Single Malt produced from 100% malted barley. The distillery combines hand-hammered copper pot stills imported from Scotland, spring water from the Blue Ridge, and a broad program of cask finishes—from ex-bourbon to port, cabernet, calvados, cider, and stout finishes. The combination of climate, craftsmanship, and extensive finish experimentation makes the distillery interesting for whiskey enthusiasts who want to experience American single malt in many variations.
History
Since its founding in 2011, Virginia Distillery Co. has grown from a regional player to one of the most visible producers of American Single Malt in the USA. In April 2020, the flagship Courage & Conviction was launched, and the distillery has since worked with both a core range of single malts and a number of limited releases. The company actively participates in category development as a founding member of the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission. In addition to product development, the distillery has also engaged in educational support: the Scholar’s Craft project was linked to a $100,000 endowment for a Women in Distilling scholarship at Appalachian State University, with proceeds from the special release going to the scholarship.
Ingredients and Production
Barley for Virginia Distillery Co. is malted in the Midwest and arrives at the distillery, where it is stored in two 36-ton malt bins and milled in a 1920s Boby Mill, which splits the grain into three parts to create the mash. The mash is mashed with Blue Ridge spring water at varying temperatures, and fermentation with the addition of yeast yields a wash of about 8% ABV. Distillation occurs in a batch process on two copper pot stills, both hand-hammered and imported from Scotland; the spirit is run through a traditional spirit safe to make cuts between heads, hearts, and tails. After distillation the spirit is filled into casks and placed in the cask houses; the Virginia climate's hot summers and cool winters accelerate the interaction between spirit and wood compared with cooler, more temperate regions.
Maturation and Cask Types
The core of the maturation is first-fill ex-bourbon casks, where many core expressions spend at least four years. The distillery actively works with post-maturation in a broad range of finishes: virgin toasted oak from the Blue Ridge, Cabernet Sauvignon casks from France and California, calvados-, cider- and apple brandy-finish, traditional tawny port finishes as well as sherry-, Armagnac- and Cognac-finish casks. In addition, stout finishes from brewery collaborations and special coffee casks are used for special, limited releases. These finish strategies allow for wide variation in aroma and structure without changing the grain base.
Whiskies
The lineup includes both a clearly defined core selection and a number of limited experiments. The core expressions include Blue Ridge, Cabernet Cask, Cider Cask, and Port Cask Reserve, typically matured in first-fill ex-bourbon and finished in selected finish casks. In addition to these, the distillery has a Brewer’s Coalition with stout-finish releases from named breweries, as well as special projects such as VDC Cigar Blend, Scholar’s Craft Coffee Cask, and Split Barrel projects. Many expressions sit around 92–93 proof (roughly 46–46.5% ABV) or higher on special editions.
| Whisky | Type / Series | Alcohol | Age | Cask and Style | Flavor Profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Ridge | American Single Malt | 46.5 % | Minimum 4 years | First-fill ex-bourbon barrels; finish in virgin toasted oak from the Blue Ridge Mountains | Core expression matures in first-fill ex-bourbon and gets a finish in toasted Blue Ridge oak; Nose: honeysuckle; Taste: baked apple and cinnamon | Current; Core range |
| Cabernet Cask | American Single Malt | 46.5 % | Minimum 4 years | First-fill ex-bourbon barrels; finished in Cabernet Sauvignon barrels (France and California); finish: Finished in premium Cabernet Sauvignon barrels from France and California | Experimental finish expression that combines ex-bourbon maturation with Cabernet Sauvignon finishes from both France and California for fruit and dried fruit character; Nose: black cherry, cedar, apricot, soft smoke; Taste: blackberry, plum, candied ginger, rich chocolate | Current; Core range |
| Cider Cask | American Single Malt | 46.5 % | Minimum 4 years | Ex-bourbon barrels; finished in French calvados casks, Virginia cider barrels and Laird's Apple Brandy barrels | A finish expression drawing on calvados-, cider- and apple brandy-finish to highlight apple and fruit notes over an ex-bourbon base; Nose: honeysuckle; Taste: baked apple and cinnamon | Current; Core range |
