Local News Archive
NOTE: This is the archive of local news from 2009 to 2022 and are in rough chronological order. Please note that some of these articles are quite old, and the links referenced herein may not work.
Contact us if you have any questions or for reproduction/usage requests.
Catoctin Creek featured by Peachtree by Sage
Created 2009-10-05 05:00:00
Another cool article on the Peachtree (by Sage) web site. This is about our use of Twitter and other social media as we launch our business. — Story here
Western Loudoun Home to Future Distillery
Created 2009-11-07 15:43:23
From Business Briefs, The Purcellville Gazette, November 6, 2009:
[Wineries] will no longer be the only game in western Loudoun that involves "proof." The Harris family of Purcellville recently received their occupancy permit for their new distillery called [Catoctin Creek Distilling Company]. As the Harris family continues to fill out volumes of legal paperwork for both local and federal agencies, they have developed a large following on Facebook and YouTube [where] the curious can follow along on their quest to be Loudoun's finest, and only, distillers. Once operational, they will sell their fine spirits of Rye, Gins and Whiskeys to State run ABC stores where the general public will be allowed to purchase their product.
Loudoun Business Q&A - Catoctin Creek Distilling Company
Created 2009-11-22 14:41:29
Although this article comes to an abrupt end (due to an editing error), it still provides some nice coverage of the business.
Loudoun Independent - 'Spirits' are on the Rise
Created 2010-01-12 05:00:00
Here is some great coverage at the Loudoun Independent profiling Catoctin Creek Distilling Company.
At One Company, 'Spirits' are on the Rise
By Jason Jacks, Loudoun Independent, January 12, 2010
Catoctin Creek in Northern Virginia Magazine
Created 2010-04-03 01:24:10
Catoctin Creek was featured in a nice little article in Northern Virginia Magazine. Click image below to enlarge.
Catoctin Creek in Flavor Magazine
Created 2010-04-13 01:35:02
Catoctin Creek was featured in a nice little article in Flavor Magazine. Click image below to enlarge.
Catoctin Creek in American Way
Created 2010-05-01 05:00:00
Catoctin Creek was mentioned briefly in American Way, the in-flight magazine for American Airlines. Click here for the article: link
Tasting Table DC: Pure of Spirit - Catoctin Creek gives birth to certified, kosher liquor
Created 2010-05-11 12:12:22
Leesburg Today: Business Week in Review May 1-8, 2010
Created 2010-05-11 05:34:55
Nice coverage in the Leesburg Today business section about our initial roll out. Story here.
US News: Whiskey Distillers Lobby Congress for Lower Taxes
Created 2010-05-11 17:34:55
Coverage from US News and World Report on our recent trip to lobby congress for fairer treatment for taxes. Story here.
Wine Compass Blog
Created 2010-05-11 18:34:55
A Tale of Two Ryes - The Fresh Loaf
Created 2010-05-14 09:11:44
Sometimes, two worlds intersect. And so it is when an artisan baker from Washington DC comes to learn about another creative way to use rye grain. Story here.
Catoctin Creek Distillery OPEN
Created 2010-05-14 18:03:43
From the Purcellville Gazette... May 14, 2010:
Washington Post - Spirits: Craft whiskey distillers are over a barrel
Created 2010-05-19 11:38:23
Jason Wilson discusses his recent trip to the American Distilling Institute 2010 Whiskey Competition in Louisville, KY, and the state of the emerging craft distilling business in the United States. Catoctin Creek gets a nice mention near the end of the article. - Story here
Leesburg Today - Tour Highlights Loudoun's Eclectic Rural Offerings
Created 2010-05-22 21:04:26
Margaret Morton, staff writer for the Leesburg Today, discusses the Loudoun Rural Economic Development Council's recent Rural Economy Tour. The group of about 25 individuals ended their day at our distillery, which is covered quite in depth in the latter half of the article.
Proof 66 - Wildcatting at Catoctin Creek Distillery
Created 2010-05-28 09:14:08
From Proof66.com:
"Wildcatters" were individuals who ventured into wild unknown and/or unproductive areas and sank wells drilling for oil. No geological surveys; no safety net. Just an idea and a drill.
Are you a wildcat? You've got an idea. You've got the know-how to execute the idea. You even have a bit of capital to give it a try. But do you have "it"? You can have the best idea and all the capabilities in the world but there's still something more that's separating you from what is on one hand a Wildcat and the other hand every other person who has an idea and a little money. Call it courage; call it foolhardiness; but whatever "it" is, the Wildcats have it and many of the rest of us probably don't.
The rest of the story can be read here.
Risk for Return - J Street Consulting
Created 2010-06-17 16:24:31
June 2, 2010 – J Street CEO, Jim Wolfe, on MSNBC. www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/vp/37455056#37455056. Commentary from J Street CEO Jim Wolfe was featured in today's MSNBC story about a Virginia distillery. As Assistant Professor and Entrepreneur in Residence at George Mason University, Jim is one of the region's leading experts on new and early stage companies. His blog follows below:
Risk. Return. ROI. Rewards commensurate with the risks. Weighted average cost of capital. Discounted cash flow; present value; NPV. These are all phrases familiar to the modern business student or MBA. Entrepreneurs know that what they do is risky. In fact, many people simply define an “entrepreneur” as someone willing to take on the risk of a new or untried venture.
Local entrepreneurs Becky and Scott Harris know full well this interplay between what we would like to have, and what it really takes to get there. I recently commented for MSNBC on Becky and Scott’s new husband-and-wife venture in Loudoun County Virginia, named Catoctin Creek Distilling Company. It’s the first legal distillery licensed in the county since the days of Prohibition.
Full disclosure: I don’t know Becky and Scott, and I have never visited their new facility. But I hope to meet them soon. And I’m certainly hoping to sample their product. They produce several labels of truly eco-ganic distilled liquors (an interesting brand positioning for this product, I think), including an aged rye whiskey, white whiskey (not aged), gin, and even a Virginia Brandy.
The Harris’s financed their new venture partly from savings, and partly from an SBA backed loan. That’s where the risk comes in. It’s very tough to start any business; tougher still to enter a highly regulated industry such as distilled spirits. Add to that the intense competition of literally hundreds of competitors and, well, you get the idea. In a word: Risk.
But the returns are there to be had, if Becky and Scott can execute. Not only financial returns and payments with (hopefully) profits to any investors, but a return in the form of the culture, the lifestyle and the passion that comes from such a wonderfully interesting and romantic business. (OK, maybe I do read business plans the way others read Hemmingway or Updike, but to each his own.) Building a successful startup business – certainly valuable. Building a business you could leave to your children and grandchildren – now that is actually priceless.
Jim Wolfe
J Street Consulting CEO
Entrepreneur in Residence, George Mason University
Reposted with permission of Jim Wolfe, J Street Consulting. Original posting is here.
Catoctin Creek Distillery now on Virginia is for Lovers directory
Created 2010-07-14 16:24:31
July 14, 2010 – Catoctin Creek is now listed on the Virginia is for Lovers tourism directory. -- Click here
Roakoke Times - Rye and rebellion: reflections on whiskey
Created 2010-07-19 05:00:00
From Gordon Kendall of The Roanoke Times:
If the idea of spontaneous groups banding together to protest high government debt and increased taxes seems new to you, step back in time to 1790, when America was in its infancy. The federal government had assumed the financial burdens incurred by the Colonies during the Revolutionary war and was deeply in debt. To raise revenue, Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton proposed an excise tax on distilled spirits. Congress passed the legislation in 1791.
...
In 2009, Becky and Scott Harris opened the Catoctin Creek Distilling Company in Purcellville, in Loudoun County. eco-ganically grown ingredients are used and are sourced locally whenever possible. They produce a clear rye spirit known as Mosby's Spirit named after Confederate Col. John Mosby. The clear spirit is aged in oak barrels to produce the amber-hued Roundstone Rye whiskey, which displays notes of spice, light caramel and citrus. This product was recently added to the Virginia ABC store list and will soon be available for about $38.
...
The full story can be read here.
Catoctin Creek on the Mike O'Meara Show
Created 2010-08-07 14:22:18
Did you miss our little interview on the Mike O'Meara Show? Listen to it here!
You can listen to the podcast, here:
{mp3}TMOS20100806{/mp3}
WhiskyCast Coverage of the Whisky Cruise
Created 2010-08-29 05:00:00
Did you miss our little interview on the WhiskyCast? Listen to it here!
Download or play the podcast: click here
Malt Advocate Coverage - Fall 2010 Issue
Created 2010-09-02 05:00:00
We are all over the Malt Advocate Fall 2010 issue. Click the images below for larger copies.
MyJoogTV and Andrew McKnight at Catoctin Creek
Created 2010-09-07 05:00:00
The highlight of the afternoon was listening to McKnight perform "Letter to Mosby" while sitting on an oak barrel in front of the still.
Read more at MyJoogTV.com.
Meet the Makers on American Craft Spirits
Created 2010-09-21 05:00:00
American Craft Spirits: Okay, so tell us the truth, how hard is it to start your own distillery? What has been the biggest surprise in the process?
Scott and Becky: Starting a distillery is not easy. It takes a lot of resources, time, and persistence. There were countless opportunities to say, “This is really hard… is it really worth it?” And you have to be crazy enough to say, “Yeah. I think I really want to do this.” The regulations are intense, and issues like zoning and licensing can stop you dead in the water. We were lucky in many ways. It took us eleven months from inception to first production. That is shorter than many getting started, but our operation is smaller than most as well.
Read more at American Craft Spirits.
Virginia Neighbors - Blue Ribbon Products
Created 2010-10-15 05:00:00
From the September/October 2010 issue of Virginia Neighbors, we were awarded one of Central Virginia's "Blue Ribbon" products! What an honor!
Read the full online version of the magazine here.
Roundstone Rye Review on American Craft Spirits
Created 2010-09-22 05:00:00
Score: 88
When Gene Wilder swings open the doors of the chocolate factory’s inner sanctum you can only imagine what it smells like – sugar, candy, sweet fruit with a river of fresh chocolate winding its way around trees dripping with gummies and gobstoppers. If you could have this experience (via Smell-O-Vision) it would be a lot like nosing Catoctin Creek’s Roudstone Rye. Like the first few seconds of a dusty piece of Juicy Fruit gum, Roundstone Rye is full of young rye flavor. Although an infant by aged spirits standards (spending 2.5 months on oak) this rye shows a fairly mature flavor profile. You can still taste some of the surface char in the spirit, mostly to the detriment of the finish, but the nose and mid-palate are certainly (like Charlie) wise beyond their age.
IT'S RYE TIME! from American Craft Spirits on Vimeo.
Watershed Gin Review on American Craft Spirits
Created 2010-09-28 05:00:00
Score: 89
Light but lingering citrus on the nose, a pinch of cinnamon for intrigue. This is very well-balanced craft gin, not leaning either towards new style citrus, nor too far towards the juniper/medicinal kind. The finish is long and spicy, probably due to the rye, but also soft on the palate, probably due to the wheat. For me, a great gin begins and ends with the question, “can this be my daily standard gin?” something I wouldn’t mind throwing into a G&T or classing up with an olive and only the slightest touch vermouth? Well, Watershed Gin fits that bill perfectly. A classic in the genre.
GIN IS THE WORD from American Craft Spirits on Vimeo.
Joshua Hatton and the Jewish Single Malt Whisky Society
Created 2010-10-05 05:00:00
Joshua Hatton is the founder of the Jewish Single Malt Whisky Society. We got a brief but flattering mention in his interview with Dramming:
There are some American whiskies I would sip on every day if I could ... [including] Catoctin Creek Rye.
Read the full interview here.
Catoctin Creek Named Finalist in Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce Awards
Created 2010-10-05 15:42:57
Catoctin Creek was named a finalist in the category of Agri-Business of the Year in the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce Small Business Awards. Winners and nominees will be celebrated at the annual gala, set for Thursday, Nov. 4 at Lansdowne Resort.
Read the story in the Leesburg Today.
Or read the story in the Loudoun County Business News.
Distilling at George Washington's Distillery
Created 2010-10-07 05:00:00
Hannah Hager of the Loudoun Times-Mirror reports on the demonstration distillation of George Washington's peach brandy at the historic Mount Vernon distillery. Scott Harris, founder of Catoctin Creek Distilling Company, describes the process of distilling this peach brandy at the historic distillery.
The spirits he produces are the same as the one’s George Washington once cultivated, but the technology used to beget it has come a long way.
Read the story in the Loudoun Times-Mirror.
Mosby's Spirit Review on American Craft Spirits
Created 2010-10-11 05:00:00
Score: 95
Hands down the best white dog/white whiskey/moonshine I have ever tasted, and considering I taste more of these than most people will ever get a chance to…damn. The fruity nose is near majestic, like a local orchard shop, its clean concrete floors and white walls wafting with the scent of apples, pears, and peaches, all in full ripeness just beneath their skins — amazing – and like those shops, it fills a long noisy room with the anticipation of its flavors. But then the palate makes its own statement: again, more fruit and this time, candy in concentrate, like a carefully crafted eau-de-vie, but with a bready, yeasty, rounder body for balance. This isn’t spicy like the big bruising ryes we’re accustomed to, but rather its flavors focus on the body of the spirit itself, the pure essence of the rye which comes when the alcohol is rendered out by a true craftsman. The finish reminds you again that this is grain, which helps to balance out some of the earlier, more fruity moments and makes this more than a just a one trick pony. If you are a fan of craft spirits, you’ve got to seek this out. This is a cult product from some producers who aren’t huge on the scene right now, but deserve to be. Scott and Becky Harris are working magic in their little shop in Purcellville, Virginia. Find their bottles, buy two, drink one, and own what’s sure to become a legend.
MOONSHINE OVER MY HAMMY from American Craft Spirits on Vimeo.
Catoctin Creek on the Farm Tours
Created 2010-10-15 17:00:00
A little paragraph highlighting our distillery on the Loudoun County Farm Tours this weekend:
One such newbie is Catoctin Creek Distilling Company, located off East Richardson Lane in Purcellville. Catoctin Creek is the first family-owned distillery to be established in Loudoun since before Prohibition and has already made quite a name for itself in the community. Visitors will see the distillery in production, including the 400-liter custom-made Kothe still and condenser, and will learn all about the art of making distilled spirits.
Read the full story in the Leesburg Today.
And more, here: Leesburg Today.
Interview on Chwisgi.com
Created 2010-10-21 05:00:00
We had a nice interview on Chwisgi.com, a whisky lover's web site (from Sweden, no less). Some insight into the distillery and how and why we started Catoctin Creek:
I love to see experimentation and new ideas. While I value the traditional approach, without experimentation, nothing wonderful and new would ever be discovered.
Read the full interview at Chwisgi.com.
Featured on Hotmixology on Fox Business
Created 2010-10-21 10:00:00
Check us out on Hotmixology, a cool new show which airs on Fox Business.
Catoctin Creek in Washington Jewish Week
Created 2010-11-03 05:00:00
It was nice to be featured in the Washington Jewish Week, an article highlighting the little known fact that our distillery, apart from being certified eco-ganic, is also kosher:
Becky and Scott Harris, are not Jewish, but a segment of their target audience certainly is. Hence the hearty Hebrew salutation and the official certificate declaring the business kosher -- making Catoctin [Creek] one of the world's few distilleries with that status, according to Rabbi Tzvi Rosen of Star-K, which supervises kashrut at the operation.
Read the full story in the Washington Jewish Week online or the print version here..
Brief in Leesburg Today
Created 2010-11-06 17:10:06
A brief article in today's Leesburg Today:
Andrew McKnight visits Catoctin Creek on MyJoogTV
Created 2010-11-19 05:00:00
One brisk Saturday in September, Andrew McKnight and MyJoogTV graced us with a visit, and we spent the day talking about the Blue Ridge Mountains, whisky, music, and all things local! It's a great episode. Big thanks to Todd Godbout and Andrew McKnight for sharing the day with us. Check it out:
Episode 6: Andrew McKnight at Catoctin Creek Distilling Company from MyJoogTV on Vimeo.
