Tag: Cocktails

By Patrick Evans-Hylton 

There’s always been a place where Virginians could gather and enjoy a drink or two. But in our 400-plus year history, the bar (if you will pardon the pun) has been raised.

Taverns were well established in England prior to colonists coming to Virginia, so it makes sense that they would become part of the landscape here, as well.

Early Beginnings

Tavern is a term that grew in favor in the late 17th century to describe a place to grab a bite to eat and a drink. As the colony, and later towns like Williamsburg and Norfolk, grew, taverns multiplied – oftentimes popping up next to courthouses, where folks would come from all over to conduct business. 

Some taverns offered overnight accommodations, but increasingly the word “inn” was used to differentiate between a waypoint for eats and drinks and one for lodging. Another early term for taverns was “ordinary,” and the two were generally used interchangeably.

A feature of many taverns was a cage, used as a barrier between the tavern keeper and consumer, where orders were placed and prepared, as opposed to the long bar that is familiar today. Many folks frequented taverns, including women and children.

The bill of fare was largely dependent on what was available to the establishment owner. They may make their own beer, cider or wine. If they were lucky, they could get a hold of rum, maybe even from a Virginia distillery. 

Early cocktails comprised rum by the drink or in punches, or wine turned into sangrias or sangarees. What is known largely comes from advertisements, court records such as legal actions and licensing, and diaries. 

At the time, the prices of beverages were regulated by the county court. According to Norfolk County records, patrons would have enjoyed:

  • Rum, priced at 6 shillings per gallon
  • Punch, “if made good,” at 16 pence per quart
  • Cider, 12 pence per gallon
  • Small beer (a lower alcohol brew), 7-1/2 pence per gallon
  • Madeira, 22-1/2 pence per quart
  • Milk Punch, 7-1/2 pence per quart
  • Claret, 3 shillings, 3-1/2 pence per quart

By the early part of the 19th century, true restaurants would emerge, and taverns and ordinaries would begin to more closely resemble the types of Virginia bars and other watering holes enjoyed today.

The Rise of the Bar

While the terms tavern, inn and ordinary are still sometimes in use, often in relation to an establishment that has some age to it, a new term rose to popularity in the 18th century. Bars, sometimes called a saloon or pub, emerged as a place to spend leisure time, particularly enjoying alcoholic beverages. 

The etymology of the word bar is pretty simple. As the design of drinking establishments shifted to include a long barrier, or bar, between the patrons and persons serving the drink, the name stuck. Folks no longer ordered their drinks and walked them back to tables; they sat at the bar on stools and engaged the person making the drink, or the bartender.

Saloon was another word that grew in popularity as well, the Anglicized version of the French word salon. These weren’t the saloons you think of in the western frontier. Saloons in the east were often larger than bars and more often found in hotels. 

Taverns Today

While Virginia bars and restaurants are certainly more commonplace today, there are still plenty of historic taverns serving up period dishes and drinks in charming, reconstructed 18th century buildings. Here are some of my favorites:

Red Fox Tavern in Middleburg, VA

Photo: Red Fox Tavern

The Recipes

MILK PUNCH

The English had a tradition of mixing alcohol with milk, such as with the posset and syllabub. Another offering was milk punch, a highly spirited mixture of milk, sugar, vanilla extract and a spirit, be it brandy, rum or whiskey. Milk Punch was on John Redwood’s tavern’s bill of fare in Norfolk in 1693.

Simple Syrup Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water

Cocktail Ingredients

  • 3 ounces milk
  • 1-1/2 ounces spiced rum
  • 3/4-ounce prepared simple syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Freshly grated nutmeg
  • Cinnamon stick

Method

Make the simple syrup by adding the sugar and water to a small saucepan over medium-high heat and bringing to a boil, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Add to a sealable glass jar and refrigerate until use, up to 1 month.

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add milk, spiced rum, simple syrup and vanilla extract and shake vigorously until the drink is chilled. Strain into a Collins or martini glass and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg and a cinnamon stick.

Makes one (1) cocktail. 

SANGAREE

Like so many imbibes in colonial Virginia, sangaree is a type of punch. The name comes from the Spanish word sangre, meaning blood, for its blood-red hue. It’s a precursor to the more commonly known sangria.  

My version enhances the drink with a spirit like gin or rum; we like gin with this drink as a nod to the “London gin craze” of the era.

