Catoctin Creek Distillery and Tasting in small-town Virginia has made a big name for itself in honoring Virginia whisky history.
We were driving northwest through rural Loudoun County when we saw the sign for Catoctin Creek Distillery and Tasting Room. We were heading to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, to spend some time by the Potomac and to do some hiking; but, with no strict timeline to follow, we decided to take the 10-minute detour to Purcellville, Virginia, to check out the distillery.
Purcellville is a small town with a population of about 9,000. The town only covers about three square miles of land and was first settled in 1764. One hundred years later in 1874, the railroad came to Purcellville, connecting it to Leesburg and the rest of the southern railway. The town and its business district continued to grow into the 1900s; but, terrible fires destroyed the majority of the town, erasing much of its original architecture.
The town was rebuilt in the popular Victorian style of the early 20th century. Today, much of this architecture is preserved, giving the town its historic charm. The Catoctin Creek Distillery and Tasting Room is in one such building.
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Continuing the Virginia Whisky Tradition
Founded in 2009, the Catoctin Creek Distillery and Tasting Room was the first legal distillery in Loudoun County since before Prohibition. Whiskey (without an "e") is
a distinctly American spirit created by farmers in the rural valleys of the Blue Ridge mountains; Purcellville is in one such valley, the Loudoun valley.
Since before the Civil War, farmers have used trees from their own land to build barrels, grain from their fields to distill the whisky, and then the leftover distillate to feed their cattle. Whisky distilling is part of rural Virginia's heritage, and Catoctin carries on this tradition in Purcellville.
Catoctin Distillery derives its name from the Catoctin Creek that flows through the expansive Catoctin mountain ridge. Pronounced Ka-TOCK-tin, the name is derived from the Indian tribal name "Kittocton" which, legend has it, meant "place of many deer."
Now, the Catoctin Distillery is a place of many fragrant spirits distilled with local organic ingredients.
Industrial-chic bar, whisky and brandy tastings, educational tours
In a couple-turned-business-partners success story, Becky and Scott Harris opened the Catoctin Distillery in 2009. A chemical engineer and an IT specialist, the couple's unique set of skills has made their business a success. The distillery currently offers tastings, events, and tours. Gather more details and plan your visit on
their website.
The company's motto is
Sic Semper Secales, which translates to "thus always to rye." The trademarked phrase pays homage to their most popular distilled spirit: rye whisky. Their Roundstone Rye whisky is
Virginia's most awarded whisky, receiving hundreds of awards since its inception in 2009. But they don't just distill whisky! They also offer a variety of brandies and a gin.
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On our visit to the distillery, we ordered two flights. Each flight is made of three different samples. The Brandy Flight featured the Quarter Branch Apple Brandy, the Short Hill Mountain Peach, and the Pearousia brandy. All three were delicious and used local ingredients in the distilling process.
The Whisky Flight featured their signature Roundstone 80 proof rye whisky, Mosby's Spirit, a clear rye whisky with
a historical meaning, and a Roundstone rye 92 proof. Out of the three, the Roundstone Rye was undoubtedly the best. We bought a bottle to take home, and it made for some delicious Old Fashioneds after our five-mile hike in Harpers Ferry.
Have you visited the Catoctin Distillery and Tasting Room? What did you think? What is your favorite Virginia distillery?