Mosby's Spirit and Roundstone Rye Reviewed on Jewish Single Malt Whisky Society
Created 2010-11-19 05:00:00
For my tree-huggers out there, all of Catoctin Creek’s products are certified eco-ganic. And for my Jews in the audience, their products are kosher certified (Star K). Oh, and for my booze lovers on the other side of the computer or smartphone screen, their whiskies are really good and… award winning!
Read the full review at the Jewish Single Malt Whisky Society.
Overview of American Craft Distilling
Created 2010-11-19 05:00:00
Read the full article on Dramming.com.
Urban Daddy 2010 DC Gift Guide
Created 2010-12-10 05:00:00
Urban Daddy of Washington DC covered us in their DC Holiday Gift Guide... the what's cool give to give for your local DC staffer or whisky lover!
Feature in Washington Business Journal
Created 2010-12-17 13:58:40
Today's Washington Business Journal has a full page feature on our distillery, one of the only ones in the nation producing whiskey, and our hopes for expansion in 2011. Missy Frederick reports:
Drinkers may have specific requirements for their liquors, but those craving whiskey or gin that’s local and kosher have basically one option: Catoctin Creek Distillery, a company that, at barely a year old, is already squeezed to capacity.
Read more: Loudoun County distillery hopes investors pour in to aid expansion | Washington Business Journal
Featured in KosherEye
Created 2010-12-27 10:46:53
If you're interested in kosher foods, check out our feature in KosherEye, one of the leading national sources on news and information about kosher food.
Kosher and Legal!
Catoctin Creek Distilling is committed to high quality food and spirits. Their products are made with grain and fruit sourced locally when possible, and free of pesticides and chemical additives. Why kosher? “Kosher is another way to respect the tradition of high quality foods.”
Read the full story, including several kosher cocktails, here.
The Next Round's On Me
Created 2011-01-06 22:14:25
I love it when we get someone who really understands what we're trying to do. It's more than just making whisky, and certainly more than getting rich (we're still waiting for that). It's about connecting with people in the community who are as excited about what we're doing as we are in doing it.
John Shope is one example. He is the mixologist and bartender at Food Matters in Alexandria, Virginia. He paid us a visit last month, and wrote a pretty nice blog article about his experience.
Cheers to you, John!
Becky walked us through the tour, first directing us to the small space ship looking malt room where the rye was becoming suitable "distiller's beer" - We were all given a chance to climb up and smell the product as it developes. From there Scott excitedly showcased a batch of Gin in the works where what looked like a keg of his rye spirit was being flavored with a gigantic version of a tea bag filled with juniper berries, anise, orange peels and other Catoctin Creek ingredients steeping much like a very large tea.
Read the rest of the story here
Around Town in the Leesburg Today
Created 2011-01-09 12:32:47
Loudoun Times: Profits pouring in for first Loudoun distillery
Created 2011-01-12 19:11:42
From Matt Vecchio, reporter for the Loudoun Times:
Loudoun husband-and-wife duo Scott and Becky Harris are chasing the American dream. They gave up jobs in the high-powered software telecommunication systems industry (Scott) and chemical engineering field (Becky) to purse one of their greatest passions—making liquor.
Read the full story here.
As an online bonus, the story comes with a short video wherein Scott describes starting up the business.
Coverage on WTOP
Created 2011-01-14 20:26:18
Neal Augenstein, from WTOP 103.5 FM, came by and did a brief story about our distillery:
PURCELLVILLE, Va. - You can smell it before both feet are inside the distillery door: The yeasty smell of fermentation.
Catoctin Creek Distilling Company is the first legal distillery in Loudoun County since the prohibition era.
Read the rest of the story here.
Cameo in Garden and Gun
Created 2011-01-24 22:16:04
We were pleased with a little product placement in the February/March issue of Garden and Gun. Our products on the top shelf of a very beautiful bar cart:
Cover Page Story in The Indie
Created 2011-01-26 20:55:26
Catoctin Creek made a big cover page story in The Indie, Loudoun's independent newspaper for news, entertainment and lifestyle.
Click on the images below for larger copies.
The Upstart Show on Comcast TV
Created 2011-02-06 12:10:40
We had the opportunity to appear on the Upstart Show, a local Comcast television show about entrepreneurship in the DC metro area. We discussed our new distillery and the expansion that we are planning. You can view the video here: http://videokast.tv/catoctincreek.html
Project Beltway: Last Minute Valentine's Gift Ideas
Created 2011-02-11 11:12:20
Not sure what to get that special someone for Valentine's Day? Project Beltway has a great suggestion! (Hint, it goes well with getting Vajazzled!!)
Sage Peachtree Community Blog
Created 2011-02-15 05:00:00
PCO Staff's Choice Award
Created 2011-02-17 00:25:09
From the Pennsylvania Certified O-ganic:
Designed to show our appreciation to a client who is especially dedicated to o-ganics and the certification process as well as pleasant to work with and attentive. The award also recognizes farmers or organizations that demonstrate the above qualities but are also expanding their operations, involved in the community, or have shown ingenuity or innovation in their work.
Featured on Fox Small Business
Created 2011-02-17 12:35:03
Fox Small Business has a short slideshow describing several craft distillers who chose to start their business when the recession was at its worst, and why they did it. We are pleased to be included in this group.
See the slideshow and read the story, here.
Expo Coverage in Purcellville Gazette
Created 2011-02-25 17:24:12
Some local coverage of the Loudoun Expo in the Purcellville Gazette:
(Click on the thumbnails below to see larger copies.)
FoodNewsie: A Taste of Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye
Created 2011-02-26 14:12:10
The food blog, FoodNewsie, did a recent tasting of our Roundstone Rye. By and large, I think they had an especially good time. Between six people, they finished off three quarters of the bottle.
Ben's Dad:“I like the tartness,” he says after a pause with his eyes to the floor. “That citrus kind of flavor that comes out.” All attention in the room shifts his way. Is it something he’s enjoyed enough to ask for by name? “I would.”
Read the full review here: http://www.foodnewsie.com/a-taste-of-catoctin-creek-roundstone-rye
Photo composite courtesy Bryan Applegate.
Watershed Gin in Imbibe Magazine
Created 2011-02-28 18:12:32
Click on the thumbnails below for a readable PDF copy (used with permission from the publisher).
Mosby's Spirit in DRAFT Magazine
Created 2011-03-01 16:30:00
Catoctin Creek Mosby's Spirit received some nice coverage in the March/April 2011 issue of DRAFT. Along with some other fine rye whiskeys, our Mosby's was highlight (and photographed) beautifully in the magazine's "Rye Redux".
Click on the thumbnails below for larger readable copies.
Loudoun Times & Leesburg Today: Catoctin Creek Distilling brings in multiple awards
Created 2011-03-22 05:00:00
From Hannah Hager, reporter for the Loudoun Times. Coverage from our awards at BTI and UBC:
Catoctin Creek eco-ganic Roundstone Rye won silver in the category of rye whiskey and Catoctin Creek eco-ganic Mosby’s Spirit won second in the unaged whiskey category. Scott and Becky Harris started Catoctin Creek, a family-run business, in 2009.
Read the full story here.
This story was also picked up in the Leesburg Today:
Loudoun Times and Leesburg Today: New Law Helps Purcellville Distillery
Created 2011-04-13 05:00:00
From the Leesburg Today. Coverage on Virginia Senate Bill 1249:
Catoctin Creek Distillery owners Scott and Becky Harris were elated by the passage of a new state law that will permit them to legally sell spirits from their Purcellville distillery.
Gov. Bob McDonell (R) signed the bill Monday.
Read the full story here.
The story was also covered in the Loudoun Times Mirror, here.
Washington Business Journal: Distilleries work to make laws less grainy
Created 2011-04-22 05:00:00
From the Washington Business Journal. More coverage on Virginia Senate Bill 1249; Missy Frederick reports:
Before Catoctin Creek Distilling Co. LLC opened a year ago in Purcellville, co-founder Scott Harris envisioned days spent hosting festivals and tastings, and most importantly, selling bottle after bottle of his homemade whiskey. Turns out, he would spend a chunk of his time in 2010 acting as a lobbyist, driving back and forth to Richmond to plead his case to legislators to change the state law that prohibits those things.
“It only cost me a couple tanks of gas and a front end of my car,” Harris joked, noting that he hit a deer on one of his trips.
Read the full story here.
Leesburg Patch: Catoctin Creek Distilling sees business growth in on-site ABC store
Created 2011-04-25 05:00:00
The fledging business has an “excellent problem” right now, Becky added. “We sell everything we make as soon as we make it.”
Read the full story here. Photo credit Shannon Sollinger, Leesburg Patch.
Huppah Blog - Special Wedding Details
Created 2011-05-03 14:27:36
From the Huppah Blog, tagline "A small Jewish blog celebrating small Jewish weddings", we get some tips for impressing your guests: Serving them the very best kosher whisky!
Maria Bywater writes:
Every once in a while I get really excited about bringing you a new find. This is one of them: Catoctin Creek distilled spirits from Catoctin Creek distillery.
The distillery, located in Virginia, is only two years old. All their whiskeys, brandies, and other distilled spirits are certified kosher, and — based on all the awards they’ve won — certified yummy.
Read more at Huppah Blog.
Richmond Magazine - Seasons Eats
Created 2011-05-03 14:33:10
Richmond Magazine's R*Home writes a feature called "Season Eats" in which they profile Kendra Feather, owner of the Ipanema Café. Kendra discusses her philosophy on a vegetarian lifestyle, while providing many delicious recipes from her restaurant. Our favorite, of course, is a cocktail made with Roundstone Rye, local honey, and fresh mint and blackberries.
Check out the full article, here.
The Whisky Woman
Created 2011-05-03 14:51:29
Women and Whisky. My two favorite things! I was destined to love this blog posting before it ever came out! Writing from New York City, she makes the (not too difficult) case for a road trip to Virginia to tour local distilleries.
I am urging all of you to seek out a bottle of Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye Whisky asap. I never fully understood love-at-first-taste until last night. Having recently received a bottle as a gift, I was excited to open it up and have a taste. WOW. Was I impressed!
Read the full posting, here.
Mosby's Spirit Review in Tasting Panel Magazine
Created 2011-05-03 17:18:26
Tasting Panel magazine reviews Catoctin Creek Mosby's Spirit in their May 2011 "Blue Reviews", by editor-in-chief Anthony Dias Blue:
Spicy vanilla grain nose; silky and spiced with sweet vanilla and toasty rye; racy, tangy and smooth with a kick of heat on the finish.
Girl Meets Food - Drink Like Betty Draper
Created 2011-05-06 13:42:35
"Girl Meets Food" is a great DC food review site and blog, and Mary recently wrote about our meeting at the Blue Duck Tavern the other night:
Personally, I’m not a whiskey or brandy drinker, which is what I told Scott Harris, co-founder of Catoctin Creek Distillery at a press event one evening.
“It’s too strong!” I cried.
Scott grinned and held up a finger as if to say, “Wait, I’ve got just the thing.”
Read the full story here.
Max Watman reviews Mosby's Spirit on Liquor.com
Created 2011-05-20 05:00:00
Max Watman, author of Chasing the White Dog and Liquor.com contributor, recently reviewed a number of white dog (unaged) whiskeys. Nice tasting notes on our Mosby's Spirit:
This certified eco-ganic and kosher bottling is out of [Loudoun] County, Va., where the locals know something about white spirits. Left to mature in a barrel, this alcohol becomes the brand’s Roundstone Rye, but without the oak, we get a vibrant flavor, fresh on the palate. There’s some juicy banana on the finish and a nice velvety mouthfeel.
Read the full story, here.
Mother Nature Network - Drink Closer to Home
Created 2011-05-25 05:00:00
The Mother Nature Network has an online article highlighting extreme ways to eat closer to home (invasive species diet, anyone?). Check us out in item number nine on artisan distilleries, along with friends of Catoctin Creek, Koval Distillery in Chicago:
9. Artisan distilleries. Spirit lovers, rejoice: A quiet revolution is unfolding, possibly in a neighborhood near you. Micro-distilleries are springing up across the nation, using locally grown grains to fashion artisan whiskey, gin, vodka and other spirits that are mainly available in nearby restaurants and bars. Handcrafters like Koval in Chicago, Highball Distillery in Portland, Ore., and Catoctin Creek Distilling Co. in Purcellville, Va., even tout their sustainable credentials with handcrafted spirits.
Read the full story, here.
Baltimore Sun | Preakness Cocktails
Created 2011-05-13 05:00:00
John Reusing, of Bad Decisions Bar in Baltimore, got his new Preakness cocktail, called the Sweet, Sassy Susan, highlighted in the Baltimore Sun:
He says the cocktail is one for lovers of sweet drinks, the same kind of people who appreciate whiskey sours.
His problem with the traditional cocktail is the way it's usually served at the track, with low-end whiskey and orange and pineapple juice from the guns.
For his recipe, he kept a similar taste profile to the original recipe, and the ingredients local, top-shelf, and strong. "It's an up drink," he says. "A little stronger than the classic."
Reusing starts with a Virginia rye, Catoctin Creek, and follows up with a sweet aperitif, Cointreau, though any triple sec is also a good option.
Read the full story, here.
Whisky Israel reviews Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye
Created 2011-06-02 05:00:00
Whisky Israel reviews Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye:
A long finish, with black pepper, dry grass, and rye notes that take control over the wood. Finally a wee bit of caramel sweetness lingers.
A very special whiskey.
Read the full story, here.
Coverage in Flavor Magazine
Created 2011-06-07 19:45:38
Nice coverage of our pending distillery sales in July in the "Flights" section of Flavor magazine, with the beautiful photography of Molly McDonald Peterson:
NOVAEXEC: Top InNOVAtors of 2011
Created 2011-06-10 00:20:25
Business in Northern Virginia is booming, and it's due, in no small part, to NOVAEXEC's Top 20 InNOVAtors of 2011.
These men and women are leaders in their industries because they have the courage to think and act in previously aberrant ways, while others are walking a more tried and tested road.
NOVAEXEC sees innovation as creation. Scott and Becky Harris, the co-owners of Catoctin Creek Distillery, followed in the footsteps of one of Northern Virginia's most famous innovators, George Washington, when they took up his past-time of producing spirits.
For more information, see www.novaexec.com.
Leesburg Today: Around the Towns
Created 2011-06-09 23:32:30
The Leesburg Today does a nice job keeping folks up to date on the happenings around our distillery. This week, they highlight the changes in the Virginia law that will allow us to begin sales on July 1:
Foodie and the Beast
Created 2011-06-10 15:47:05
Check us out on WTOP's Foodie and the Beast radio show!
Father's Day Weekend Ideas
Created 2011-06-17 15:41:36
Several of the local DC magazines and online media have picked us up for Father's Day ideas. (Great ideas! We agree!)
- Urban Daddy suggests you teach dad to make hooch with a spot in our upcoming workshop.
- Washington Life Magazine gives us a kick with cocktail recommendations for dad.
- Chicks Love Beer highlights our Birds and Booze tasting and art show at Market Table Bistro. (Chicks who love beer? I think I'm in love!)
- Distillery News Online covers our grand opening weekend on July 1-3.
If you know of some we missed, send us an email!
Distillery Store Grand Opening Weekend Coverage
Created 2011-06-20 05:00:00
The Loudoun Times Mirror picked up our pres release on the distillery store grand opening weekend:
Catoctin Creek Distilling Company, Loudoun’s first distillery since Prohibition, will celebrate the grand opening of its Purcellville distillery store July 1-3. Virginia state law recently changed to allow distilleries to be able to sell their spirits on-site. Tastings remain prohibited.
Read the rest of the story here.
Leesburg Today also picked up the story with this"Around the Towns" brief:
PS7 Restaurant and Gin-Herbs
Created 2011-06-28 05:00:00
But until recently, no one had come up with a good use for the solid leftovers—the mash—of gin production. That's where Peter Smith, the chef at PS7 restaurant in Washington, DC, comes in. His idea, which he debuted at this year's Aspen Food and Wine Classic, is to extract flavor from the botanicals and herbs in the mash by infusing it in neutral oil. He gets leftover mash from two local distilleries, and then uses his oil in various dishes on the PS7 menu.
Read the rest of the story here.
