June 18, 2026
This bottle holds a true “Virginia” whiskey. Not bourbon, not rye, not single malt – the liquid is an expression of the commonwealth, meticulously blended from 10 highly prized barrels produced by four world-class distillers. The whiskeys used to build this historic dram include:
Blended by Beckwith and Harris, this four-grain whiskey is made exclusively from Virginia-grown grains and fermented, distilled and aged entirely in Virginia. Bottled at a luxurious 120 proof, its flavor and aroma showcase the depth of Virginia’s terroir. Enjoy neat or with a splash of water.
To celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, the Virginia Spirits team set out to create something fitting for the occasion. Something that honored our nation’s founding and history while paying homage to the place where it all started: right here in Virginia.
We spent a lot of time brainstorming how to mark a once-in-250-years moment. As we thought about what Virginia Spirits means today, what it meant in 1776 and what it might mean in 250 more years, a few themes emerged. We wanted to work with distillers from all areas of Virginia – the mountains, the heartland and the coast – and to pair those regions with spirits that have historical significance in the grand scheme of Virginia’s growth as a craft spirits producer.
Nearly two years later, we present: The Virginia Spirits 250th Celebration Trio Pack.
The spirits in the trio pack were selected because of their historical significance in Virginia. All three have played crucial roles in our story, but none more so than whiskey.
When rum’s popularity dwindled following the Colonial era, Virginians pivoted to whiskey. The European colonists quickly learned that barley, the traditional grain of European whiskey, didn’t grow very well in American soil and quickly switched over to native grains like rye and corn.
From there, American whiskey continued to evolve into the complex and refined craft spirit we know today. Rye was the first whiskey to dominate the market. George Washington famously opened up the largest commercial whiskey distillery in the country following his presidency. Corn would follow, as distillers and consumers learned corn in the mash bill would mellow out the spicy notes of rye, setting the groundwork for bourbon (at least 51% corn, aged in charred new-oak barrels) to be recognized as America’s native spirit.
Today, some of the country’s best whiskey producers are distilling right here in Virginia. Not just bourbon and rye, either. American single malt largely has been pioneered by Virginia distillers, and world-class wheat whiskey can be found all across the state.
It’s America’s native spirit, made in the Birthplace of American Spirits. Of course we had to make one for the trio pack.
Perhaps a better question than “Why whiskey?” would be “Why a four-grain whiskey?”
The answer is simple: The flavor needs to tell the full story of Virginia whiskey.
To help tell that story, we gathered some of the finest whiskey producers in the state: Amanda Beckwith from Virginia Distillery Co. (Lovingston), Dave Cuttino from Reservoir Distillery (Richmond), Scott Harris from Catoctin Creek Distilling Company (Purcellville) and Owen King from Ironclad Distillery (Newport News).
The four distillers, along with Project Lead Eric Kozlik, met at Virginia Distillery Co. to begin tasting samples and blending.
“Well, it was Scott’s idea to do a four-grain whiskey,” said Beckwith, VA250 Whiskey Team Lead. “So, we knew we wanted to be very collaborative and recognize what makes Virginia whiskey so distinctive.”
But, with grains that are all so different in the flavors and textures they add to a whiskey, a four-grain whiskey is easier said than done. And the blender has to be careful in allowing each grain to shine through in the final product.
Harris likens the blending process to mixing different pigments into a harmonious paint color: “Each one of these [grains], they’re so different on the spectrum, they’re like completely different colors . . . we had 12 or 15 different pigments to choose from, and we need to blend a final color from those pigments, so it was really fun and challenging to make sure that all four of those flavors were showing up equally.”
The final product captures the essence of Virginia – malted barley comes through in an ode to our European roots and the American single malt innovation that largely has been spearheaded by Virginia distilleries. Rye’s presence reminds us of American whiskey’s beginnings, with corn and wheat adding a sweeter, more familiar texture to the final blend of Virginia whiskey.
The VA250 whiskey is only available by purchasing the Virginia Spirits 250th Celebration Trio Pack, available exclusively at Virginia ABC stores. Keep in mind, this is an extremely limited release, with only 2,400 available for purchase. Limit one per customer. Once they’re gone, they’re gone!