Cocktail Ingredients

  • 1 lemon wedge
  • 1/4-ounce simple syrup or 1/2 teaspoon confectioners’ sugar
  • 1-1/2 ounces Virginia red wine, preferably port style
  • 1 ounce gin or rum
  • 1 lemon slice
  • Freshly grated nutmeg

Method

In a cocktail shaker, squeeze the lemon wedge and toss in. Add the syrup/sugar, wine, gin or rum and ice. Shake and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon slice and a dusting of nugget.

Makes one (1) cocktail. 

 

Patrick Evans-Hylton is a Johnson & Wales-trained chef, food historian and award-winning food journalist covering tasty trends in broadcast, electronic and print media since 1995. He is the author of Virginia Distilled: Four Centuries of Drinking in the Old Dominion. Read his work at VirginiaEatsAndDrinks.com. 

There’s something seductive about Virginia moonshine, the original American spirit.

Perhaps it’s the long history, dating back to just years after the First Landing of English settlers in Virginia. Maybe it’s the fact that people have taken up arms in defense and opposition to it. It might be that traditionally it was crafted and moved in secret through shadowy mountain hollers and swamps thick with marsh and cypress trees. Or maybe the vivid picture of bootleggers racing down backcountry roads (hello, Nascar!) at night to outmaneuver the authorities is what piques your interest. 

Either way, moonshine has a long and enduring life in Virginia. 

So much so that, during the 1920s, an estimated 99 of every 100 Franklin County residents were in some way involved in the lucrative moonshine trade, giving the area its beloved “Moonshine Capital of the World” distinction. Later this year, the Mountain Spirits Trail – linking Franklin, Floyd and Patrick County producers – will offer a chance to try some of the state’s best and learn the rich, untold history of moonshine. 

And while the tradition runs deep in the mountains, there are more than 15 moonshine producers spanning across the commonwealth. Keep reading to learn more about the process of making moonshine, where to find it, how to properly store it and how to best enjoy it. 

How to Make

The term “moonshine” has been around since at least the early 15th century, though it wasn’t popularized or used in English until Prohibition to describe illicit liquor made and smuggled during the night. There’s actually no legal definition of the spirit.

But, simply put, moonshine is considered a clear, unaged whiskey.

You might find a classic moonshine recipe involves cracked corn, water, malted barley and yeast. Much like whiskey, you can distill from almost any grain. The earliest American moonshiners used rye or barley, though for the last 150 years, corn has been the preferred base for many.

The process has been refined over time as producers look for efficiencies and ways to improve quality, but early moonshiners followed steps like this:

  1. The cracked, dry yellow corn is ground into meal.
  2. The corn meal is soaked in hot water. Sometimes sugar is added (or even used instead of grain), but traditional moonshiners added malted barley to convert starch to sugar. After adding yeast, the fermentation process begins. This mixture, called mash, is stirred thoroughly and heated for a set amount of time in the still. 
  3. The stone furnace beneath the still is brought up to about 172 degrees Fahrenheit. In the past, people used wood, coal and even steam before moving to propane.
  4. As pressure builds, the alcohol steam evaporates through a pipe that leads out of the top of the still.
  5. The distilled alcohol condenses in the bottom of a thump keg – a heated barrel into which the steam is forced and named after the sound of the vapor and alcohol periodically bursting out of the pipe. The hot vapor distills the alcohol a second time, which results in a higher-proof moonshine. 
  6. The steam travels into a coiled pipe that winds down into a crate or barrel (“worm box”) with cold water, usually diverted from a nearby creek or water source. By constantly circulating in cold water, the alcohol turns from steam to liquid.
  7. The moonshine exits from a spout, tap or hose into a bucket, usually through one last filter. 

 *If interested in making your own “white lightning,” you must follow Virginia codes and regulations.

The Virginia Way

You’ll find producers in Virginia who are using old-time recipes and methods passed down from generations in their family, quick-studies who developed a passion for moonshine and experimentation and those that fall somewhere between. 

Roosters Rise-N-Shine Distillery is one of those Franklin County places that held onto an original recipe – one that churned out illegal hooch for years – from an area native. Over time, it’s added its own spin with new flavors. The distillers here want people to know that while moonshine once came from backwoods operations, it’s now commercially available and just as good. They still find people wandering into the tasting room curious, and sometimes untrusting, but when moonshine is regulated, the product remains delicious and is totally safe when drinking responsibly.