We have further mention on this story in Urban Daddy:
Here’s the backstory: when they’re done distilling, Bluecoat Gin from Philadelphia and Catoctin Creek from Loudoun County send chef Peter Smith bags of the leftover aromatics—the secret recipes of booze-soaked juniper berries, herbs and citrus that make gin gin.
Read the rest of that story, here
Richmond Magazine - Singular Spirits
Created 2011-06-30 05:00:00
Brandon Fox does a regular column in Richmond Magazine called "Brandon Eats." This month, she's highlighting her recent trip to Loudoun County for one of our bottling workshops:
Of course I got lost, but it was a lovely three hours driving around Loudoun County. I recommend it, really: rolling hills, green farmland, sunlight filtering through tall trees.
I was trying to find my way to Catoctin Creek Distilling Co. for a bottling workshop. I'd been given a bottle of their Roundstone Rye for Christmas, and though I hadn't been a whisky drinker before that, the smooth, fragrant fire of Catoctin Creek's version converted me.
For more information, see Richmond Magazine online.
Urban Daddy: The Weekender
Created 2011-06-30 20:00:00
Urban Daddy is always fun for an irreverent look at what to do around DC:
WUSA-9 Coverage of our Weekend Grand Opening
Created 2011-06-30 21:56:19
Video coverage from WUSA-9 of our weekend grand opening spectacular:
Starting July 1st you can pick up your bottles of whiskey and gin for this Fourth of July weekend at the family owned and operated Catoctin Creek Distillery. Scott and Becky Harris have run this mom and pop distillery since February 2009, but they have not been able to sell their bottles of alcohol at their distillery….until tomorrow.
“Starting tomorrow we can start to sell bottles here at the distillery. We had to change the law so that we could do that,” said Scott Harris.
Read the whole story, here.
Metrocurean: Distillery Store Opening
Created 2011-07-01 01:00:00
Just an hour outside the bustle of DC you'll find Scott and Becky Harris mashing, distilling and bottling their handcrafted whiskey, gins, spirits, brandies, and liquors. The first legal distillery in Loudoun County since before Prohibition, Catoctin Creek is on its way to being a household name.
Read the whole story, here.
New York Jewish Week: The Kosher Bon Vivant’s Getaway
Created 2011-07-05 05:00:00
Shalom! to our Jewish friends in New York City. Catoctin Creek is now one of the hottest weekend stops for the kosher tourist to the Washington DC outskirts. Gamliel Kronemer reports:
Start the day with a visit to Catoctin Creek Distilling in Purcellville, Va. The distillery is located about an hour’s drive west of downtown Washington. (If you are entering Virginia via Maryland, and would like to take a more scenic drive, cross into Virginia on White’s Ferry, in Poolesville, Md., the last ferry operating on the Potomac.) This micro-distillery produces about 20,000 bottles of spirits annually, including four kosher-certified spirits: an un-aged rye whisky, a young rye whisky, a gin, and a pear brandy.
Read the rest of the story here.
Washington Post: Spirits Column
Created 2011-07-20 05:00:00
Jason Wilson did a great story in his regular Spirits column on the emergence of various white whiskey producers, and how corn whiskey especially is America's humble and much beloved spirit. In the story, he gives us a special mention:
I wrote about the first wave of these white, unaged corn whiskeys last year, around the time Max Watman's entertaining book on moonshine, "Chasing The White Dog" (Simon & Schuster, 2010), was published. At that time, the most widely available of them were from Death's Door in Wisconsin and Tuthilltown in Hudson Valley, N.Y., and locally, from Copper Fox Distillery in Sperryville, VA., and Catoctin Creek Distilling in Purcellville. I especially recommend Catoctin Creek's, called Mosby's Spirit.
Read the rest of the story here.
FROBlog: Catoctin Creek Distillery Review
Created 2011-07-24 19:17:57
Nice review from Jason Froehlich, author of the FROBlog:
After our tour (which, alone, was worth the drive, folks...Scott is very knowledgeable about the distillation process, keeps your interest, and is an all-around nice guy), we drove 5 minutes down the road to Magnolia's At The Mill for a tasting.
Read the rest of the story, here.
Washington Post Going Out Guide - Catoctin Creek Distillery Review
Created 2011-07-28 20:41:16
White whiskies are often uncomplicated and quite harsh. Catoctin’s is floral and citrusy, with a smoothness and drinkability that is the greatest testament to the care and attention to detail that the Harrises put into their operation.
Read the rest of the review, here.
The America - Let It Flow: Chipping Away at the Three-Tier Alcohol System
Created 2011-08-19 15:41:19
The American Enterprise Institute has a blog called The Enterprise Blog, which holds us up as an example of a company chipping away at the three-tier system. Maybe in a small way, by now offering sales and tastings at our distillery, we are accomplishing this, but we are certainly still very much beholden to the three-tier architecture of our national laws. For example, the sales in our store are still Virginia ABC sales, and Virginia taxpayers still get their 50% cut of our spirit sales. But having a store is nice, and getting direct interaction with the customers is nice, so in some small ways, I guess we are chipping away at three-tier, albeit in rather a tiny way.
Kevin Kosar reports:
This summer Catoctin Creek Distillery opened a sales room where the public can buy its terrific whiskeys. This is good news, and not just for the Purcellville, Virginia distillery and its visitors. This is yet another chip in the nation’s antiquated, three-tier alcoholic beverage distribution system, which has fleeced consumers for decades.
...
The Virginia legislature finally recognized the insanity of this and changed the law.
Read the full story, here.
Charlie Adler visits Catoctin Creek
Created 2011-08-22 13:55:33
Local wine and spirits celebrity, and author of the book I Drink on the Job, Charlie Adler paid us a visit this weekend with his group of fellow DC Whisky Drinkers. We hosted a private tour for the group, and were very happy to walk them through the process of distilling at our humble facility.
I didn’t realize it until I got there, but the Distillery is a pretty popular place on weekends, and the fact that we nabbed a private tour through the owner made a big difference – after our group of about 15 left, a mob of 50 or more thirsty whiskey lovers filled the tasting room and warehouse and we felt lucky to have had the privilege!
Read his full blog posting, here.
Virginia Business: Loudoun distiller plans to double its production
Created 2011-09-01 05:00:01
Less than two years after Becky and Scott Harris produced their first spirits in a modest space in a Purcellville industrial park, interest in their liquors has become such that this year they will double their 2010 production to 20,000 bottles. Even better, they expect to turn a profit for the first time, despite having absorbed heavy capital costs, such as the purchase of a $200,000 German-made still.
Read the full story, here.
Photo courtesy Mark Rhodes and used with permission.
Loudoun Magazine: Something's a Brewin'
Created 2011-09-06 05:00:00
Don't be fooled when owner Scott Harris describes the distillery as a small mom-and-pop operation. Sure, he and his wife, Becky Harris, do almost all of the work involved—from designing bottle labels to answering phones, conducting tours and cleaning 100-gallon tanks.
The distillery is a well-oiled, high-tech production facility capable of cranking out enough bottles to supply almost all ABC stores in Virginia, about 50 to 70 restaurants, bars and liquor stores in Washington, DC, and about three to four dozen liquor stores and bars in Maryland.
Read the entire story, here.
Photo courtesy Ed Felker and used with permission.
D.C. Foodies: PS 7's is cooking with the spirit of gin
Created 2011-09-21 05:00:00
DC Foodies does an enjoyable and comprehensive story on how Chef Peter Smith at PS 7 in DC is recycling our gin herbs for his food:
The chef owner of PS 7's has brought gin into the kitchen and brought out everything for gin poached halibut to gin cured charcuterie, which age in a backroom of his Penn Quarter restaurant. Smith has figured out the key to cooking with gin is to not cook with gin at all -- he cooks with the botanicals.
Read the entire story, here.
DC | White Lightning
Created 2011-09-26 05:00:00
DC Magazine does a nice piece on local white whiskey, including a nice bit on Mosby's Spirit. Kelly Magyarics writes:
"Think of it as a vodka where you let a little grain flavor shine through," suggests [Scott Harris, vice president and general manager of Catoctin Creek in Purcellville, Va.]"
...
At The Passenger, Mosby's goes into a riff on the lime- and ginger beer-based Moscow Mule. "It is appealing to mix with because it plays well with others," says Alexandra Bookless, assistant general manager at the cocktail mecca.
Read the entire story, here.
On Tap: The Spirit of Loudoun County
Created 2011-10-04 05:00:00
The Harris’ run a small store on-site and serve as the company’s “only real employees.” However, they do invite the community in on Saturdays to help them bottle the alcohol. They buy lunch for everyone and answer questions about the business and the art of distilling alcohol. The helpers are invited to sign the label on each bottle they fill. But while the labels may have unique flourishes, consistency is the name of the game when making the liquid that fills those bottles.
“We want every bottle to be the same and we want every bottle to be gorgeous,” Harris said.
Read the entire story, here.
Big Red Kitchen's Robin Sue Stops By
Created 2011-10-11 05:00:00
Last Saturday Himself and I had the opportunity to help the owners of Catoctin Creek bottle their new batch of Roundstone Rye Whisky. About 20 of us gathered, were assigned specific tasks, and in under 90 minutes bottled over 700 bottles to be shipped all over the US. Scott and Becky, the husband and wife team who own Catoctin Creek, informed us to write anything we wanted on the bottle labels, avoiding political statements of course. There were many, many bigredkitchen.com labels going out there, maybe you will find one in your neck of the woods. Now that would be cool!
Read the entire story, here.
Making George Washington's Apple Brandy
Created 2011-10-13 05:00:00
One of the biggest pleasures in this new career is the chance to do some really special things. Distilling apple brandy alongside legendary master distiller, Dave Pickerell, and distilling on the very site where George Washington ran his distillery... yes, this is pretty special. The Making George Washington's Whiskey blog, run by the distillers at Mount Vernon, does a nice job summing up the day:
After three days of distilling, we have generated almost 50 gallons of apple spirit, which has been put into two oak barrels to age. The cider that we received from Distillery Lane contained roughly 6.5% alcohol; after the first run through the still it had increased to upwards of 20% (40 proof); after the second and final run the potency increased again to roughly 60% allcohol (120 proof). Given our plan to age the spirit for two years, Dave Pickerell decided that cutting it with water to reduce it to 100 proof would be best.
Read the entire story, here.
Flavor Magazine and The Chesapeake Room
Created 2011-10-19 19:45:28
The Chesapeake Room is a really cool restaurant down on Barracks Row in SE DC. The restaurant focuses on sustainable and local food, and as such, continues to be one of our best customers. So we were thrilled to see them written up in Flavor magazine this month in the Loca-pour feature:
For [James] Davis [beverage director], local also means better quality. "You never want to throw cheap junk into a drink. It should be a sustainable, responsible product." It's not surprising that he has found numerous producers, such as Catoctin Creek spirits from Loudoun County, to fit the bill.
Look for the Fall 2011 issue of Flavor on newsstands near you.
Leesburg Today Coverage of Green Business Challenge
Created 2011-10-28 06:00:00
Nice feature in the Leesburg Today about the Loudoun Green Business Challenge:
The Innovation Award was presented to Purcellville's Catoctin Creek Distillery. Among the "out of the box" practices recognized were converting unused distilled products into ethanol and providing leftover rye mash to area farms.
Read the entire story, here.
George Washington state of mind
Created 2011-11-03 05:00:00
The Georgetown Dish does a nice feature on the distillery. Hillary Leeb reports:
When embarking on this journey, Scott and Becky found themselves in the late 1700’s with George Washington. “We realized George Washington was making and drinking the same thing we are. Just a simple, pure drink. We like to think we are bringing something that’s been lost, back again,” says Scott.
Read the entire story, here.
Becky Harris on the Kojo Nnamdi Show
Created 2011-12-07 05:00:00
This storied spirit has a history both global and local, whether distilled in the northern isles of Scotland or the green hills of Kentucky. Sales of all types of whiskey are soaring, and small craft distilleries are popping up across the U.S. We learn about the different varieties--from bourbon to Scotch-- and how this liquor is made and enjoyed. Responsibly, of course.
Other guests for the hour were Kevin Kosar, author of 'Whiskey: A Global History' and Bill Thomas, owner of Jack Rose in D.C.
It was a great show! You can see the original show site, here, or listen to the podcast, here:
{mp3}20111207-WAMU_Kojo_Nnamdi{/mp3}
Whisky Advocate Reviews Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye
Created 2011-12-01 06:00:00
The Whisky Advocate (formerly the Malt Advocate) recently reviewed our Roundstone Rye in their "Craft Spirits" section. Despite the fact that they reviewed some of our earliest spirit, stuff we aged only 1.5 months as we were just getting started, we were thrilled with the review. We'll have to get some more recent bottles of our older stuff out for them to sample!
80 Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye, 40%, $39
Distilled from 100% rye. Very fresh, oily rye nose, bursts with rye spice fireworks. Tastes like a textbook example of 'what rye does in distillation.' Spicy, oily, hints of mint, with just a bit of vanilla from a month and a half in wood...which is where it fades, needing that barrel complexity. Catoctin Creek is making some nice, clean whiskey, a great start, and I do hope they're tucking some away for the long haul. – LB
Local Coverage of our Silver Medal for Watershed Gin
Created 2011-12-01 05:00:00
We're always thrilled to get a shout-out from our local papers, covering our recent award from New York for Watershed Gin.
From the Leesburg Today:
And from the Loudoun Times Mirror:
Virginia Sportsman: Virginia Spirit
Created 2011-12-01 05:30:00
Virginia Sportsman magazine recently had a really in-depth and very accurate story about our distillery. This is perhaps my favorite story to date on the distillery. E.J. Felker writes:
Scott's dream of starting a distillery was born years ago while on a catwalk above the massive factory floor at Bushmill's in Ireland. "I want this," Scott recalls saying to himself during his factory tour.
Pick up a copy of the magazine to read the full story, or subscribe here.
New York Jewish Week: A Great Winter Warmer
Created 2011-12-13 05:00:00
Shalom! once again to our Jewish friends in New York City. Gamliel Kronemer once again reports on the growing concern about the kashrut of whiskey, and a couple of small distillers addressing the need. Along with Catoctin Creek, he highlights our friends at Koval Distillery in Chicago. (Way to go, Robert and Sonat!)
All whiskeys were once almost universally considered kosher. But in the last few decades the kashrut of whiskey has come up for debate.
Until recently only Scotch whisky, with its sherry-cask aging, had been of concern to most kashrut authorities. In 2008, however, the London Beth Din, one of the world’s leading kosher certifiers of distilled spirits, questioned the kashrut of most Irish whiskies, and in 2010, the Association of Kashrus Organizations, an umbrella organization for American kashrut agencies, raised doubts about whiskey products from the one of America’s largest distillers, the Buffalo Trace Distillery.
As a result of these growing concerns many whiskey producers are now seeking kosher certification, and among the growing list of kosher-certified producers are two of America’s newest — and smallest — distilleries.
Read the rest of the story here.
Double Coverage in Flavor Magazine
Created 2011-12-16 05:00:00
We were thrilled this month to show up in two places in Flavor Magazine's Winter 2011 issue. The first was in "Our Top Picks" for rye whiskey:
The folks at Catoctin Creek are cooking up something special in Loudoun County. The first distillery in the county since before Prohibition, it is producing small-batch artisan liquors from only eco-ganic ingredients. The Roundstone Rye has a fruity, delicate nose with notes of rainwater, flowers and fresh apples. The palate is a bit more assertive, laced with caramel and holiday spices, but never harsh or overly fiery on the way down.
And once more, a few pages later in their "Loca-Pour" segment, a nice cocktail recipe called "Snow in Loudoun" featuring the work of Zinc, a great restaurant in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Look for the Winter 2011 issue of Flavor on newsstands near you.
Sneaky Peaks in Tasting Panel
Created 2011-12-20 05:00:00
Browsing through the December issue of Tasting Panel, I noticed our spirits in not one, two, but three separate bar photos, alongside Derek Brown of The Passenger, The Columbia Room and Rogue 24, and the Ari and Micah Wilder of Pearl Dive Oyster Palace. Nice!
