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Report from Three Crosses Distilling Company: "TWO SILVERS AND A GOLD - Our spirits each brought home awards this year from the US Whiskey Championship. If you haven't tried our whiskeys yet, come see why they are award winning." - Three Crosses Congrats on the GOLD for Noble Hound Virginia Dark Rye! And a SILVER for Noble Hound Virginia Rye.  Report from Catoctin Creek Distillery, Purcellville, Virginia: " We have arrived at Mecca: the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel, London. So proud just to be in this building, 133 years of cocktail history. Hullo, London! How's about some fine Virginia rye?"  The 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Competition Awards Double Gold to both Ragged Branch Distillery and KO Distilling for their Bottled-in-Bond Rye offerings.  The San Francisco World Spirits Competition Is Now The Largest In The World
The San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) has just finished its 22nd annual judging of spirits. Founded in 2000, the SFWSC is the oldest competition in North America. A total of 70 judges drawn from all over the world evaluated approximately 5,000 spirits over two weeks in April 2022. Hitting 5,000 entrants for the SFWSC marked a milestone in what has been an amazing year for us. Not only is the SFWSC now the largest spirits competition in the world, but we saw growth across all spirit categories” - Amanda Blue, President of the Tasting Alliance, the parent organization of the SFWSC. 2022 Virginia Rye Whiskey Results: KO Distilling – Manassas, VA Distiller’s Reserve Bottled in Bond Straight Rye Whiskey – Double Gold Ragged Branch Distillery – Charlottesville, VA Virginia Straight Rye Whiskey Bottled in Bond – Double Gold Napotnik Reserve Straight Rye Whiskey Barrel Proof – Silver Reservoir Distillery – Richmond, VA 100% Rye – Bronze Silverback Distillery – Afton, VA Blackback Honey Rye Whiskey – Bronze Congratulations to all the winners! Check out the replay of the new ZAVVY conversation with Catoctin Creek co-founder and Head Distiller Becky Harris. Learn just how much see knows about making beautiful Virginia Ryes. https://zavvy.co/movie/3-29-a-sip-of-knowledge-with-catoctin-creek-distilling/?fbclid=IwAR1gL7LgSulkQ-5ox6EdDdfrlsQi8NeZukgFWfjODiSKha21ScUfGKENwyo  Lots of Virginia Rye Whiskey LOVE in the new Whisky Advocate magazine RYE issue. Congratulations to Catoctin Creek Distilling and Copperfox Distillery on some great ratings.     KO DISTILLING DISTILLER’S RESERVE RYE Country: USA Region: Virginia Type: Rye Bottler: Distiller ABV: 50% Score: 90 points KO Distilling Distiller's Reserve Rye. Image courtesy KO Distilling. This bottled in bond rye was matured for four years and seven months, and the nose has nice warm notes of baking spices, black cherries, a hint of peaches, and a soft oakiness. The taste is full of black cherries, cinnamon, clove, allspice, and hints of peaches, red apples, caramel, and vanilla in the background. The spices linger nicely on the finish with a nice balance. (March, 2022) https://whiskycast.com/ratings/ko-distilling-distillers-reserve-rye/  Third in the "Virginia is for Rye Lovers" series. Get out to the village of Powhatan, Virginia and enjoy the award winning spirits created by the Davenports at Three Crosses Distilling Company. Especially intriguing is their Noble Hound Dark Virginia Rye Whiskey. Besides creative libations and friendly service, you will experience tasty food from their full service gastro bar, and lots of fun events. http://www.threecrossesdistilling.com/   Photo courtesy of Peter Evanoff Lycurgus Ezekiel Savage (1827-1893) established L.E. Savage's Sons Virginia Rye Whiskey Distillery, Kernstown, VA (Northern Shenandoah Valley) in 1868 with S.R. Pritchard. He gained full control of the business in 1875 after Pritchard's death and eventually moved it to the nearby city of Winchester and added salesrooms in the region. Joseph H. Savage continued the business after his father's passing. In 1907 you could bring your own jug to the distillery and pick up a gallon for between $1.58 and $2.95 per gallon depending on the age.   