Five Mile Mountain Distillery also uses traditional methods to produce its spirits – using an all-copper pot crafted in Virginia, fired by an open flame and a recipe that remains true to history. Every ingredient is hand-selected to create distinctive flavors and bottles. One thing they’d like to set the record straight on: moonshine is a versatile spirit that shouldn’t be limited to sipping. Moonshine cocktails make for some of the very best cocktails.

Belle Isle Craft Spirits bottle on the James River

Belle Isle Craft Spirits is a modern take on moonshine. Two brothers, Vince and Brian, saw that vodka and tequila had premium products that people clamored after, but moonshine did not. Thus began their quest to create the first premium moonshine. In a few short years, Belle Isle (based in Richmond) became known for its iconic and playful infusions. This distillery’s style and approach breaks the mold for moonshine and is a classic example of how local producers blend tradition with innovation to create something unique. You can find ready-to-drink cans and more with its diverse product line. 

How to Shop

If you’re lucky enough to live in Virginia, a.k.a the Birthplace of American Spirits, you have no shortage of options when it comes to the original spirit, moonshine. (And if you don’t, luckily, many distilleries ship out-of-state). 

You have two simple options to purchase a local bottle: At Virginia ABC stores or straight to the source at a distillery. With 400+ stores, you’re likely not far from a Virginia ABC store. If your store doesn’t have what you’re looking for, you can order online and have it shipped to a store of your choice within 7-14 days. If you’re looking for an experience and you want the opportunity to try before you buy, visiting a local distillery is your best bet. Plus, you’ll even find some small-batch products at the distillery that may not be on the shelves or listed with Virginia ABC. 

Taking advantage of events or festivals is another great option to sample before committing to the purchase. 

You could also mark your calendar for September, or as we like to call it: Virginia Spirits Month. For the whole month, many Virginia spirits, both in-store at Virginia ABC and at distillery tasting rooms, are offered at 20% off. The perfect time to stock up or try something new.

Finally, simply ask for “Virginia-made” at your favorite restaurant. Chat with your bartender or server to determine a cocktail recommendation or which ones are available for a sip. The more we ask for and support local, the more you’ll see Virginia on the menu!

How to Store

High-proof spirits like moonshine tend to have a long shelf life if it is properly stored. Exposure to certain elements like temperature, light, air and outside contaminants can impact the taste, aroma and overall quality of moonshine.

Keep your bottle in a cool, dark and dry environment where there is little-to-no sun exposure. However your shine is packaged originally, ensuring your bottle or jar is air-tight is among the most crucial parts of storing your moonshine – if oxygen creeps in, the chemical composition of the alcohol will begin to change.

How to Enjoy

A misconception of moonshine is that it is flavorless. While the flavor profile may be more subtle than others, there are plenty of elements to pick up on the palate. The strength of the flavor depends on the number of distillations it has been run through; multiple distillations create a more muted spirit. Though, many Virginia distilleries offer new, inventive flavors (see honey habanero or cold brew from Belle Isle) to add an extra element of depth and delight.

The image many have of moonshine is a clear liquid served straight up in a canning jar. Indeed, most moonshine is enjoyed with aplomb at room temperature, although there is nothing to stop you from pouring it in a tumbler and adding a few ice cubes if you wish. Keep in mind, the coolness of the cubes and dilution from melting ice will mute some of the flavor profiles, but if you enjoy it on the rocks, do so.

Another way to enjoy it chilled is to keep a bottle of moonshine in a freezer – it won’t freeze, or chill it in the refrigerator, even for a short spot of time before service.

And some folks don’t care for a spirit that is straight up, so infusing the ‘shine or crafting a cocktail with moonshine is perfectly acceptable – and delicious. 

Just like the producers who sell flavored moonshine, nothing is stopping you from infusing your moonshine. Pour some in a large glass container and add ingredients that will flavor it. Throw in sliced cucumbers, strawberries, peaches; crushed blueberries, blackberries, cherries or raspberries; chunks of pineapple or watermelon; or orange peel. Make an impromptu limoncello with lemon peel.