DC Brau Penn Quarter Porter Launch
Created 2012-01-27 13:55:02
We've been getting some nice coverage in the local press for our collaboration with DC Brau. On Monday, January 30, DC Brau is launching their Penn Quarter Porter at Boundary Stone on 116 Rhode Island Avenue NW in DC. This beer has been aging for six months in our used Roundstone Rye barrels, and the whisky definitely imparts a strong vanilla note into the beer. Should be yummy!
Nice of the Washington Post and Urban Daddy to pick up the story.
Warren Bobrow reviews Watershed Gin on Foodista
Created 2012-01-31 05:00:00
Warren Bobrow does a nice review of our Watershed Gin on Foodista:
And I know a hand-crafted product when I taste it. This one is creamy, touched by white flowers and simple syrup- yet not sweet by any means.
Read the full review here.
Tasting Panel reviews Watershed Gin in their "Gin-uary" Issue
Created 2012-02-01 12:00:00
Launched in 2009, Catoctin Creek Watershed Gin is an artisanal gem made in Virginia by Catoctin Creek Distilling Company. Like all of the spirits in the craft distiller's portfolio, the small batch gin is [a] slice of luxury.
Warren Bobrow reviews Roundstone Rye on Foodista
Created 2012-02-02 05:00:00
Warren Bobrow is a funny dude. His near stream-of-consciousness writing is a zany romp with a mixologist who doesn't play by the rules. But you know what? His cocktails work BEAUTIFULLY! Why be the same? Different is more fun!
Warren wrote a very flattering review of our Roundstone Rye on Foodista. We were tickled he enjoyed the spirit so much:
The Catoctin Creek product is lush and gorgeous in the mouth. I think what I like most about it is the nose. It has a sugarcane nose and a Maple Syrup finish.
So when I opened the cork finished bottle (nice touch!) of the Roundstone Rye I was immediately struck by how delicious the first taste was! Creamy on the finish, a slight burn from the brooding 80 proof heat.
Read the full review here.
Kashrus Magazine reviews Catoctin Creek
Created 2012-02-09 05:00:00
In their March 2012 issue, Kashrus Magazine does a feature story called "INFUSION, The New Challenge For Bourbon and Rye" which describes the perils of port and wine cask aging for many new Bourbons and ryes on the market today. Alongside this feature is a piece called "The New Kosher Liquors" which just happens to feature our spirits prominently!
Beginning with their initial run, the majority of the distillery's products... have been made under the supervision of "Star K" Kosher Certification.
One of the most interesting is Catoctin Creek's Roundstone Rye®. This smooth, tawny colored rye is aged for a few months in new white oak barrels. It has flavors and aromas of vanilla, oak, caramel, lemon, and allspice. A pleasant sipping whiskey, Roundstone Rye is also a good choice for use in bitters-driven cocktails, such as the Old Fashioned.
Read the full review here. L'chaim!
AlcoholReviews.com reviews Catoctin Creek
Created 2012-02-14 05:00:00
I can think of no better Valentine's gift than to get a beautiful review from Kevin Kosar on our Roundstone Rye whisky. Along with Becky, Kevin was one of the other guests on the Kojo Nnambi show back in January. We're really thrilled that he enjoyed the whisky so much:
Rated **** - At a whiskey tasting party we attended a year ago, three ryes were set out and this one was preferred by most tipplers. That is because most ryes tend to be peppery, which makes them a bit intense for many drinkers.
Read the full review here.
Catoctin Creek Watershed Gin receives silver medal in blind tasting at The Fifty Best
Created 2012-02-29 05:00:00
Nose: Floral, juniper, herbal, sweet citrus, honey, sweet buttercream frosting, fig, tangerine, raisin bran, cucumber. Palate: Pine resin, juniper, citrus notes, herbal spice, coriander, hot nutmeg, spice, botanicals, Earl Grey tea, citrus, raisin, flowers, licorice, anise, mint, menthol, oily, nice, good complexity. Finish: Juniper, cinnamon, minerals, light pepper, smooth, even, hot.
Silver Medal
Read the entire article, with tasting notes of all the winners at The Fifty Best.
Viva Tysons Magazine covers Catoctin Creek
Created 2012-03-14 05:00:00
In their March/April 2012 issue, Viva Tysons Magazine does a feature story on our distillery:
After one particular trip to Ireland, where the Harrises spent time at the Bushmills [distillery]--the oldest distillery where Irish whisky is made--Scott decided that he wanted to open a distillery near their Virginia home.
"It was a crazy idea and my wife really didn't think I would do it," the 41 year-old says. "I kept thinking back to the Bushmills [distillery] and being on that factory floor with those massive copper kettles and stills and seeing the entire production, and I said to myself, 'I want this.'"
You can read the full story, below, or get your copy near Tysons, McLean, Falls Church, Great Falls, Oakton or Vienna.
Warren Bobrow reviews Mosby's Spirit on Foodista
Created 2012-03-19 05:00:00
In yet another very entertaining and informative review, Warren Bobrow lays out the history of Moonshine in a brief review of three artisan products: Mosby's Spirit, Few's White Whiskey, and Tuthilltown's spirit:
Sharp on the nose, sweet eco-ganic grains give way to vanilla elements and candy sugar finish. Cork finished bottle is a nice way of showing that the quality of the product within is carefully made and cared for, right down to the packaging. No screw tops here! The flavors of freshly toasted Rye bread smeared with sweet butter and spicy apricot jam comes into view. There is toasted rye bread in every sip, along with a light burn in the mouth. Un-aged Rye takes on notes of hoe-cakes drenched in maple syrup with vanilla like notes on the finish. Some say this White Whiskey tastes like Tequila! This is tasty stuff- I see a white “Margarita” cocktail when I sip this spirit.
Read the full review here. There's also a smashing cocktail with the review, which we've included here.
10 Ways to Toast World Cocktail Week
Created 2012-05-09 05:00:00
Jessica Voelker does us a mitzvah in the Best Bites blog at Washingtonian: "Drink Local!"
That said, with distilleries popping up all over, it's a fun time to sample new spirits. Popular whiskey, gin, and brandy maker Catoctin Creek in Purcellville, Virginia, offers tours and tastings and is widely available at Washington bars.
Read the full article here.
Coverage on Our New York City Launch
Created 2012-06-04 05:00:00
Last week was a big week for us. We launched our spirits into New York City and Brooklyn, and rolled out in a host of high profile restaurants and stores, including the historic Brandy Library in Tribeca, Astor Wine & Spirits in Midtown, and the Whiskey Shop in Brooklyn.
Leesburg Today was the first to pick up the news, Therese Howe reporting:
With only two years of operation under his belt, Scott Harris is taking on the Big Apple and expanding the business with this week's launch of Catoctin Creek Distilling Co. spirits at several restaurants, clubs and liquor stores in New York City.
“We picked a variety of really awesome clubs, high profile places where we wanted to show our stuff, do some tastings and and create a little buzz, no pun intended,” he said in a phone interview from New York City.
Read more at Leesburg Today.
And then, our local friend and comics editor, Tea, posted a lovely piece on Nommable:
... I went down to the distillery in January and met Scott’s wife, Becky, and got to sit in on a special session where they taught us about the distillation process. I already knew a little bit about distilling, but this really improved my knowledge. I also got to play with their bottling line, which was INCREDIBLY AWESOME, and reminded me a lot of playing whack-a-mole, but with gin!
Read more at Nommable.
The Kosher Spirit Review
Created 2012-06-07 05:00:00
Yehoshua Werth of The Grapevine Wine and Spirits Shop reviews both our Mosby's Spirit, Roundstone Rye, and Watershed Gin in the following two videos.
American Way Magazine
Created 2012-07-01 17:00:00
Joseph Guinto wrote a story on the emergence of legal moonshine for American Way magazine July 2012 issue, and he gave Mosby's Spirit a particularly nice write-up:
But as I lift the glass of Mosby’s Spirit for a taste, it reveals itself to be one friendly ghost. There is a smooth flavor of rye up front, a pleasant sweetness on the midpalate and a back end full of sass. Even with the finishing kick, it’s a revelation to me that unaged grain alcohol can taste this refined and delicious.
Read the full story, here.
Luri and Wilma Magazine
Created 2012-07-19 01:00:00
Luri and Wilma did a wonderful, fun and zany write-up of our distillery in their summer home issue. Even Frank got a special mention!
What we took a liking to was the duo's au naturel zero-waste attitude. Everything involved in the spirit-making process at the catoctin creek camp is reused, payed forward, sourced locally or ecoganic
Read the full story, here.
Kosher Whisky at Jewish News One
Created 2012-08-06 05:00:00
Jewish News One did a feature story on our distillery, and the reasons we chose to go kosher with our spirits:
All good businesses need a niche, a particular part of the market they can exploit to make the most of their product. And that's exactly what a husband and wife team have done here in Virginia in a warehouse not much bigger than an over-sized garage. They're producing one of the most successful kosher products on the east coast of America. A business built on barrels and bottles inspired by a life-long passion. After years of working with chemicals and computers Becky and Scott Harris wanted to pour their energy into something different.
Read the full story, here.
Brandy Library Interviews
Created 2012-09-15 05:00:00
Flavien, the proprietor at the Brandy Library in New York City, interviews Scott Harris, owner of Catoctin Creek Distillery. They discuss all aspects of the distillery, including production techniques, why Scott and Becky started the distillery, and some of the tasting notes on the couple's three most popular spirits:
Interview - Part One
Interview - Part Two
NPR Food Blog: Barrel Quest
Created 2012-08-25 05:00:00
The NPR Food Blog, called The Salt, did a neat story about the life of a barrel, from Kentucky and craft distillers all over the U.S.A., to it's eventual use in hot sauce and maple syrup production:
In Purcellville, Va., Scott and Becky Harris of Catoctin Creek Distilling will have 150 once used barrels at the end of 2012. Some will be sold to the general public for patio furniture and other decorative items, but most will go to area restaurants Boundary Stone and Mad Fox Brewing Company.
Recently, a perfect recylcing circle was created when a friend of the Harris' contacted another friend who owns a maple farm. Now, Pennsylvania-harvested maple syrup is being aged in used Catoctin whiskey barrels. And now, Langdon Wood Syrup is sold at the Catoctin distillery store.
Read the full story, here.
Reviewed on JewMalt: Roundstone Rye Cask Proof
Created 2012-08-29 05:00:00
I really enjoy their standard 40% ABV version of this rye whisky but tasting this in cask proof makes this whisky shine like a rye diamond. A wonderful springtime whisky. Fine whisky – kudos to the Catoctinians on this one!
Read the full story, here.
Wine and Spirits Magazine Reviews Roundstone Rye
Created 2012-09-10 05:00:00
With more small producers in the whiskey game, innovation is at an all-time high. And the competition they offer has inspired larger distilleries to put out new bottlings, the best of which highlight exceptional barrels from their rickhouses. Here's some compelling proof.
Here is the Roundstone Rye review from the story:
Thanks, Lou, for the nice review!
Multiple Local News Outlets Covering Our Expansion
Created 2012-09-13 05:00:00
We kind of figured the news of our new building purchase, the expansion of our production, and our move to Main Street would be big local news. Lots of the local papers picked up the story:
- Leesburg Today was the first to carry the story. Click here for their online article.
- Loudoun Times Mirror carried the story online, and a week later in print form, with a little more detail on the history of the distillery. Click here for the print article. [PDF]
- Washington Business Journal carried the piece. Click here for their online article, subscription required for full story.
- WTOP news radio carried the story last week in their Thursday morning rush hour segment.
- The Washingtonian carried the story with a brief bit in their Best Bites blog. Click here for the story.
- Purcellville Gazette carried the story as well. Click here for the story.
Kashrus Magazine Reviews Catoctin Creek
Created 2012-09-17 05:00:00
Kashrus Magazine did a nice story on the distillery, and why we decided to go kosher. From the review:
Rather than attempting to "rate" this whiskey, I'll just mention that I donated a bottle to my shul's (after-davening) "Kiddush club", and it disappeared a whole lot faster than most of the other whiskeys.
For the entire story, check out Kashrus Magazine online, here.
Esquire Cocktail of the Week: The Mt. Vernon
Created 2012-09-19 05:00:00
My goal in designing this drink was to make a dryer and spicier version of the classic Manhattan. I had many customers looking for a dry, whiskey-based drink, so I set out to make something that was less sweet than most traditional whiskey drinks. I like Catoctin Creek because it has a lot of great spicy notes from the rye.
Read more at Esquire, or check out the cocktail on our cocktail page.
Proof66 Reviews Watershed Gin
Created 2012-09-21 06:00:00
There’s just a hint of sweetness on the front end and the warmth all comes on the finish. In fact, we felt the Martini was slightly better when not chilled making it a kind of winter-weather martini that could easily substitute for brandy or similar winter-time drinks.
...
The first round is always the spirit itself unvarnished by anything else. Where the Beefeeater is juniper with a black pepper bite and the Hendrick’s is all citrus and floral, the Watershed has a great deal more grain character. It’s almost more like a white whiskey and we think it would appeal greatly to beer lovers. The juniper is subdued but present but with the dash of promised spice, perhaps pepper and cinnamon. But all very subtle. For a 100 proof spirit, it’s shockingly smooth and a credit to the distillation itself. These are incredibly different gins each with a different audience. Traditional gin lovers of heavy juniper will be disappointed with Watershed but from a crafting standpoint, this is an incredible easy-going and drinkable product—easily surpassing the craftsmanship of the Beefeater and neck-and-neck with the celebrated Hendrick’s. [Special note: we’ve often been intensely disappointed with white whiskey and even refused to publish a review on some… this note to drive home the point that the execution of this gin as a spirit is especially impressive to us.]
Read the entire review, here.
Capital Cooking - Slow Sippin': 515
Created 2012-10-23 05:00:00
Lauren DeSantis of
First, a word about the Roundstone Rye. Unlike some ryes that hit you over the head, the Roundstone is rather delicate. The nose hints of honey, slightly floral, with some rye spice, and a hint of wood. It is somewhat tart with a little citrus and some slight vanilla and oak flavors, and a subtle finish that has elements of sour, wood, and spice. ... [For] such a young distillery, Catoctin produces really good rye.
I tasted the 515 and agreed with the crowd’s consensus – Catoctin Creek Distillery knows what it is doing. This is a unique product that for whisky lovers more than justifies a special trip to J and G.
Read the entire review, here.
Photo courtesy Kyle Schmitz.
Scott Harris on the Marketplace Morning Report
Created 2012-11-13 05:00:00
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Follow That Pear
Created 2012-11-19 05:00:00
A fun little graphic from the December 2012 issue of Northern Virginia Magazine tracing the life of one pear into our brandy, and beyond!
A Visit To Catoctin Creek
Created 2012-11-20 05:00:00
Jason Johnstone-Yellin of Food Digital, recently paid us a visit. Despite a small correction (we are not Virginia's oldest distillery, by far, that honor goes to Laird's), it is a nice article and represents us well. Here he gives his opinion on the Mosby's Spirit:
Often, the unaged spirit does the distillery a disservice because it needs to spend some time in oak to round off the harsh edges of the spirit. Becky and Scott wanted to make a spirit that they could stand behind. Making a different series of “cuts” for the unaged whiskey than they do for the cask matured stock allows a bottled spirit that is clean and drinks very easily.
Read the full story, here.
Warren Bobrow reviews Short Hill Mountain Peach Brandy on Beekman1802
Created 2012-11-20 05:00:00
Layer upon layer of juicy, freshly crushed peaches give way to the deeper vanilla elements of the fine Virginia brandy. Dry is the first impression. Each sip is more of a peach eau de vie or schnapps than a sugar sweet American version of an infused spirit.
Read the full review here. There's also a neat cocktail with the review, which we've included here.
Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye named Finalist in the 2013 Good Food Awards
Created 2012-12-04 05:00:00
With 40% more entries this year, being a Good Food Awards Finalist means more than ever before. ... This year’s Finalists are a diverse and talented group of innovators. Learning what each producer is doing in their part of the country to build a strong food culture for America has been truly inspiring, and I can’t wait to see them gather together in January.
View the complete list of 2013 Good Food Awards finalists, here.
Drunk and Unemployed: QnA with DnU
Created 2012-12-14 05:00:00
I know your creations are like your babies but do you have a favorite and why?