Virginia Rye Distillers take home the bacon in the 2022 Best of the Blue Ridge Readers Choice Awards from Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine. Congratulations to Five Mile Mountain Distillery, Twin Creeks Distillery, Silverback Distillery, and Catoctin Creek Distilling! Top Distillery Winner - Five Mile Mountain Distillery (Floyd, Va.) Named for one of the main roads used to transport moonshine out of the area during Prohibition, Five Mile Mountain Distillery is continuing southwest Virginia’s storied history of producing spirits. “Being from this area, we were always around moonshine,” said co-owner and distiller Patrick Sisk. “People were constantly making it in their sheds.” You can visit the tasting room and sit on the porch as you sip favorites like Five Mile’s Elderberry Moonshine. Made from grains sourced locally in a distillery the owners renovated themselves, these spirits combine the traditions of the past with the innovation of the present. Runners Up Twin Creeks (Rocky Mount, Va.) Silverback Distillery (Afton, Va.) Top Spirits Winner - Peg Hatcher’s Straight (Rye) Whiskey—Twin Creeks Distillery (Rocky Mount, Va.) Runners Up Tie – Big Level Bourbon—Smooth Ambler Spirits (Maxwelton, W.Va.) and Amaro Flora—Eda Rhyne (Asheville, N.C.) Roundstone Rye—Catoctin Creek (Purcellville, Va.)   Five Mile Distillery  Twin Creeks Peg Hatcher Rye Whiskey Looks like a nice place for a shot of Virginia Rye :-) Palace Bar, Winchester, VA c.1900  No. 2 in the "Virginia is for Rye Lovers" series. The Rigglemans at Silverback Distillery know how to make a great Virginia Rye and share a fun experience when you stop by. Get to know all the wonderful distillers on the Virginia Rye Trail.  From our friends at Reservoir Distillery in Richmond, VA. Reservoir’s Cask Experience. A very limited release and special collaboration with renowned French cognac maker Francois Voyer, a wheated Virginia Rye Whiskey finished in cognac cask, 86 proof.  NEWS from Phenomenal Spirits, Virginia Beach, VA: "First barrel pick of the year heading to beautiful Australia and we couldn’t be more excited. At 58.9% ABV, this handcrafted, blended and rum cask finished Ry3 Whiskey is bottled at Cask Strength." RY3 continues to expand their unique blended Virginia Rye across the globe. Learn more by visiting: https://www.ry3whiskey.com/  
From The Whiskey Jar in Charlottesville, Virginia: "Ever wanted to try two Virginia whiskeys you've never had for the price of one? Monday-Friday 3-6 = 1/2 off Virginia whiskeys! It's a 2022 miracle!"
It's a great place to hang on on the Charlottesville Downtown Pedestrian Mall and they have a wonderful selection of Virginia Ryes. 
The latest issue of Chilled Magazine covers two of the leading Virginia Rye Brands, KO Distilling and Catoctin Creek. KO's new release of their Distiller's Reserve Bottled-in-Bond Straight Virginia Rye, which has received many accolades, is front and center. Master Distiller and Co-founder Becky Harris of Catoctin Creek is featured in a multiple part interview, see more on the magazine website. https://chilledmagazine.com/catoctin-creeks-becky-harris-talks-women-in-whisky    Axe Handle Distilling in Pennington Gap becomes the latest stop on the Virginia Rye Trail. Located all the way in the tip of Southwest Virginia, this custom built distillery and music venue offers great views, great whiskey, music, food and fun for all. With 21 stops, the Virginia Rye Trail now covers the entire state, north, south, east and west. Making it easy for you to venture out and discover a Virginia Rye maker near you. Virginia Rye Trail Map     A favorite Virginia Rye Whiskey for all those who have been fortunate to try it. Ragged Branch uses their own farm grown rye, controlling the entire process from grain to bottle.