It also makes a great substitute for other spirits like gin and vodka. Consider a moonshine and tonic with cucumber, a moonshine and soda, a moonshine and cranberry, a moonshine bloody mary, a moonshine martini, a moonshine negroni and more. Here’s some inspiration: 

COCKTAIL RECIPES

lemon lavender Virginia moonshine cocktailblackberry Virginia moonshinehoney habanero Virginia moonshine cocktail

Apple Pie Shine

  1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, add 4 cups natural apple juice, 4 cups natural apple cider, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, 2 cinnamon sticks and 1 tsp. apple pie spice.
  2. Bring to a low boil, cover pot and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 1 hour.
  3. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
  4. Remove the cinnamon sticks, add 1-1/2 cups moonshine and stir.
  5. Transfer to three pint-sized, sealable jars. Jars can be refrigerated or stored at room temperature. Shake jars well before serving. Yield approximately 6 cups.

Moonshine Martini

  1. Pour 1/2-oz. dry vermouth in a martini glass and swirl glass. Make sure vermouth coats the glass interior. Discard remaining vermouth.
  2. Fill a small glass pitcher with ice and pour in 3 oz. moonshine.
  3. With a metal spoon, stir in a clockwise motion 100 times.
  4. Strain chilled moonshine into prepared martini glass and garnish with a lemon peel.

Oyster Shooter

  1. Rim a tall shot glass with Old Bay.
  2. In the glass add a freshly shucked Virginia oyster and top with 1 tsp. cocktail sauce.
  3. Pour in 1/2 tsp. pickle juice and 1-1/2-oz. of moonshine.

MOONSHINE WITH FOOD

To pair with food, you’ll most likely want it chilled or in a glass with ice. Cocktails and dishes go great together but do change the pairing from just a glass of moonshine by itself. When pairing cocktails with food, consider the primary flavor in the cocktail and compare and contrast with the dish.

Here are some of our favorite foods to enjoy with a nice tumbler of Virginia moonshine on the rocks:

Cheeses

  • soft cheeses, like brie, Epoisses, buffalo mozzarella, burrata or goat cheese
  • sharply flavored cheeses, like aged cheddar, gorgonzola or roquefort

Fruits

  • Citrus
  • Large firm berries, like blackberries or strawberries
  • Kiwi
  • Watermelon; try plugging a whole melon with moonshine

Meats

  • Bacon
  • Country ham
  • Fried chicken, perhaps cut up on a salad
  • Cured meats like prosciutto, salami, chorizo, pancetta, and longanisa
  • Jerky

Seafood

  • Smoked salmon
  • Smoked oysters
  • Roasted oysters
  • Anchovies, perhaps on flatbread or pizza
  • Spicy tuna sushi roll

Patrick Evans-Hylton is a Johnson & Wales-trained chef, food historian and award-winning food journalist covering tasty trends since 1995. He is the author of Virginia Distilled: Four Centuries of Drinking in the Old Dominion. Visit VirginiaEatsAndDrinks.com for more.

America’s first taverns were known as “ordinaries,” and by the 1640s, colonists all across Virginia publicly gathered for their daily dose of spirits (considered one of the safest beverages while drinking water was contaminated). We’ve come a long way since then – to countless, inventive restaurants with a lively scene that begins at the bar. 

We sat down with Savannah Duncan, bartender and server at Emerald Lounge – one of the hottest new restaurants in Richmond – and Alewife for a conversation about the connection between spirits and community, how to make the perfect cocktail for you and how understanding the Virginia distillation process has impacted her view on bartending. 

How did you make your way onto the bartending scene?

I’ve been bartending for a little over 4 years now, but I’ve been in and around the service industry my whole life. My run in with the bar world happened after indoor service came back after the first big pandemic wave. When I was asked if I wanted to return to my old job, they also asked all the servers to make all of our own tables’ drinks. And from there on out, I’ve been behind a bar somewhere!

What’s unique about mixing cocktails with local spirits? 

I’ve witnessed the love for locality raise pretty substantially after the pandemic. So, when I tell someone that a drink they order is made from local spirits, they often are overjoyed. It’s a connection to the community of spirits that mean just as much as a great taste or balancing addition to a cocktail.

For amateur mixologists or home bar enthusiasts, what are the makings of a good cocktail?

Personally, if you like it when you drink it and would have it again, it’s a good cocktail. Everyone has different palates, and our taste buds shift every seven or so years. Some people love bitter, others sour, and many loooove sweet. (Of course, there are many more descriptive words that come into play the longer you bartend or develop your palate!) The balance, I think, is when you find your perfect ratio. Always experiment and try new things!

Have you visited any Virginia distilleries to see the production process firsthand? How did that experience influence your work?