When asked this, I always laugh. Like my children, I have a favorite, but I will never tell! [Laughs]<
View the complete interview, here.
Under My Host Podcast
Created 2012-12-14 05:00:00
In the podcast, we have lots of fun over several drinks, and taste our way through the spirits. We also discuss craft cocktails and the cocktail scene in New Orleans, with featured guest Kimberly Patton-Bragg, head chef at the Hotel Modern in New Orleans. You can download that cocktail recipe on our cocktail page.
Guid Scotch Drink Reviews Mosby's Spirit
Created 2013-01-16 05:00:00
We received a very kindly review, from Guid Scotch Drink. Nice of Jason Johnstone-Yellin to do the review on a spirit which we feel is under-appreciated:
Catoctin Creek Mosby's Spirit is new make whiskey designed for the bottle rather than the cask. It's intended to be drunk, rather than matured. To accomplish this, the head, heart, and tails cuts are made in different places from those made for the spirit destined for the cask.
...
In conclusion: Very nice! A terrifically constructed new make that is very, very drinkable. The green apple skin on the palate is a veritable treat.
Read the full review here.
Guid Scotch Drink Reviews Watershed Gin
Created 2012-11-10 05:00:00
Guid Scotch Drink normally reviews whisky, and particularly, scotch. So it was particularly nice that a scotch lover like Jason Johnstone-Yellin enjoyed our gin so much:
Their Watershed gin is distilled from local rye (I do like my gins built on a rye foundation) while the name pays respect to the watershed into which Catoctin Creek runs.
...
In conclusion: From the rye nose through the abundant aniseed on the palate and into the cinnamon finish this is an excellent gin. Highly recommended.
Read the full review here.
Guid Scotch Drink Reviews Roundstone Rye
Created 2013-01-17 05:00:00
We received another great review, from Guid Scotch Drink. Jason Johnstone-Yellin runs through the taste profile of our signature Roundstone Rye:
The mashbill for Roundstone Rye is 100% rye flour. The rye is cooked for 3 hours and then cooled for 3 hours and, given that the mash is such a sticky mess, the solids all remain in the wash.
...
In conclusion: Such a good rye! Very drinkable with complexity that belies its age. I highly recommended searching for a bottle.
Read the full review here.
Guid Scotch Drink Reviews Roundstone Rye Cask Proof
Created 2013-01-18 05:00:00
In the final of three reviews from Guid Scotch Drink, Jason Johnstone-Yellin reviews our Roundstone Rye Cask Proof:
Aged for, up till now, two years, this particular batch of single cask rye is bottled at a natural cask strength of 58% Alc. (116 Proof)
...
In conclusion: So very good. The rye is perfectly presented, the texture is exceptional, and the milk chocolate provides a flavor otherwise unexpected. In short: Buy it now. But it's not available now! Contact the distillery and make sure you're on the list for when the next batch becomes available (my name's already on that list!).
Read the full review here.
The Gin is In Reviews Watershed Gin
Created 2013-01-25 05:00:00
The Gin is In does a great job of not only reviewing various gins from throughout the world, but they also feature various news and entertainment stories, all relating to gin, of course. The Gin is In is a fun site and an easy way to let a couple hours at the office slip away unnoticed.
They recently tackled our Watershed Gin, and gave it four out of five "gin-n-tonics". That's a good review, I think:
Quite nice, robust and while contemporary in flavor, the overall feel of the spirit feels more traditional. The sharpness of juniper in a London Dry is mimicked by pepper, carraway, juniper and a bit of alcohol burn. It reminds me of the mouth feel of a traditional style gin while not quite tasting like one. The combination of the woody Rye and that faint floral character make the exact impression of Watershed Gin kind of hard to place. There’s a lot going on, and its quite interesting, slowly unraveling and revealing itself when tasted neat. Its a very interesting, almost cerebral gin.
Read the full review here.
Coverage on Craft Distilling in Virginia
Created 2013-01-30 05:00:00
Cville Weekly wrote an outstanding and very in-depth article on the state of craft distilling in Virginia. Giles Morris covered Virginia Distilling Company in Nelson County, Copper Fox Distillery in Sperryville, and us as well. Here he is interviewing Rick Wasmund, owner of Copper Fox:
“It’s not always easy to sell in Virginia. Part of our benefit is that we’re an hour and a half from D.C. There we can self-distribute. I can have a bar owner taste my stuff and if they like it, I can take an order and bring them cases the next week,” Wasmund said.
...
“I like the engineering challenges. The physical production challenges of making great whisky. We’re always trying to stretch ourselves and make it better but we’re also trying to make more of it. That’s fun,” he said.
Read the full article here.
The Whiskey Reviewer Visits Catoctin Creek
Created 2013-02-08 05:00:00
If you live in or around Washington D.C., then it’s likely you’ve been seeing more and more of Catoctin Creek these days. In 2012, they increased their production to 40,000 bottles, double 2011′s level, and they have formed a variety of local partnerships. So it is that you’ll find the private label 515 exclusively at J&G Steakhouse at the W Hotel in D.C.; or if you went to D.C. Brau brewery, you’d see a rack of Catoctin Creek barrels put to use; or if you went to the 2012 Farmland Feast, you’d have seen their whiskey up for grabs in a charity-auction… and on down the line from there. From top to bottom, Catoctin Creek is a very locally-focused, community-driven operation. Enthusiastic volunteers actually do all of their bottling by hand during their filled-to-capacity weekend bottling workshops.
Read the full review here.
Kojo Nnamdi Show discusses Craft Distilling
Created 2013-02-20 05:00:00
Small-batch craft distilleries are popping up across the country and region. They make everything from gin to rye to vodka, often with a focus on local ingredients and unique flavors. We talk with three local makers about what goes into getting a distillery off the ground and onto shelves at bars and liquor stores.
Other guests for the hour were Mike Lowe, of New Columbia Distillers, and Chris Cook, of Sloop Betty.
It was a great show! You can see the original show site, here.
The Whiskey Reviewer Sips White Whiskey
Created 2013-02-21 05:00:00
Next in my adventure with white whiskey came Mosby’s Spirit, which I sampled on a recent visit to Catoctin Creek Distilling Company. This didn’t smell like your typical whiskey, either. Instead, there was a light, lemon citrus on the nose, with fresh floral aromas, backed up by a deep grainy profile.
Pure grain was the dominant force when tasting Mosby’s, producing something was, at least for myself, astonishingly easy to drink after my prior experience. Surprised by this, I asked Catoctin’s co-owner and distiller, Scott Harris, about what’s going on in the world of white whiskey these days.
“What I think some distillers get wrong is that they basically produce a spirit that they’re going to be putting away for a long time,” Harris said. “But you have to make money in the short term so you take some of that and you bottle it. So a spirit that should be aged for four years or something like that is oilier, and muskier, and not as pleasant. Some people like it, but not everybody likes it. Therefore, I think they make a mistake of putting something into a bottle which should be going into a barrel.”
So how does one make a better product? “When we started producing the Mosby’s, we aimed to produce a white whiskey that was truly drinkable on its own as a white spirit. It’s meant to be drank white,” Harris said.
Read the full review here.
Modern Luxury DC - The Life of a Barrel
Created 2013-04-02 18:40:16
Under federal law, the casks can only be used once for the whiskey, so Harris sells them to anyone who's interested.
Read the full article, here.
Valley Homes and Style: Gentlemen's Moonshine
Created 2013-04-09 13:31:59
Maggie Wolff Peterson wrote a nice article in Valley Homes & Style featuring our distillery. There are some gorgeous photos of the process and the products as well, courtesy some of our favorite photographer friends.
Open the front door to the Catoctin Creek distillery in Purcellville, Va., and enter a wave of fragrance: the tang of fermenting grain. In a nearly nondescript industrial park, a good half-mile from the historic and lovely center of town, Scott and Becky Harris are doing something that nobody has done, at least legally, in Loudoun County since Prohibition. They’re making whiskey.
Read the full article, here.
Greenprints: Northern Virginia Magazine Covers Eco-Friendly Production at Catoctin Creek
Created 2013-04-23 18:39:17
The May 2013 issue of Northern Virginia magazine has a wonderful story on our efforts to build a "green" distillery on Main Street in Purcellville. They highlight several of the aspects of the production that will result in a very efficient and energy saving production plant, one of the only of its kind! Melissa J. Lyden reports:
Catoctin architect Dieter Meyer: "Re-purposing one typical existing downtown building is the equivalent of recycling 1.34 million aluminum cans. A very strong case has been made, that the greenest building is the one that already exists."
Read the entire story, here.
Washington Post, Closer Inspection: From grain to glass
Created 2013-04-25 13:10:26
Kris explores the distillery process, from grain to glass. Here she is talking about the bottling operation:
The staff likes to call the distillery's Enolmaster bottling machine 'the whisky cow.' The hand-operated system fills four bottles at once. "We usually have a group of volunteers that come in and help us bottle," Harris says.
Read the full story online, here.
Tour de Spirits in Washington Post Express
Created 2013-05-09 13:37:16
"This hour long tour involves learning and liquid appreciation. Guests at the eco-ganic and kosher distillery begin by seeing and sniffing every step of the whiskey-making process. The guide may open one of the fermenters for a peek. 'The grain looks like oatmeal and smells like beer,' Harris says.
Read the entire story, here.
The Whiskey Reviewer Reviews Roundstone Rye
Created 2013-05-27 21:10:39
It’s not only a unique Rye, but a unique entry in the exclusive class of 100% Ryes. It’s the least Rye-like 100% Rye I’ve had, yet still very much a Rye of the New Breed, having a particularly characteristic sweetness I’ve detected in other craft Ryes. Lacking a decent metaphor, I’ll go with a simile: it’s like peppering a piece of fruit.
...
What really makes this Rye distinctive is a subtlety throughout. While it suggests a commanding sweetness, the spicy undertones of Rye remain until the finish, tempering the sweet so it’s less like candy, and more like a rich, eco-ganic fresh fruit.
On a grading system, we rated a "B+", which puts us below the "Masterpiece" class of "A" and "A+" whiskies, but above the best of the mass market stuff. "Very good stuff." We're happy with that! Thanks, S.D.!
Read the full review, here.
Blending the Past & Present: A New Home for Catoctin Creek Distilling Company
Created 2013-06-01 11:34:45
Soon it became clear that from both a production and marketing perspective it was time for a move. Like the spirits they craft, Scott and Becky were looking for a perfect blend of old and new in potential locations. They found just such a thing in the Case Building on Main Street in downtown Purcellville. The building, built around 1890 by Samuel Case, was home to the Case Motor Company in 1920 – the year Prohibition took effect, and had been in the Case family until Scott and Becky purchased it in 2013.
The move to Main Street feels like a step back in time and a journey to “Mayberry” USA. The street is home to many buildings that date back as far as 1850, 1880 or 1890 and despite booming development on the outskirts, Main Street has retained the charm of years past.
Read the entire article, here.
Leesburg Today Previews Mid-July Opening
Created 2013-06-20 21:31:25
Excitement is building as we approach the opening of our new building on Main Street. Margaret Morton, of Leesburg Today, covers the story of the new building, how we obtained it, what we're doing to it, and when we expect to open:
As with any old building—and the exact age of the structure is difficult to assess—discoveries abound, as additions and deletions that had been covered up over the years revealed both answers and more mysteries. “Every time we discover something new, it sets up a further question,” Scott said.
...
One of the best things about an old warehouse-style building—and the bulk of the structure—is that it is relatively easy to adapt to a new use. After removing the plywood and taking in the dimensions of the large space, crews cut the floor apart to lay in new plumbing, including cast iron sewer pipes for longevity. A sluice, similar to what once was common in dairy barns, runs through the middle of the production area, so the floor can be hosed down at the end of the day’s production.
Read the entire story, here.
L'Chaim in the Washington Jewish Week
Created 2013-06-28 11:51:29
One day a few years back, Scott Harris — founder and general manager of Catoctin Creek Distilling Co. in Loudon County — was sitting at his desk at one of the various Washington, D.C., defense contractors when he had an epiphany. As he puts it, “I was working on the 30th revision of a Powerpoint package which I knew nobody would ever read. I said to myself, ‘There has to be something more to life than this.’ ”
So after 20 years building a software career in telecommunication systems and government IT solutions, Harris wanted something more rewarding. “At that moment,” he says, “I was swept back to a quarter century earlier, when I was a 15-year-old intern working in a winery. That was a job that I really enjoyed — the satisfaction of working with my hands, producing something, and having people appreciate what I had produced. It was this kind of job that I now felt myself seeking. But this time, I thought, I’d focus on spirits. I wanted to start a distillery.”
To read the full article, click here.
Local Distillery Drinks in the Sun
Created 2013-08-28 10:26:41
Neal Augenstein, reporting for WTOP, gives a nice overview of our new solar array at the distillery:
Stills in Catoctin Creek Distillery, in Purcellville, Va. (Courtesy Scott Harris) Outfitting the new technology for the mostly brick building, that was originally a Buick dealership and later a furniture factory, did pose challenges.
"We had to make sure the wooden frame roof was sound," says Harris. "Some of the struts and rafters were not up to code for the weight of the new system on the roof, so we had to replace those with some steel I-beams."
Read the entire story, here, and listen to the podcast, here.
Rye Bother? NPR coverage of Rye and Bourbon
Created 2013-09-10 12:07:37
The vast majority of Tennessee [whisky AND] bourbon and rye on the market are some mixture of rye and corn together." (My additions in bold.)
Regardless, it is a great story, and well worth reading. Funny also to note that the researcher is named "Tom Collins." You can't make this stuff up!
Read the full story, here.
Slingin' Cocktails on Foodie and the Beast
Created 2013-10-23 04:00:00
Scott and Emily were invited back to appear on Foodie and the Beast on Federal News Radio:
From fine dining to irresistible junk foods, top chefs to up-and-comers you haven't heard of (yet!), foie gras, fish fingers, and much more, no sip of wine, no morsel of food or food gossip goes untouched, as David and Nycci Nellis give you the inside dish on the hottest restaurants and bistros, the freshest ingredients and the finest tipples on the scene.
Other guests for the hour were Capital Kambucha, Union Kitchen, and Farmland Feast.
It was a great show! You can hear the show on their site, here, or download the podcast, here.
Virginia Whisky profiled in Distinction Magazine
Created 2013-11-20 16:06:36
There is a smell and a taste to the air in a distillery, of smoke, farmer’s grain and something akin to molasses, plus the yeasty sourness of beer and the nuttiness of toasted barley, and the richness of whiskey breathing in and out of oak.
It’s a Virginia tradition, whiskey. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson made it, and sipped it on their verandas as they helped shape the New World. James Madison was known to down a pint a day, and the average colonist consumed 5 gallons of spirits a year. Lest that sound shocking, that’s about 1½ drinks a day. Not healthy, perhaps, but not enough to leave them incoherent and stumbling, either.
Read the entire story, here.
Weekend in Loudoun
Created 2013-11-20 21:32:51
Alex Benedetto and Jean Schindler, both of Cloture Club, were among the lucky DC area food press that were invited for a private weekend tour of Loudoun County, hosted by yours truly. We wined 'em, we dined 'em, we fed 'em, and we toured 'em. Mostly we were just bragging... bragging about the bounteous and beautiful county in which we live. They were suitably impressed:
While this was obviously an amazing foodie weekend, even more inspiring was the collaboration between the many business owners we met. DC may have a dynamic restaurant scene, but Loudoun County’s story is far more intricate -- and sustainable. Let’s just say that Loudoun has arrived on the foodie map.
Read the full story here. For Jean Schindler's lovely photos, check the Flickr set here. A nd here are the links to our wonderful partners for the weekend:
- Bluewater Kitchen - catering and custom locavore cuisine by Chef Michael Kozitch
- Oakland Green Farm - hand raised, responsibly and sustainably farmed beef
- Bluemont Vineyard - wines and winery tourism
- Lansdowne Resort - luxurious golf and resort accommodations and dining in western Loudoun county
- Market Burger & Fries - handmade, locally sourced burgers, shakes, and hand-cut fries
Photo courtesy Jean Schindler and used with permission.
