New Era of Virginia Spirits: What the July 1 Changes Mean for Virginia Distillery Visitors
Virginia’s tasting room experience is evolving! If you’re planning a visit to a Virginia distillery, there’s exciting news. Beginning July 1, 2026, Virginia law allows distilleries to offer expanded tasting and cocktail experiences by increasing the daily on-site consumption limit from 3 ounces to 6 ounces per guest. For visitors, that means more opportunities to […]
The VA250 Rum: A Modern Take on America’s Original Spirit
Presenting: The VA250 Commemorative Rum This bottle holds a true Virginia rum, meticulously blended from some of the oldest craft rum barrels in the commonwealth. The rums used to create this historic spirit include: 25% 9-year-old, bourbon barrel-finished rum from Belmont Farm 30% blend of three 4- to 5-year-old Virago Spirits rums, distilled from blackstrap […]
The VA250 Four-Grain-Whiskey: A Cask-Strength Portrait of Virginia Whiskey
Presenting: The VA250 Commemorative Whiskey 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: 35% 5-year-old bourbon (55-C/35-W/10-M) from Ironclad […]
The VA250 Gin – A Botanical Exploration of Virginia
Presenting: The VA250 Commemorative Gin The VA250 gin is built on a traditional “London dry” profile. Juniper forward, there also are notes of angelica, coriander, orris root and lemon peel. Having honored gin’s deep historic legacy, the team then wove in Native Virginia top notes of pawpaw, rose, sassafras and sumac, with exotic flourishes of […]
Virginia Spirits 101: American Single Malt
So, we’ve talked about Virginia’s top produced spirit: whiskey – we’ve even done a deep dive into bourbon, a whiskey made with at least 51 percent corn and aged in new, charred oak barrels – but we’ve only just alluded to the new and exciting category of American Single Malt. A spirit that has developed […]
Meet the 2025 First Landing Cup Winners
Together, We Raise a Glass It’s time to toast to the best of Virginia! The results are in for the inaugural First Landing Cup, a first-of-its-kind competition of distilled spirits made right here in the Old Dominion. Last month, a world-class panel of judges came to Richmond, Virginia, to taste 108 craft spirits from 33 […]
Belly Up to the Bar: Lessons Before You Take a Sip of Whiskey
Adapted excerpt from Make it a Double: From Wretched to Wondrous: Tales of One Woman’s Lifelong Discovery of Whiskey Learning the art – or act for some of us – of whiskey nosing and tasting is a most pleasurable task, made more agreeable by the fact that it must be done with great repetition. But for […]
A Whiskey Lover’s Guide to Virginia Whiskey Clubs
For all the whiskey fanatics out there, you haven’t made it until you’ve joined an exclusive club at your local distillery. With these perks, you’ll have special access to tastings, barrel production and releases like never before. Here are some of the top Virginia Whiskey Clubs to choose from: Alligator Char Society by Reservoir Distillery […]
Virginia Spirits 101: Brandy
Gin, moonshine, brandy, vodka and whiskey. While these are all some of the top-produced spirits in Virginia, one of these is not like the other.
Traditionally speaking, distilled spirits come from the mashing and fermentation of grains. Brandy, on the other hand, comes from distilling fruit juice or wine. In fact, the name comes from the Dutch word “brandewijn,” which means “burnt wine.” […]
Virginia Spirits 101: Gin
Maybe you’ve wondered why there isn’t an abundance of Virginia “tequila” filling up the shelves at Virginia ABC stores near you. At the end of the day, the spirits we know as “tequila” can only be produced in Mexico. The legal definition just doesn’t allow for an entirely local, Virginia tequila. Dating back to 1974, […]