As a bartender, it’s a beautiful thing to see how the products you’re using everyday are made! I’ve visited a few local distilleries and breweries in Richmond and each time I learn something new.

Connecting the dots from beginning to tasty end is so cool. As many of us know, there are plenty of big brands out in the world that use additives or unethical practices to make its spirits and being able to see, taste and educate yourself in your own area on how a local spirit is made, can be a really unique and grounding experience!

As a bartender, if I can use a local spirit in a local bar – it just makes sense.

Strangest order you’ve gotten? Would you recommend?

I’ve had many people ask for strange things. I’ve had people bring in their own recipe books and people who ask for crazy modifications to drinks that are on the menu – but the strangest thing someone has ordered from me, and I don’t know if I’ll ever understand, is rail vodka neat… a.k.a a shot of vodka. It’s just not for me!

 

Drop by Emerald Lounge or Alewife to see Savannah and get a delicious cocktail! And while you’re there, ask for Virginia-made. 

America’s first taverns were known as “ordinaries,” and by the 1640s, colonists all across Virginia publicly gathered for their daily dose of spirits (considered one of the safest beverages while drinking water was contaminated). We’ve come a long way since then – to countless, inventive restaurants with a lively scene that begins at the bar. 

We sat down with Karen Negvesky, owner and bar manager at Sincero – one of the hottest new restaurants in Richmond, for a conversation about the path to owning and operating a bar, what local spirits you might find at the restaurant and tips to mastering the art of the cocktail. 

How did you make your way onto the bartending scene?

I started working in restaurants when I dropped out of college, hoping to get a foot in the door of the hospitality industry. Since 2015, I’ve now worked every front-of-house position, dabbled in kitchen work for some time, and even found myself working on a farm that supplied most of the produce to those restaurants. The bar has always been where I find myself most excited to create things and play with flavors. 

What local bottles can you find at Sincero?

I don’t have a wide selection of local spirits on our bar at the moment, as we find most of our drinks are based with tequila, mezcal or rum. But we always have a few selections from Virago on the back bar. Definitely one of my favorite local distilleries!

bar at Sincero

For amateur mixologists or home bar enthusiasts, what are the makings of a good cocktail?

My favorite thing about making drinks at home is that there aren’t any rules! I think a “good” cocktail is what you personally find delicious. BUT, starting with a cocktail recipe you like and swapping the main spirit or another ingredient is a great way to play with flavors. When in doubt, you can also always follow 2 (spirit) : 1 (sweet) : 1 (sour) – you’ll always get something good. 

How do you keep up with the latest mixology trends?

Social media always lets me know what’s popular, but I definitely pick and choose which trends to partake in especially when it comes to building the menu and pairing with food.

If you were a cocktail, what would you be and why? Bonus points for the recipe!

I’d totally be a banana daiquiri! I’m a summer gal through and through. One of my favorite things is sitting in the sunshine in mid-July with a book and a cold cocktail. A daiquiri always hits that perfect sweet, bitter, fruity mark for me. And throw in a little Jamaican rum to make it a little more funky and fun!

  • 1.5 oz Virago white rum
  • 0.5 oz Plantation Xaymaca
  • 0.75 oz Giffard banane de bresil 
  • 1.0 oz lime juice

 

Drop by Sincero to see Karen and get a delicious cocktail! And while you’re there, ask for Virginia-made. 

Virginia Spirits is for lovers. There’s no better way to mark the special occasion of Valentine’s Day than toasting with a glass filled with locally produced, quality spirits. 

From recognizing your partner’s fascination with the distilling process and supporting local to sampling and sipping all around the Commonwealth, here are three ways to incorporate Virginia spirits into your Valentine’s Day celebrations. 

Love for the Craft

For the spirits’ enthusiast in your life, the dedicated time, careful attention and small-batch approach to Virginia spirits is something to admire. So much heart and soul is poured into crafting each bottle made in the Commonwealth. 

Seek out and gift the good stuff – special reserves only available at the distillery, hand-signed bottles from the distiller who crafted it, new releases, etc. – to show your special person (who just so happens to be a spirits nerd) that you care and understand their love for the craft. 

Love at First Sip

The best Valentine’s Day celebrations and romantic dinners involve smooth, dreamy libations. Whether you’re making a special dinner for the one you love, having your girlfriends over for a rom-com movie marathon or toasting to yourself, Virginia spirits have you covered. 