Whisky Business in Capitol File Magazine
Created 2013-11-21 22:28:39
Nevin Martell does a nice little feature piece on Catoctin Creek in the Capitol File magazine. Funny too, because the photo shows Becky and I doing "distillery stuff". In this case, we're filling a barrel (with water for the photos), neverminding that we (a) never fill barrels by hand, and (b) would never do so in our fine church-clothes frippery. No matter, the article is fun and informative! Nevin writes:
The duo loves collaborating, working with nearby vintners and orchardists to source wine grapes, pears, peaches, and apples for their limited-edition brandies. But the core of their business focuses on producing their three kosher, certified-eco-ganic signature sippers: Roundstone rye whiskey; Watershed gin; and Mosby’s Spirit, an unaged white whiskey.
Read more, here.
Weekend of Whisky in Brightest Young Things
Created 2013-11-22 15:51:24
After you cut through any and all talking points politicians use about small businesses being the heart of America’s economy, a trip like this makes you realize that it’s unironically true. The main street distillery has used its partnerships to shift the community focus onto eating (and drinking) locally, uses part of their tasting room as a gift shop featuring local craft vendors (like Gordys!), some of which use Roundstone Rye to create their wares, and turns the spotlight onto the potential that Loudon County has always had as well as inspiring that potential in others who want to invest in their town and themselves.
Read the full story, here.
Nice Holiday Mention on WTOP
Created 2013-11-25 20:46:06
Thank you, Nycci Nellis, for the wonderful holiday shout-out on WTOP radio! She's recommending some Catoctin Creek brandy for holiday gift giving! We couldn't agree more!
Listen here: 20131125-WTOP.mp3
Catoctin in the Holiday Gift Guides
Created 2013-11-27 15:41:39
Nice coverage for the distillery in the regional holiday gift guides.
The Loudoun Times Mirror highlighted our gift baskets, each of which is put together by Emily to show off each spirit in its own unique way. For example, the Mosby's gift basket has all the fixin's needed (minus the fresh lemons and soda) for a Colonel Langdon cocktail.
Northern Virginia Magazine suggests you get yourself on over to visit our distillery store for the holidays! We couldn't agree more!
E-man Booze Reviews Roundstone Rye
Created 2014-02-14 14:48:12
E-man Booze (follow him on Twitter at @emanbooze) does a pretty hilarious, but very insightful review on Roundstone Rye. Check it out, y'all:
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Loudoun County and Catoctin Creek Featured in the Philadelphia Sun
Created 2014-04-24 19:29:02
Renée S. Gordon does a travel feature for the Philadelphia Sun, and this time, she turns her sights on Loudoun County, and our deep collection of history, entertainment and gastronomic treasures. Happily, Catoctin Creek gets a call out:
Catoctin Creek Distilling Company is in the heart of Purcellville and is the first legal distillery in Loudoun County since before Prohibition. Owners Becky and Scott Harris create small batch liquors that are entirely handcrafted. They make 40,000 bottles annually including their version of moonshine. Distillery tours and guest bartender events are offered.
Catoctin Creek is another of my “amazing females” sites. Becky Harris, a chemical engineer, is the distiller. She is one of the few in the country and [one of a few] female distiller[s] on the East Coast.
[Corrections noted above are our own.]
Read the full story, here.
Carrie Allan Reviews Roundstone Rye "92 Proof" in Washington Post Food
Created 2014-04-29 19:29:37
M. Carrie Allan, spirits writer for the Washington Post, gave us great coverage in the Food section, announcing the release of our new 92-Proof version of the Roundstone Rye:
Catoctin Creek has been curating the barrels it has tucked away, tasting and selecting a few hundred that seemed to be developing deeper and more interesting flavors, and holding them back to use in this release. As a result, the new rye is not only less diluted, but also, at just under four years in barrel, a bit older than the current Roundstone.
That said, Becky says that many old-school whiskey buffs put too much emphasis on barrel age. “I kind of compare it to taking your dog to a dog show, right?” she says. “When people evaluate a rye whiskey, they want it to taste like other whiskeys they’ve had — the ‘breed standard.’ . . . I like to think the craft distilling movement is trying to bring some new dogs to the show, but the show that’s out there — and I’m just rolling with this metaphor now — is run by the people who are deeply invested in a very old stock style of whiskey.” Many younger craft brands, she says, don’t have very old whiskeys. “But they are amazing whiskeys. They may not be a purebred English mastiff, but it’s an amazing dog in its own right.”
Read her full story, plus a great new recipe with the Roundstone Rye 92, here.
Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2014 reviews Roundstone Rye
Created 2014-06-06 04:00:00
Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2014 (10th Anniversary Edition), reviews Roundstone Rye Cask Proof (batch B12E1), and scores it an 88.5! The review, as these tend to be, is all over the place, like a big happy golden retriever puppy: The rye is chaotic, unexpected, youthful, crazy, and yet, still totally loveable:
A truly huge rye... Through a combination of sheer delicious belligerence and chutzpah has your taste buds swooning. Great fun!
Whisky Advocate Reviews Mosby's Spirit and Roundstone Rye
Created 2014-06-05 04:00:00
Lew Bryson, in the summer 2014 issue of Whisky Advocate, (re-)reviews Mosby's Spirit, our beautiful unaged rye spirit, and gives it a score of 82:
The second craft rye I'm revisiting. Mosby's is still 100% rye and unaged, but the nose is more fun: some green pear and melon esters in there with the grassy rye spice. It's nicely smooth on the tongue, delivers exactly what the nose promised, plus a shot of fresh-cracked black pepper...and a much longer finish these days. Greatly improved; a good white whisky.
Lew also reviewed the Roundstone Rye Cask Proof (batch B12E1), but he didn't find it as pleasing as we do, scoring it a 77. Being honest, the review disappointed us, especially considering the last review from Whisky Advocate was clamoring for more age, and now that we have it, they consider it over-oaked. We truly struggle to see how a whisky that is less than two years old could be over-oaked in 30 gallon barrels. Anyhow, in the interest of transparency, here is that review, for what it's worth:
Single barrel, cask proof. Strong wood aromas; pencil shavings, hot-sawn oak. Hot and tight, intense wood. There's some interesting stuff around the edges, but the wood's blocking it till some sweetness peeks through at the end. Water helps a little, but not enough. Over-barreled.
Daily Beast story on 'pseudo-craft' producers in the USA
Created 2014-07-29 17:33:37
New Transparency in Craft Production Revealed.
A Note from Scott Harris, Founder of Catoctin Creek.
It is not usually my intention to post scandalous content to this newsletter. We try to maintain a to each their own attitude in our business, and don't often wade into controversial topics.
However, we've been overrun with comments about the recent article in The Daily Beast entitled, "Your 'Craft' Rye Whiskey is Probably from a Factory Distillery in Indiana." In the article, Eric Felten reveals to the public what was commonly known in the industry: that most whiskey in the USA being sold as craft is, in fact, nothing of the sort: It is big whiskey, made by a company called MGP in Indiana, charading as a hand-made product.
[MGP] products are well-made, but hardly what one thinks of as artisanal. And yet, much of the whiskey now being sold as the hand-crafted product of micro-distilleries actually comes from this one Indiana factory.
Upstart spirits companies selling juice they didn’t distill rarely advertise the fact. But there are ways to tell: whiskey aged longer than a distillery has been in business is one of the telltale signs that the “distiller” is actually just bottling someone else’s product. ... So how do you open a distillery one year and have 5- or 15-year-old whiskey to sell the next? Not by making it.
You can read the full article from The Daily Beast, here. Now, we rarely wade into these debates, but I will say three things:
(1) We prefer transparency. There are a number of producers like High West and Smooth Ambler who have openly stated on their products that they are sourcing whiskey, curating a rare set of barrels, and in some cases blending them to make something finer. Transparency is good, and I applaud those companies and enjoy their products.
(2) Lying hurts consumers and producers. Whiskey brands that pretend to be craft, but simply bottle the big-boy juice have been deceptive, and it abuses the public trust and denigrates those of us who are doing things by hand.
(3) Catoctin makes our own whiskey. We work very hard to make our own whisky from scratch. You can know that each and every bottle of Catoctin Creek has been handmade by Becky Harris and Greg Moore. Don't believe us? Come and visit any day of the week and see for yourself. As I like to say, "I didn't give up a perfectly good day job, with excellent pay and benefits, to BOTTLE whisky." I wanted to MAKE whisky, and make whisky is what we do.
It was very nice to have The Daily Beast give us, and a few notable others, a shout-out as true producers. We really appreciate that:
Which isn’t to say that no one succeeds in actually making their own craft-distilled whiskey. In addition to Leopold Bros. in Colorado, there are distillers such as Few in Evanston, Illinois, Catoctin Creek in Virginia, and Hudson Whiskey in New York state making good young rye from scratch.
So, next time you reach for that bottle of craft whisky, turn it around. Look at the back. Does it say "DISTILLED BY XXXX"? If it does, rest assured that those guys MADE your whiskey. If it says "CRAFTED/HANDMADE/BOTTLED/PRODUCED BY"... well, you're most likely buying the same Indiana juice sold all over the USA. It may be good, but I wouldn't pay more for it thinking it is craft.
--Scott
Men's Journal Reviews Catoctin Creek
Created 2014-09-03 23:49:59
Thanks go out to Jason Diamond, from Men's Journal, for calling out five American craft whiskeys doing it right! We were thrilled to be named among other fine whiskey makers like FEW and Dry Fly, producing great new American whiskey:
A bottle of Roundstone Rye 92-proof is what you're looking for if you want your socks knocked off. Just the amount of spice you'd expect from a great rye, but it won't have you breathing fire. If you're looking for something a little more subtle, a bottle of sweet and spicy regular Roundstone Rye should always be within reach. You can't ever go wrong with Catoctin Creek.
Wow!! To read the entire story, click here.
Two Gold Medals in One Week!
Created 2014-10-27 19:31:19
Last week, we learned that we received not one, but two gold medals in a single week! Fantastic news!!
The Artisan Awards and the Fifty Best both awarded the Roundstone Rye "92 Proof" golds last week!
Read the original articles, here and here.
Coverage on our letter to the Governor
Created 2014-10-31 19:38:49
Last week, Catoctin Creek, along with 12 other distillers in Virginia sent the Governor a letter asking him to reconsider his proposal to raise spirits taxes yet again. We got some very good press coverage on the letter. We still await the Governor's reply on this issue.
Richmond Times Dispatch: Distillers draft letter opposing McAuliffe price hikes
AP: Virginia distilleries ask Gov. Terry McAuliffe to pull back on plan to raise liquor prices
Fox 5 Segment: Proposed liquor tax in Virginia
WTOP Radio: Distillers sour about planned spike in liquor prices
Wash Post letter to the editor: A spiritless proposal to raise taxes
Richmond Times Dispatch: ABC to use liquor markup to modernize the system
AP: Booze price hike irks Va. consumers, restaurants
Richmond Times Dispatch: Va. to cut 565 jobs, shut Powhatan prison to close money gap
Wash Post: McAuliffe announces budget cuts, layoffs to address revenue shortfall
Wash Biz Journal: Virginia distillers urge McAuliffe to nix liquor price increase
Wash Biz Journal: Three ways Virginia could raise the price of liquor, per McAuliffe's budget
Northern Virginia Magazine: Hungry for Linkage: Distillers Oppose Governor's Alcohol Markup
Loudoun Times Mirror: Distilleries ask McAuliffe to nix booze price hike
Winchester Star: Area distiller joins protest over Va. liquor price hike
Modern Distillery Age, November 14, 2014 issue
Richmond Times Dispatch: ABC raises liquor prices between 24 and 29 cents a bottle
AP: Cost of booze rising in Virginia after board vote
WNEW: Va. Alcohol Board Approves Price Increases
Scott Harris Interviewed on Bloomberg Radio
Created 2014-07-30 04:00:00
While attending the Sage Summit in Las Vegas, Scott was interviewed by Bloomberg Radio about starting his small business, Catoctin Creek Distilling Company.
Listen here: 20140730-Bloomberg Radio.mp3
Distillery Dinners Reviewed in MicroShiner
Created 2014-11-21 21:17:50
Each month, Catoctin collaborates with catering mavens Chef Wes Rosati and Chef Maria Aros of the Wandering Chef to create a menu of seasonal dishes that draw on the flavors of local ingredients and Catoctin spirits. The marriages produced are happy ones like the perfect pairing of Pan Roasted Tenderloin and BBQ Rubbed Brisket with a smooth Boulevardier made with Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye "92 Proof".
Enjoy the full article here or here, and please join us for one of our future dinners by clicking here.
Coverage on our decision to hold pricing steady
Created 2014-11-26 22:04:29
Both major local newspapers covered our story on our decision to hold prices steady despite a liquor mark-up announced by the ABC.
Read more coverage in:
Scott Harris on the Kojo Nnamdi Show
Created 2014-12-03 05:00:00
In the continuing coverage of the Virginia ABC spirits tax raise, Scott was invited as a guest on the Kojo Nnamdi show on WAMU 88.5. From the show description:
If you live in Virginia, the state’s budget woes will hit you in the liquor cabinet next week. That’s when the price of wine and spirits goes up to help close a projected $2.4 billion revenue shortfall. The price hike is one more reminder that in jurisdictions like the Commonwealth and Maryland’s Montgomery County, where government agencies operate all the liquor stores, consumers often pay higher taxes and levies for their alcohol. We explore the economic forces—seen and unseen—that impact the selection and price of liquor around our region.
The other guest for the show was Garrett Peck, author of "The Prohibition Hangover: A Social History of Alcohol After Prohibition" and "Capital Beer: A Heady History of Brewing in Washington, D.C.".
It was a great show! You can see the original show site, here, or listen to the podcast, here.
Hometown Spirits in Washingtonian
Created 2014-12-24 15:10:34
Scott and Becky Harris strategically situated their distillery in Purcellville in the heart of Virginia wine country, and even staunch wine lovers admit their Roundstone Rye's warming spice and mellow sweetness are as comforting as a buxom Bordeaux.
Read the full article, here.
Brandy 101 on WJLA's Let's Talk Live
Created 2014-12-24 15:20:33
The very lovely Kayleigh Kulp is the author of Booze for Babes, sold here on Amazon, or available in our distillery store. Kayleigh appeared on WJLA's Let's Talk Live, to promote brandy for the Christmas season. Of the several brandies she highlighted were our own Catoctin Creek 1757 Virginia Brandy, Pearousia pear brandy, and Short Hill Mountain peach brandy. Thank you, Kayleigh, for the shout-out! Merry Christmas!
Read the entire article, here.
Going Out Guide: Purcellville
Created 2014-12-31 12:20:39
Holley Simmons, the dining editor at the Washington Post, does a story on day-tripping out to Purcellville:
You may want to have a good cure for the hiccups — and a designated driver — before venturing into Purcellville, Va.: The bucolic town, 50 miles west of Washington in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is full of wineries, breweries and an eco-ganic distillery. But if booze is not your thing, there’s easy access to the scenic Washington & Old Dominion bike trail for cyclists.
The story highlights our distillery as one of the great reasons we love downtown Purcellville!
Last year, Becky and Scott Harris moved their certified eco-ganic distillery from a 2,000-square-foot warehouse to a 6,000-square-foot facility (a Buick dealership in the 1920s). Now more than 10,000 visitors a year witness the production of gin, white whiskey and - their flagship product - rye whiskey aged in charred Minnesota white oak barrels. "About 60 percent of the flavoring comes from the barrels," Becky says. There's a 30-minute tour ($5) and a tasting room ($5-$10).
You can read the entire story, here.
2015 Best of Loudoun - Best Distillery
Created 2015-01-31 13:06:14
Thank you to Leesburg Today and the citizens of Loudoun County for voting us the best distillery in Loudoun! We are very happy for the honor!
Read the story, here.
Roundstone Rye wins GOLD and SILVER in UK Competition
Created 2015-02-01 01:57:48
We are very happy to announce that Roundstone Rye took home the bling-bling in the United Kingdom! The Wizards of Whisky World Awards, after performing blind tastings of hundreds of spirits from around the world, named Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye "Cask Proof" its #7 whisky in the grain whisky spirits category, and earning it a gold medal. That's beating out some pretty big names in the whisky world right now, like Whistlepig, Bushmills, Redbreast and Greenspot, just to name a few! Roundstone Rye "92 Proof" came in at a very respectable #18 in the same category, earning silver.
