Something important is happening behind the scenes of your favorite Virginia distilleries.

Earlier this month, distillers from across the commonwealth gathered for the first Virginia Spirits Summit & Conference. While it may sound like an industry event, the conversations and collaborations that happened will directly shape what ends up in your glass and how Virginia spirits are recognized across the country.

The biggest takeaway: Virginia’s spirits industry is more unified, more ambitious and more focused on quality than ever before.

And that’s good news for anyone who loves discovering something exceptional.

‘Virginia Spirits’ is bringing people together

Since the very beginning, producing spirits has been about people. People who source the grains. People who put their craftsmanship to the test. People who come together to enjoy the finished product. 

Distillers across the commonwealth mostly have been operating independently, creating something unique to their region, methods and story. But with events like this, they’re combining their individual strengths and knowledge to elevate Virginia as one of America’s premier spirits destinations.

With initiatives like the First Landing Cup in March, Virginia Spirits Month in September, new statewide collaborations and major storytelling campaigns tied to the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commemoration (VA250), distillers are aligning their efforts to bring more visibility to Virginia-made spirits — not just locally, but nationally.

For consumers, that means more award-winning bottles to discover, events to attend and reasons to feel proud of what’s being made right here at home.

Distillers are investing in better experiences for you

One of the biggest focuses of the summit was understanding and serving customers better.

Distillers are digging into real data to learn who is visiting tasting rooms, what they enjoy and how to create more meaningful experiences. They’re also refining their storytelling, photography and brand identity so when you encounter a Virginia spirit, you understand not just how it tastes, but where it came from and why it matters.

This investment shows up in ways you can feel through thoughtful tasting-room experiences, cohesive identities and deeper connections to the people behind the bottle.

Find a distillery near you to see what they’ve been up to.

Virginia is reclaiming its original flavor

Virginia isn’t just participating in America’s spirits-making story. It’s where it all began.

More than 250 years ago, Virginia was the center of American distilling. Now, distillers are working with farmers to revive historic heritage grains that once defined the flavor of early American whiskey through the Virginia Heritage Grain Project.

These grains produce distinctive flavors you won’t find anywhere else and help create spirits that are truly rooted in Virginia’s land and history.

It’s part of a larger movement to answer a simple, but powerful, question: What does Virginia taste like?

Distillers are advocating for the future of Virginia spirits

You might not consider all the steps, decisions and investments that go into producing your favorite bottle of Virginia spirits. It takes more than grains and equipment to be successful in the distilling industry.

With leadership from the Virginia Distiller’s Association, distillers are working with their local lawmakers to advocate for policies that support local businesses, help distilleries grow and level the playing field among other craft beverage producers in Virginia. 

When the industry grows stronger, shoppers benefit from greater availability, more innovation and a wider range of world-class spirits produced in the commonwealth.

Momentum is building here

The Virginia Spirits Summit & Conference is just one example of how the industry is evolving and growing together to tell a story that extends far beyond the bottle. 

And if you’re a fan of Virginia spirits, you’re part of that story.

Because every time you order a Virginia-made cocktail, visit a tasting room or share a bottle with friends, you’re helping fuel a movement that’s only just getting started.

Virginia’s deep roots in history and agriculture offers the perfect backdrop for a burgeoning distilling industry, but its future will be defined by how intentionally our farmers, distillers and local communities stay connected and carry that legacy forward, one glass at a time. 

Dear Virginia Spirits,

We didn’t fall in love all at once.

It started with a sip. Poured around a campfire in the mountains or in the kitchen of a neighbor’s house.

Or maybe it began with a spontaneous visit to the distillery down the road. A shared flight. A friendly debate over new favorites. A spark of curiosity that lingered.

Over time, it grew into something deeper.

Because love, like distilling, isn’t rushed. The magic doesn’t happen right away. It’s built thoughtfully, one choice at a time.

We love you for the way you take time. For the hours spent fermenting and distilling, chasing the right balance of purity and complexity. For the months, and sometimes years, resting in barrels, developing character and depth. That patience shows up in the glass.

We love you for where you come from. From rolling farmland and winding back roads to coastal air and mountain water, Virginia spirits carry a sense of home with them. Not as a trend or a label, but as something real, grounded and unmistakably local.

We love you for the labor of love you represent. The distillers who unlock the tasting room doors on cold February weekends. The employees who wear a dozen hats – fermenting, bottling, labeling and pouring – while welcoming visitors like old friends. The families and partners who bet on an idea and built something from the ground up.

We love you for your diversity of flavor, style and mastery. Each bottle tells a different story. A special take on whiskey, rum, gin, brandy or something entirely its own. Together, those stories form something bigger: a narrative of Virginia as a community built on craft and care.

When visiting a Virginia distillery, we’re not just drinking. We’re meeting the people behind the product. We’re hearing stories that don’t fit on a label. We’re peeking into a generations-old tradition. We’re supporting local businesses that chose to build here, create here and stay here.

And once you become part of our lives, you show up for it all. The milestones, quiet nights, celebrations and everyday moments. You bring people together, across tables, across bars, across communities.

That’s why Valentine’s Day feels like the perfect time to show our appreciation. 

In the dead of winter, when the pace slows and tasting rooms are a little quieter, showing up means even more. It means choosing to explore what’s made here. Trying something new. Supporting the people and places that keep this industry moving forward.

So this February, raise a glass a little closer to home.

Visit a distillery. Take a tour. Mix up something local at home. Bring a Virginia-made bottle to the table. Share a pour, a story, a moment.

Because love isn’t just something we celebrate. It’s something we show.

Love,
Your adoring fans