Check out these sweet, sippable cocktails: 

Even if food is the star of the show, handcrafted spirits will only enhance the evening. Here are some pairing suggestions for this day of love: 

  • Oysters + Gimlets (Gin)
  • Charcuterie + Brandy
  • Steak + Old Fashioned or Whiskey Sour
  • Chocolate + Straight Sippers: While there are cocktails that incorporate and support the indulgence of chocolate, we recommend keeping it simple. Overall, bourbon – with smooth, caramel notes coming from new charred oak barrels – is ideal for a variety of chocolates. Other ideas include:
    • Milk Chocolate + Rum
    • Nutty Chocolate + Rye Whiskey
    • White Chocolate + Gin
  • Any Dessert + Espresso Martini (Vodka, Coffee Liqueur)

We promise, it’ll be love at first sip!

Love is an Adventure

If your significant other is one for adventures, Virginia spirits can offer just that. From special events to a winding trail of exploration, 70+ Virginia distilleries wait to host you this Valentine’s Day. 

There are events all month long to shower your person with the love (and spirits) they deserve: 

Hoping for something more unique and intimate for the two of you? Use the itinerary feature to plan a day or weekend getaway to a region of your choosing. We even have a comprehensive guide on trips to the Virginia Mountains, Shenandoah Valley, Southwest Virginia and Southern Virginia regions. 

And… earn points for visiting! The Virginia Spirits Passport is a mobile pass that allows you to redeem those points for prizes like cocktail ingredients, swag and special sweepstakes. On Valentine’s Day (2/14), we’re offering double the points – which means double the opportunity for prizes. 

For all the romantic vibes this holiday, we can’t get enough of these tasting rooms: 

At the end of the day, love is an adventure – and traversing through one of Virginia’s seven distinct distilling regions is a memorable expression of that love.

If you can’t make it out to a distillery, shop Virginia spirits at a Virginia ABC store near you. Sip responsibly. 

It’s giving season, and what better way to share something delicious with friends and family (while supporting small businesses) than with a bottle of craft spirits made right here in Virginia! Read on to learn where and how to shop for local spirits this December and beyond. 

Make it an Experience

Distilleries can’t wait to host you in their tasting rooms! Sample before you buy and get to know the distiller and their products, so you can share a bottle with a story. This is often the best way to see a distillery’s full product list, including specialty, small-batch bottles only available at the distillery. Many also have online ordering and shipping available. Visit our Virginia Spirits Trail for quick links to distillery websites and online shops.

Another alternative, Virginia ABC stores carry a wide catalog of curated spirits. With stores all over the Commonwealth, look for the “Virginia Made” section and find your next favorite bottle. If you can’t find the exact craft spirit you’re looking for, you can order online and have it shipped directly to your local store in 7-14 days. 

Discover the Latest Award Winners

If you’re unsure where to start, take expert or public opinion into consideration! Virginia distillers are award-winning and incredibly talented. Here’s just a few recent recognitions to help you decide on something special: 

Bundle for Craft Cocktails

cocktail with clear liquid and sprig of rosemary
Rosemary Rickey, courtesy of KO Distilling

Explore our cocktail page to find a delicious, personalized beverage for your loved ones. Purchase all the ingredients and print out the recipe for a thoughtful gift that inspires future get-togethers and memories. Here are some ideas for this winter season: 

Each holiday season, several local distilleries put together their own kits and bundles, too. Head to their website or check them out in tasting rooms or at Virginia ABC stores. 

Celebrate Local Artisans

One of the great things about the Virginia Spirits community is that most operations are small businesses and true “mom and pop shops.” When you visit, you get to know them and their story. Pick up your favorite bottle and ask for the distiller to sign it for a special touch. A great gift for the spirits fanatic in your life… a hand crafted bottle signed by the distiller who made it. 

Try Something Uniquely Virginia

Virginia bottles tell a story of the land and its crops, just as much as the producers behind it. All across the state, distillers are taking corn, rye, barley and many other ingredients right from their own backyard or from nearby farmers; turning these local crops into world-class spirits. 

Some are even using local methods to distill and finish their products – take, for example, Waterman Spirits who uses coral off the nearby coast to filter its organic line of vodka. 


Did you know Virginia distilleries produce more than 175 different types and styles of spirits? Visit our website and sort by spirit type if you have a specific Virginia Spirit in mind. Happy gift giving!