Read the full story, here.
Forbes reviews Watershed Gin
Created 2015-02-01 02:25:38
What a lovely review we received from Adam Morgenstern of the Food & Wine section of Forbes. Mr. Morgenstern really seemed to enjoy himself, and for that we are really, really pleased:
While gins can be all over the map these days, Watershed comes across with clear focus. Beautiful juniper nose and taste, with practically no alcohol harshness; amazing considering it’s bottled at 100 proof, higher than most gins. There’s pepper and cinnamon on the finish and it’s incredibly balanced. Sipping it took me out of detective mode — rather than try and figure out the mystery botanicals, I just wanted to sit back and enjoy it.
You can read the full review, here.
Kudos from MicroShiner Magazine
Created 2015-02-13 16:02:30
Thanks go out to Cobey Williamson, editor of MicroShiner magazine. They picked up our press release about the Old Tom gin launch, and gave us some nice compliments in the article:
Catoctin Creek Releases Limited Edition Rested Gin Like many, we are in love with Catoctin Creek, and as you may know, their products have been receiving rave reviews, including having Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye "Cask Proof" named the #7 whisky in the grain whisky spirits category at the 3rd Annual Wizards of Whisky World Awards.
Whisky accolades aside, something we love as much as their spirits is Catoctin Creek's approach to the process. Everything they do seems to be imbued with same sense of effortless innovation and unassuming elegance. As a whole, Catoctin embodies the essence of craft, and we have no reason to expect anything less than more of the same from this latest release.
Read the full article, here.
SmokyBeast Reviews Single Cask Nation Catoctin Creek Rye
Created 2015-02-21 17:20:44
Here's the review:
Very nice job from Catoctin Creek & a great pick from Single Cask Nation. We'd never guess this was such a young rye, and it really holds up to many older whiskies. We're looking forward to seeing what comes out of this interesting distillery over the years.
You can read the entire review, here.
Catoctin Creek and Boss Shepherd's on Let's Talk Live
Created 2015-03-18 13:36:32
Daniel Mahdavian, from Boss Shepherd's was on Let's Talk Live yesterday talking about whiskey cocktails for St. Patrick's Day and our upcoming Catoctin Creek dinner at Boss on the 31st of March.
Read the full story, here.
Catoctin Creek Nominated for RAMMYs 2015
Created 2015-03-31 13:40:30
We are pleased-as-heck to be nominated once again for Regional Food and Beverage Producer of the Year at the 2015 RAMMYs. The RAMMYs are the big restaurateur awards ceremony of the year, sponsored by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW). Coverage in the Washington Business Journal states:
Restaurant people throughout the D.C. region now know who they're up against in the D.C. area's Oscars of food after the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington announced the nominees for the 2015 RAMMY awards Monday night.
[...]
RAMW will take votes from the public on these categories before the June 7 awards.
Read the full story, here.
I, Whiskey interviews about whiskey, history, drinking, and other fun stuff
Created 2015-04-07 18:01:25
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Makes a Documentary on Whiskey
A while back, CEI visited our distillery, whipped up some interviews, and visited Jack Rose Dining Saloon in Washington DC. The result is a documentary on whiskey, coming soon. More about the project:
I, Whiskey: The Spirit of the Market is the second film in the I, Pencil series produced by CEI and Passing Lane Films.
I, Whiskey: The Spirit of the Market reveals how every product and service we enjoy is made possible by the free market and human ingenuity. It’s the story of entrepreneurs, scientists, and bootleggers and the whiskey they produce—a spirit renowned for its individual expression and rich history.
When people share a glass of whiskey they are playing a part in this ever-evolving narrative.
CEI is dedicated not only to protecting the human spirit but also celebrating it.
Coming soon to Indiegogo
Here are some of the teaser videos, for your enjoyment. You can reach the project page, where they'll be announcing more about I, Whiskey, here.
The Trailer
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The U.S. History of Whiskey
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An Homage to Craftsmanship
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The Joy of Distilling
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How to Drink Whiskey
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Food Republic: 35 Independant Craft Distillers that need to be on your radar
Created 2015-04-22 14:26:49
It was nice to be included in this story on 35 top craft distillers. We are in good company in a list of some of America's hottest new distillers.
Located in Purcellville, Virginia, which is considered the heart of Virginia wine country, this distillery has become famous for its Roundstone Rye, which is aged in new Minnesota white oak casks for a period of just under two years and was awarded silver medals at the 2011 American Distilling Institute Whiskey Competition.
Read the full story, here.
Eater: Women who are changing whiskey
Created 2015-04-30 04:00:00
Jake Emen does a great story on the changing face of whiskey in America, and how women are a big part of it. Our own Becky Harris gets some hefty coverage in the story:
Ironically, across a pre-Industrial Revolution America, women were formerly household distillers, back when it was considered merely another female duty. "It was a big chore, making all the spirits and whiskey and cider and all of this stuff they did, that was one of their jobs," explains Harris. "Then guys decided that this was this 'craft' that only men do, and women were gone."
For the full article, click here.
Distillery of the Month at Main Street Distilleries
Created 2015-05-06 13:05:17
E-man Booze and his blog, Main Street Distilleries, has selected Catoctin Creek as their distillery of the month. We may actually be the first of his profiled distilleries to actually have a Main Street address! E-man does a nice profile on the company, the spirits, and our history, and then wraps up the column with an insightful Q&A session with founder Scott Harris:
The essence of historic Virginia rye whiskey – fashioned from 100% rye grain – is gloriously captured in Mosby’s Spirit, an un-aged version of Catoctin Creek’s wildly popular Roundstone Rye Whiskey.
Read the entire story, here.
Roundstone Rye on Whiskey Cats Podcast
Created 2015-05-13 20:29:14
Listen to the podcast on Soundcloud by clicking here.
Catoctin Creek in Kuala Lumpur
Created 2015-05-16 14:47:25
One of the spirits to benefit most from the recent rise of craft spirits in the US is rye whiskey. Located in Purcellville, Virginia, Catoctin Creek Distillery’s 100% rye whiskies are aged in new American oak casks and are certified eco-ganic products.
You can read the full story, here.
Environmental Entrepreneurs highlights Catoctin's Solar Array
Created 2015-05-29 15:15:46
The solar array offsets about 85 percent of the distillery’s electrical usage. On sunny days, energy generated by the array is equivalent to five households’ worth of electricity – and the distillery even returns energy into the grid for others to use.
Read the full story, here.
Virginia: A Magnet for Trailblazers
Created 2015-05-29 18:39:16
Contemporary entrepreneurs are clinking their glasses in the northwest corner of Virginia. In small-town Purcellville, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, chemical engineer Becky Harris took a career detour and together with husband Scott established the Catoctin Creek Distilling Company. Building a distillery from the ground up takes a dose of moxie and the go-getter vision of how art and science intersect.
For the full article, click here.
Catoctin Creek in DuJour Magazine
Created 2015-05-29 18:53:21
To enjoy Loudoun County, Virginia's thriving wine and liquor scene, look no further than Purcellville distillery Catoctin Creek, founded by chemical engineer Becky Harris and her project-manager husband, Scott Harris. "Scott likes to say that 20 years of government contracting taught him a great love of drinking," jokes Becky.
Learn more about DuJour, here.
Single Cask Nation Catoctin Creek 2 year old reviewed
Created 2015-05-29 19:58:13
Like I expected it is a very interesting whiskey. It would definitely pair amazingly well with Turkish coffee and might replace my beloved Metaxa there. I also can see that it would go well with mellow, not so spicy cigars for a long after dinner conversation or with eggy desserts like Mexican flan or creme caramel. It is a whisky you don't want to rush for sure. It's thick, bold, full of flavors and needs your attention and time... Looks like this bottle will keep company to me quite a long time. By the way remember that this whiskey is only two years old. Kind of mind blowing if you think about it...
You can read the entire review, here.
RAMMYs Finalists on Foodie and the Beast
Created 2015-05-31 04:00:00
We slung the cocktail shaker to pour our signature cocktail for the gala, The Devil and His Wife. It was a great show! You can hear the show on their site, here, or download the podcast, here.
Catoctin Creek announces first new whisky since inception – Rabble Rouser® Straight Rye Whisky
Created 2015-05-22 04:00:00
Catoctin Creek Distilling Company, best known for its Roundstone Rye, is preparing to unveil a new addition to its rye whiskey portfolio: Rabble Rouser. Whereas Roundstone Rye is aged for just under two years, Rabble Rouser will be four years old when it's released in October. Not only is that double the amount of time required for the spirit to legally qualify as a "straight" rye whiskey, it also makes Catoctin Creek one of just a few craft distilleries producing rye whiskey of that age.
Read the full story, here.
Coverage of the 2015 RAMMYS
Created 2015-06-08 12:00:00
We got some lovely coverage in the news regarding our RAMMY award last night. Seems a man in a kilt always makes a good impression. Writing for the Washington Post, Becky Krystal writes:
The black-tie event brought out its share of dresses long and short, tuxes and, oh, yeah, that tie-dyed suit we spotted behind the Atlas Brew Works table. And kilts! We spied multiple examples of this traditional Scottish apparel, including the one worn by Scott Harris, whose Catoctin Creek distillery, run with his wife, Becky, collected the award for regional food and beverage producer of the year.
Meredith Bethune, writing for Eater DC, also enjoyed the kilted men:
It seemed like anyone who wore a kilt automatically won this year. Scott Harris of Catoctin Creek said he spent a good chunk of money on one during a trip to Scotland, so he wears it whenever possible. Harris was the first to accept an award in Scottish gear, followed by Mark Benson from Bar Pilar and Neil Blackwood from Mintwood Place. Sue Palka of FOX 5 DC told the crowd, "I’m so buying my husband a kilt! I love ‘em!"
Here are some of the Washington DC area news outlets covering the 2015 RAMMY awards last night:
- Brightest Young Things
- Bourbon and Oak
- Capital Cooking Show
- DC Hot Spots
- DCist
- Eater DC
- Falls Church News-Press
- FSR Magazine
- Georgetown Patch
- Georgetowner
- Lani's Cup of Tea
- Leesburg Today
- Loudoun Times-Mirror
- Northern Virginia Magazine
- Revamp
- Washington Business Journal
- Washington City Paper
- Washington Post
- Washingtonian
- World News
- WTOP
Roundstone Rye reviewed in Wine Enthusiast
Created 2015-06-30 19:42:14
89 - Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye (USA; Catoctin Creek Distilling, Purcellville, VA). This single-barrel whiskey is made from 100% rye and aged for less than two years. In the glass, it has an orange-amber hue and aroma that melds oak, malt and vanilla. On the palate, vanilla leads, with oakiness winding into a baking-spice finish. A good match for Manhattans.
You can read the full review, here, or click the image at right.
Catoctin Creek cited as example of exporter benefiting from EX-IM policies
Created 2015-06-30 04:00:00
EX-IM Bank (The Export-Import Bank of the United States) is a government-supported bank that provides lending for US companies doing exports. Normally, an organization like this is mostly ignored by the general public, but for small businesses like ours, it is a crucial tool for encouraging US exports. In particular, the bank makes low cost insurance policies to guarantee invoices from foreign suppliers. This is important because it is usually necessary to extend credit terms to our foreign suppliers, but we cannot bear the risk if one of those suppliers fails to pay us for our goods. EX-IM fills in the gap with a low-cost insurance policy that allows us to extend terms, and vets for us the foreign company for credit-worthiness.
The EX-IM Bank is one of the organizations that could be de-funded by a lackluster, do-nothing congress. Luckily for Catoctin Creek, our senators from Virginia are helping to fight the good fight:
“At a time when U.S. exporters and manufacturers are already suffering from substantial economic uncertainty in Europe, they should not be subjected to additional uncertainty manufactured by Washington. The Export-Import Bank supports hundreds of thousands of American jobs tied to exports and helps businesses across Virginia export hundreds of millions of dollars in goods and services each year,” said Sens. Warner and Kaine. “The Export-Import Bank levels the playing field for U.S. exporters – many of them small businesses – by matching the financing that other governments provide to their exporters, and it does so at no cost to the taxpayer. In fact, over the last two decades, the Ex-Im Bank has actually helped reduce the deficit by generating nearly $7 billion more than it costs to operate.”
The Senators noted, “The Bank has operated for more than 80 years and has been reauthorized 16 times with bipartisan support under 13 different Presidents, Republican and Democrat. Congressional leadership should be ashamed for allowing this important job-creating tool to expire for the first time in its history.”
Read the full story, here, and be sure to voice your support with your local congress and senators.
Watershed Gin featured in Modern Luxury DC
Created 2015-07-07 20:40:42
Juniper takes center stage, though cinnamon, coriander and anise seed are all strong co-stars. Simply swirled with Schweppes tonic and a lemon slice, it's refreshment incarnate.
Read the full article, here.
Watershed Gin featured in Boise Weekly
Created 2015-07-15 18:09:58
Distilled in the foothills of Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains, Catoctin Creek is crafted from eco-ganic rye and wheat. It has a fair amount of heat on the nose, with spicy notes of cardamom and cinnamon followed by a waft of juniper and mild hint of chlorine. With a full body and a substantial boozy bite, tasters claimed this gin "will put hair on your chest."
Read the entire story, here.
Washingtonian's "Great Small Towns Near DC: Purcellville"
Created 2015-08-21 15:54:54
Washingtonian recently ran a story on the greatest small towns near Washington, DC. Our happy hamlet of Purcellville made the cut, and I'd like to think that Catoctin Creek had a little something to do with that! From the story:
In 2009, before microbreweries set up tanks, Catoctin Creek Distilling Company opened in the historic downtown. You can try whiskey flights for $10; be sure to sample Mosby's Spirit, a white rye. Down the street, Magnolias at the Mill serves tasty burgers, steaks, and sandwiches in a converted 1905 mill.
You can read the Purcellville story, here, and check out the other towns that made the list, here.
Brandy: A Beginner's Guide on Eater
Created 2015-08-27 18:52:07
The fabulous Jake Emen does a great story breaking down the types of brandy found worldwide. A wonderful Brandy 101 for beginners:
"The only times I really hear brandy referenced, it's the most generic, cliché image of a stuffy old white man in a smoking jacket with a snifter by a fireplace drinking some unpronounceable French brandy," says Chad Robinson, an all-around brandy enthusiast, and brand ambassador for Catoctin Creek, a Virginia distillery which produces a range of brandies, in addition to whiskey and gin. Yes, brandy can be enjoyed in that form and fashion. But no, that's not all there is to it.
Read the full story, here.
The Dominion Collective Profile
Created 2015-08-31 09:50:59
We have a nice profile of the distillery at The Dominion Collective. Joe Fitzpatrick does a pretty comprehensive piece, for example, this quote on why we chose to be eco-ganic:
For us, eco-ganic really is the starting point of historical accuracy. One hundred years ago, they didn’t have herbicides, fungicides, or insecticides. It was eco-ganic production; they just didn’t call it that. We felt that eco-ganic was more historically accurate with the way the spirit would taste, and it helps support sustainable farming and, generally speaking, gives smaller farmers that are seeking a high-value means of income for their crops. So we like the whole circle of life, crunchy granola kind of message too. But when it comes down to it, we like the taste, and the taste of the eco-ganic grain is super clean and doesn’t have any of the residues or off notes you would taste in a spirit that has been treated with these chemicals.
Read the full story, here.
Great story on rye whiskey in Washington Post Food
Created 2015-09-07 19:23:10
Carrie Allan and Jason Wilson wrote a sweeping piece in Washington Post Food about how Prohibition almost killed off rye whiskey completely. Luckily, in the past few years, we've seen a remarkable resurgence, but there's still a long way to go to get back to the glory days before Prohibition.
In July, a partisan crowd gathered at Tales of the Cocktail, the annual trade conference in New Orleans, for a debate titled “The Greatest Whisk(e)y Category Is . . . .” Organized by Derek Brown, owner of several D.C. bars and the spirits adviser for the National Archives, the argument pitted peat-loving sister against limestone- loving brother, brand rep against brand rep, whisky against whiskey.