"The holiday season means it's time to make a little Straight Rye Whiskey! Our award-winning rye is handcrafted using the same traditional methods as our bourbon recipes, including being aged in new charred American white oak barrels for more than four years. The difference comes in the recipe, which, unlike our bourbons, contains no corn. Instead, it is a rich mash of mostly rye and a little bit of malted barley. That means it's less sweet than our bourbons, but has lots of lively rye spice and caramelized wood complexity. Available at the distillery, Virginia ABC stores, and other select states." - Ragged Branch Distillery https://www.raggedbranch.com/ The Virginia Rye Trail hits 20 strong with the addition of Appalachian Heritage Distillery11/16/2021
Appalachian Heritage Distillery in Damascus, Virginia adds their 96 proof 4 year old Straight Virginia Rye Whiskey to the trail offerings. Another great reason to head out to Southwest Virginia for a visit. 
A great way to spend an hour. Listen to the tale of Scotsman James Anderson, Mt. Vernon's first Master Distiller and the history of his family and journey.
The folks at Reservoir Distillery in Richmond, VA have shared a tasty Virginia Rye Hot Toddy recipe. Reservoir Hot Toddy 2 Oz Reservoir Rye 1 Oz Fresh Lemon Juice .5 Oz Local Honey 8 Oz Hot Tea or Water Add lemon juice and hot tea/water to mug, stir until dissolved. Add rye. Enjoy! 
Great series! "Five Drinks or Midnight". Meet Lauren Riggleman, Master Distiller at Silverback Distillery. Learn why she loves her Virginia Rye Whiskey products. Featuring five of her spirits including the "Lucky 13 Rye" and "Honey Rye".
River Hill Distillery becomes the 19th stop on the Virginia Rye Whiskey trail with their delicious 90 proof River Hill Rye. Luray has always been a beautiful place to visit, now you have even more reasons to go to the Shenandoah Valley. https://www.facebook.com/riverhilldistillery 
A wonderful new video telling the story and passion of the great crafters of award winning Virginia Rye Whiskey, Reservoir Distillery in Richmond, VA. https://reservoirdistillery.com/
By Gary Carter, The Whiskey Wash Virginia whiskey maker KO Distilling just released two new additions to its portfolio of American whiskeys, their Distiller’s Reserve Bottled-in-Bond Rye Whiskey and Bare Knuckle High Rye Bourbon. American rye whiskey in general is seemingly having a renaissance, with more than 1.26 million 9-liter cases in annual depletions last year. This is something KO is looking to get in on more. KO’s Distiller’s Reserve Straight Bottled-in-Bond Rye Whiskey is made from 100 percent local Virginia rye, distilled in one season and aged for four years in charred new American Oak barrels.  The result is KO Distilling’s second Bottled-in-Bond expression, a sequel to KO’s Distiller’s Reserve Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon, released in 2020. That spirit garnered KO a Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Their new Bare Knuckle High Rye Bourbon is made from 75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Wheat and was sourced from Indiana six years ago, when KO Distilling was founded. At that time, it was put into charred new American Oak barrels and has been aging in KO’s Manassas, Virginia, warehouse. In keeping with the Bare Knuckle brand, which honors historic fighting figures, the six year old Bare Knuckle High Rye Bourbon bottle features International Boxing Hall of Famer Joe “Old Master” Gans – the first 20th century African-American World Boxing Champion and the World Lightweight Champion from 1902–1908. It will be offered in both single barrel and cask strengths. “At KO Distilling, we take great pride in crafting spirits that reflect the perseverance that makes this country great,” said Co-Founder and CEO Bill Karlson in a prepared statement. “Every bottle is a result of our careful approach to distilling, which combines state-of-the-art equipment with the skills of our production team to produce the best of American spirits. We’re thrilled to raise a glass and welcome these two new additions to our portfolio.” For the rest of the story on The Whiskey Wash, CLICK HERE |
VIRGINIA RYE WHISKEY
Drink Virginia Rye© • Rye Whiskey • Dale William Neal - Brand Manager, Virginia Rye
"Virginia Rye" is defined as aged or clear spirit products manufactured in Virginia with a mash bill that is at least 51% rye grain.
This site is for informational purposes. There are no fees charged for Virginia Rye producers to be listed.
"Virginia Rye" is defined as aged or clear spirit products manufactured in Virginia with a mash bill that is at least 51% rye grain.
This site is for informational purposes. There are no fees charged for Virginia Rye producers to be listed.