| Port Cask Reserve | American Single Malt | 46.5 % | Minimum 4 years | First-fill ex-bourbon; finished in traditional tawny port casks and port-style wine casks | Port-finish that brings both nutty and fruity character together with an ex-bourbon base; Nose: honeycomb, walnuts, gingerbread; Taste: bright lemon, red berries, soft smoke, cocoa | Current; Core range |
| Central Waters Brewing Co. Black Gold Stout Cask Finish | American Single Malt (Limited); Brewer's Coalition | 50 % | Ex-bourbon barrels; finished in Central Waters Black Gold Imperial Stout barrels; finish: Stout-finish; only twelve casks used for this release | Limited collaboration with Central Waters; only twelve casks available, designed as a stout-cask finish over an ex-bourbon maturation. | Limited | |
| 4 Hands Brewing Co. Madagascar Stout Cask Finish | American Single Malt (Limited); Brewer's Coalition | 50 % | Over 5 years | Ex-bourbon; finished in 4 Hands Madagascar Stout casks; finish: Stout-finish; only six casks for this release | Very limited stout-finish inspired by 4 Hands Madagascar Stout; only six casks used; Nose: Juicy raspberries and lemon curd cookies; Taste: Dark chocolate raspberry cake, roasted pecans, gingersnaps; Aftertaste: Dark cocoa and raspberry cola | Limited |
| North Coast Brewing Co. Old Rasputin Stout Cask Finish | American Single Malt (Limited); Brewer's Coalition | 50 % | Over 5 years | Ex-bourbon; finished in Old Rasputin Stout casks; finish: Stout-finish; very limited number of casks used | Collaboration with North Coast; limited edition finish in Old Rasputin stout finish; Nose: Almond pastry and honeycomb; Taste: Bright citrus zest, dark chocolate and malty hops | Limited |
| VDC Cigar Blend (First Cut Cigar Blend) | American Single Malt (Blend/Blend-style for pairing) | Minimum 7 years | Mixed cask program: Spanish Oak, Sherry, Port, STR, Chateau Palmer Cabernet, Armagnac, Cognac, Fino; supplemented by Islay casks for a touch of smoke; finish: Complex blend with many different cask types; a faint smoke from Islay cask is added. | A blend-designed expression created to pair with a cigar; highlights dried fruit, spice and a discreet smoke dimension; Nose: Red berries and leather; Taste: Walnut, date cake, candied lemon peel, allspice, clove; Aftertaste: Dark chocolate and a subtle whiff of smoke | Current | |
| VHW Scholar's Craft Coffee Cask | American Single Malt (Limited) | 46 % | Ex-bourbon; finished in finishes that previously held small-batch, ethically sourced coffee; finish: Coffee cask finish; the release supports a scholarship with proceeds from sales. | Limited special release to support the 'Women in Distilling' scholarship; all proceeds go to the endowment project; Nose: Creamy vanilla and coffee; Taste: Freshly roasted coffee, delicate cinnamon and earthy mocha | Limited; limited, maximum 2 per guest at the visitor center | |
| The Split Barrel - Project #1 Bardstown | Blend (American Single Malt & Kentucky Bourbon); Split Barrel Project | 45 % | Blend of American single malt and Kentucky bourbon; the bourbon component comes from Bardstown | Split Barrel Project No.1 blends Virginia Single Malt with Kentucky Bourbon to explore contrast and harmony between two American traditions; Taste: Caramel apple, sweet corn, soft baking spice | Current | |
| Courage & Conviction Signature Malt | American Single Malt | 46 % | Part of Courage & Conviction series; shown on site with 92 proof (46% ABV). | Current | ||
| Courage & Conviction Double Cask Reserve | American Single Malt | 48 % | Part of Courage & Conviction series; listed with 96 proof (48% ABV) on site pages. | Current |
Whiskies' Style and Flavor Profiles
Across the products, three overarching directions recur: blossoming/fresh notes such as honeysuckle; fruity facets with baked apples, cherries, and red berries; and warm baking spices like cinnamon and ginger. In addition, special releases pull in sweeter, darker elements — dark chocolate, coffee, and nuts — when the whiskey is fully matured in sherry, port, or coffee casses. Smoke is present, but as a sparing component in some expressions rather than a dominating feature.
Visiting the Distillery
The distillery offers guided tours and tastings through its visitor program and regularly hosts events in its Visitors Center. The website encourages guests to book tours and tastings, and some limited releases have on-site purchase limits (for example Scholar’s Craft, limited to two bottles per guest). Visits typically include an introduction to production, insights into casks and finishes, and tastings of current expressions.
Philosophy and Craft
Virginia Distillery Co. consistently produces on 100% malted barley and emphasizes traditional pot still methods combined with extensive cask experimentation. The company places emphasis on craftsmanship (hand-hammered copper stills, the historic Boby Mill), local sourcing such as Blue Ridge spring water, collaborations, and social values such as inclusion and support for women in the industry through dedicated initiatives.