Southern Efficiency’s J.P. Fetherston, arguing for the supremacy of bourbon, ramped up supporters with jingoistic appeals to their patriotism. Andy Nelson of Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery waved a picket sign as his brother Charlie advocated the superiority of Tennessee whiskey. Georgie Bell, brand ambassador for Mortlach single-malt Scotch, held out for the peaty classic.
After a vote taken by noise levels (a crowd whose morning has been spent tasting spirits is not one to hold back), Chad Robinson, who as global ambassador for Catoctin Creek Distilling had made the case for rye whiskey, stood triumphant.
The article goes on to discuss the various distilleries across the country re-introducing rye whiskey to the American public, and a couple of the styles in the production of the spirit. This is a great read, so be sure to check out the full story, here.
Malt Imposter Reviews Catoctin Creek
Created 2015-09-17 13:27:16
On the scale of the greatest players on the Phoenix Suns— The SCN Catoctin Creek 3 Year Old Rye Whisky (White Wine Cask) is Charles Barkley–Though he only played for a few years, he was nevertheless the league MVP on a team he led to the NBA Finals in 1992-93. Also, he was never, in any way, turrible.
Read the full review, here.
Lie to Me: Is Your Favorite Bourbon Crafted or Sourced?
Created 2015-09-20 11:53:45
Paste Magazine's Graham Averill exposes more of the activity behind the scenes in some of your favorite craft whiskey brands. Catoctin Creek gets a nice mention in the last paragraph:
Catoctin Creek produces a number of products out of their Virginia distillery, from a white whiskey to brandy to gin, but it’s the Roundstone Rye that you should be looking for. This rye has been lauded by every whiskey critic, from [Jim] Murray to the Washington Post, and for good reason—the 100% rye is aged for just under two years but still manages to hit all of the caramel, woody and spice high notes you expect from a rye. We tasted Catoctin Creek’s standard 80-proof rye, but they also make 92-proof and 116-proof versions.
Read the full story, here.
Zagat's 8 Reasons to Drive to Loudoun County
Created 2015-09-30 14:14:34
Catoctin Creek was recently listed as one of "8 Reasons to Drive to Loudoun County" by Zagat:
Among the cute little antiques shops in Downtown Purcellville — and across the street from Market Burger — is a family-owned distillery that puts out reputable bottles of kosher and local rye, gin and brandy. Take a tour and jump in on a tasting to see how those spirits get made and find their way into your city-slicker cocktails.
Also included in the story were some of our favorites like the Restaurant at Patowmack Farm and Market Burger. Read the full story, here.
Virginia Business covers Ex-Im and Catoctin Creek
Created 2015-10-22 13:34:29
Here's another article on the lunacy of our current congress, and their failure to support the obviously pro-business Ex-Im bank. This article is a great story showing how ridiculous ideological purity is costing Virginia businesses hundreds of millions of dollars in lost export opportunities. Get with the program, Congress!
Ex-Im Bank expiration came at the same time Virginia government and business leaders were trying to expand the state’s exports to help make up for the federal cuts under sequestration, which are hampering the commonwealth’s economic growth. “The timing of its expiration couldn’t be worse in Virginia because we are just now gearing up for a major push to expand manufacturing exports over the next 10 years,” says Brett Vassey, president and CEO of the Virginia Manufacturers Association.
Read the full story, here.
Pamela's Punch Profiles Scott & Becky
Created 2015-10-29 14:20:08
Melinda Contreras does a really cute profile on Scott & Becky for Pamela's Punch, a drinks and lifestyle blog. It's a really nice look behind the flashy copper equipment at the people behind the business at Catoctin Creek.
PP: What drink are you?
Scott: I know what drink my wife is.
Becky: I’m a Sazerac.
Scott: She’s a Sazerac. Old school, classic, and so sophisticated.
Becky: Perfectly balanced-you have to be balanced.
Scott: Complex and hard to understand on the first sip.
Becky: (laughs) What are you? A beer and a shot?
Read the full story, here.
Roundstone Rye on Fox News
Created 2015-11-27 12:19:25
Catoctin Creek has become an institution in the small town of Purcellville, Va., where the distillery holds a place of honor on the town’s main street. But the company’s flagship Roundstone Rye is taking off way beyond its small-town roots.
Read the full story, and see the other spirits on their list, here.
Catoctin Creek profiled on Foodable TV
Created 2015-12-17 13:34:36
Foodable TV does an in-depth story on how we started the distillery, and all the challenges we faced as we got started. It's a nice piece covering lots of ground on getting started. Allison Levine writes:
They began in 2009. Surprisingly, getting through all of the regulatory processes took less than a year. And while some traditionalists might assume a man is better suited for production and a woman is more fit for marketing, Becky and Scott nixed the stereotype, flip-flopping these roles based on their personal strengths. Once they got started, the question was not how to distill but how to make money doing it.
You can read the full story, here.
The Whisky Guy visits Catoctin Creek
Created 2015-12-17 16:05:23
Such a fun video, and a pretty comprehensive tour of the distillery:
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Check out more from The Whisky Guy, including podcasts and more videos!
The hunt for speakeasies and secret bars in KL
Created 2015-12-23 14:53:10
The Malaysian Insider reports on the growing speakeasy scene in Kuala Lumpur.
Tinged by a forbidden air lent by Prohibition times, these hidden bars all over Kuala Lumpur are just waiting to be found by the right people, for late nights with the coolest crowds.
Catoctin Creek even gets a cool shout-out from the good folks at 44 Bar:
44 specialises in American spirits, particularly gin, bourbon whisky, vodka, and tequila. You can order a tasting flight (RM40) of any three of their spirits. Our very learned bartender made great suggestions – the See 7 Stars moonshine made of barley and corn, the smokey Pinckney Bend whiskey (derived from corn, barley, and rye), and the purely rye Catoctin Creek Roundstone [Rye].
If you're headed to KL, or live there presently, you'll want to read the full story!
Becky gets mentioned in Wonderzine - A lifestyle magazine in Russia
Created 2016-01-07 15:58:44
Wow! Even Russia is taking notice of Becky and her awesome whisky-making abilities. Here's an article that popped up on our radar this week:
Firstly, women have always been employed in its manufacture, pausing only in the second half of the XX century. Secondly, today they feel no less comfortable. Becky Harris - co-founder of the [Catoctin Creek] distillery company in Virginia, Meredith Grella - in Pittsburgh, Marianne Barnes - Chief taster of one of the largest producers of alcohol and Peggy Noe Stevens - a fan of bourbon and founder of the company Bourbon Women.
Read the full story, here. You might need to hit Google Translate first, if you don't speak fluent Russian!
Catoctin Creek featured on Virginia ABC website
Created 2016-01-12 14:43:28
It was nice to see our largest customer, the Virginia ABC, serve up a featured story on our distillery this week. What's more, if you live in Virginia, you can now order our products online!
In the heart of Loudoun County, Catoctin Creek produces kosher rye whiskeys, gin and several brandies. In addition to their regular spirits, they also offer many special releases and experimental offerings. Catoctin Creek has a tasting room and offers distillery tours and special events throughout the year, including regular cocktail dinners and a special “Art of the Cocktail” seminar. They would be happy to have you visit!
Indeed, we would love you to visit!
You can read the full article, here.
Nice profile in Washington Life
Created 2016-03-03 16:47:53
Much thanks to Erica Moody, who writes for Washington Life, and does a nice profile of Catoctin Creek in her piece on area distilleries:
In the quaint downtown of Purcellville, Va., a family-owned business is breaking the mold and challenging convention. Certified kosher, sustainable, with production run by a woman whiskey-maker, Catoctin Creek is certainly not your run-of-the-mill (pun intended) distillery, and Scott and Becky Harris never intended it to be.
Read her full story, here.
Catoctin Creek wins Gold in Virginia Wine Lover Magazine's Best Of Reader's Choice Awards
Created 2016-04-02 00:42:59
We are very proud to announce that Catoctin Creek won gold in the category of Best Distillery in Virginia in Virginia Wine Lover magazine's Best Of Reader's Choice awards. About 28,000 people participated in the polling, in categories spanning across wine, beer, cider and yes, distilled spirits! What an honor to be selected from such a fine group of companies in the Commonwealth!
Click on the image below to expand the text, or click here to read the story online.
Becky Harris named in Top 100 Women in Loudoun County
Created 2016-04-04 00:49:15
Thanks to the Loudoun Business Journal for naming Becky Harris, our chief distiller and founder (and my loving wife!), in their 100 Women in Loudoun County in the Spring 2016 issue. Becky's hard work has gotten her a place, literally, right alongside Madeleine Albright! She's obviously in fine, and well-deserved company!
Congrats to Becky and to all the other wonderful ladies who shared the honor!
Catoctin Creek in Huffington Post Travel
Created 2016-04-29 17:24:04
Northern Virginia got special attention in this month's travel section of The Huffington Post. Malorie Yolen-Cohen lists the top 27 things to do while in our area, and calls us out at #4:
This territory just west of our Nation’s Capital, encompassing the growing-hipper-by-the-day towns of Leesburg and Purcellville, is touted as “DC’s Wine Region.” But though Loudoun County claims over 40 wineries, breweries and distilleries are also opening at fast pace. Many, not surprisingly, are owned and operated by former government contractors - engineers and scientists who wish to apply their knowledge of physics and chemistry to the spirits world.
...
4. Try out a slew of spirits at the source in Catoctin Creek Distillery’s repurposed 1921 garage (Purcellville). Engineers Becky and Scott Harris now apply their brainpower towards making incredibly good small batch whisky, gin and brandy. The world is slowly taking notice.
You can read the full article and check out the other fun places that were mentioned, here.
Catoctin Creek founder Scott Harris on All Things Loudoun podcast
Created 2016-05-03 13:23:00
If you've ever wanted to learn what it was like starting the distillery, and what were some of the biggest challenges we faced, this podcast is a great in-depth interview with Scott Harris, our founder:
If the embedded widget above doesn't work, you can directly hear the podcast, here.
Eater's 10 Best Rye Whiskies Under $35
Created 2016-05-11 11:18:04
Eater did a piece on the 10 best rye whiskies under $35, and gave Catoctin a shout-out in the latter half of the article, in their "5 Under $45" section. We're pleased to be mentioned in such good company.
Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye (80 proof), $39.99: Virginia's Catoctin Creek uses a 100 percent rye mash bill for its Roundstone Rye, which we haven't seen much or any of on this list. Roundstone is aged for under two years in 30 gallon casks. It's spicy and with a lighter profile than many ryes, and also showcases some cereal grain notes.
Read the full story, here.
Virginia Living Cocktails
Created 2016-05-19 15:44:52
Virginia Living magazine did a feature asking local Virginia bartenders to present some of their favorite cocktails. We were delighted to find ourselves in two of them: I Am Virginia by Todd Thrasher, and The Blue Puppy by Hunter Johnson.
We could all use something tall and cool heading into the summer season. And Virginia's top mixologists are only too happy to oblige. For stylish and delicious cocktails made in true Virginia fashion, try these signature quaffs from bars and restaurants around the state.
You can read the whole article and see the other recipes by clicking here.
Catoctin Creek featured in Distilled Magazine
Created 2016-06-01 20:26:04
A chemical engineer by training, Becky Harris blinked casually at her husband's suggestion that they quit six-figure day jobs to make whisky. "OK, I got this," Becky told Scott, unfazed. "You just need to make sure we can make some money."
The magazine is currently not available online, so if you can pick up a copy, grab one!
WTOP: Catoctin Creek on Capitol Hill seeking excise tax relief
Created 2016-06-08 10:34:20
WTOP aired a story about our efforts, along with other distillers and the Distilled Spirits Council, to seek federal excise tax (FET) relief for small producers. The story highlights the fact that spirits pay a proportionally larger percentage of excise taxes than do our counterparts in wine and beer, and seeks relief on the first 100,000 proof gallons produced.
Harris said he believes his small distillery could add employees and stir tourism if Congress extended to distilleries the federal excise tax breaks currently given to craft beer makers and small wineries. Right now, Harris and other craft distillers pay the same federal excise tax rate as their big competitors such as Jack Daniels and Jim Beam.
“It’s very hard for smaller companies like ours to compete and to do innovative, new products like we’re doing,” Harris said.
Distillers are asking Congress to cut the federal excise tax on the first 100,000 gallons of spirits produced to $2.70 per gallon for all distillers. The rate would then rise to $13.34 per gallon on alcohol produced after the first 100,000 gallons.
Read the full story, here.
Eater: 14 Best Affordable American Craft Whiskeys
Created 2016-06-14 17:20:21
Eater did a story on the best, most affordable American craft whiskey on the market, and we were delighted to be included in such fine company! But before publishing the list, they are very careful to lay down some ground rules first:
For these purposes, a craft whiskey producer must distill every last drop of what goes into the bottle—no sourcing or independent bottling. Rather than defining "craft" based on the number of bottles a company releases annually, we're just not including the major brands, and any other producer who does their own distilling is in play. The only caveat is that the brand must be at least partially distributed on a national basis, so that consumers can nab a bottle from an accessible online retailer.
About Catoctin Creek, they write:
1) Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye (80 proof), $39.99: While Catoctin Creek produces gin and brandy, and has released limited editions such as their Kings Mountain single malt (distilled from a beer made by Heritage Brewing), it's their rye whiskey that runs the Purcellville, Virginia distillery's show. Distinctive for being a rare 100 percent rye whiskey, the liquor showcases a light, spicy grain and oak profile. Catoctin Creek is also certified kosher.
Read the full story, here.
Best Local Distilleries, according to top DC bartenders
Created 2016-06-21 16:16:25
Thrillist just came out with their list of top local distilleries, as voted by top DC bartenders. We're so happy to be included in a list of very fine local providers!
"Roundstone Rye is a great whiskey -- robust, sweet, and spicy -- great in cocktails or neat. Catoctin shares a lot of values with us: they source locally and pesticide-free. They care about their quality, and it shows." -- Todd Thrasher, bartender/owner of the Eat Good Food Group (PX, Restaurant Eve, etc.)
Read the full story, here.
Catoctin Creek featured in Northern Virginia magazine "Distilleries" issue
Created 2016-06-22 17:14:41
Stefanie Gans, writer and food critic for Northern Virginia magazine, does a big article in the July 2016 issue about all the growth in distilleries in the Northern Virginia area. We're pleased to be featured alongside others in the region, including KO, Bowman, and Belmont Farm, to name a few. There are also some fantastic photos by Rey Lopez, one of our favorites in the area, so be sure to check this one out!
"If I can learn how to make contact [lenses]," Becky Harris says, she could master the age old distilling process. Now she starts her days at 6 a.m., making the mash with local rye and water, letting it sit, ferment. The stills stand next to floor-to-ceiling windows facing the center of Purcellville, what was once a town known for its temperance enthusiasm.
You can read the full story, here.
Roundstone Rye Cask Proof Reviewed
Created 2016-07-25 19:11:49
We recently submitted a bunch of our spirits to be reviewed in the American Whiskey Masters in London. The contest results have yet to come in, but apparently, now that the blind-judging is completed, the judges were allowed to pick and choose their favorite spirits to take home with them. Mark, from Malt Review, who also writes for Whisky Magazine, does a splendid job reviewing our Roundstone Rye Cask Proof. I particularly like his color note: "polished mahogany."
In the mouth: quite a chewy texture, but a wonderful balance of sweetness and bitterness from the wood as a first impression. And it follows very well from the nose: again, that tartness from the redcurrant, with wood tannins creating a nice cloying mouthfeel. Peppermint. Then the sugary goodness: molasses and prunes again. Blackcurrant. Elderberry. A slug of port before drifting into a slightly woody finish. For it’s the balance on the finish, again of the sweetness and the bitterness, which makes this such a great whiskey.
Read the full review, here.
Top 10 Unusual Whisky Cask Finishes
Created 2016-08-23 18:10:40
In an article that covers unusual cask finishes—everything from fish barrels to Tabasco barrels—it was cool to see The Spirits Business pick up a story on our Maple Finished Cask Proof:
One of the quirkier expressions created by [Catoctin] Creek in the name of “research and development”, this whisky is created by finishing ‘cask proof’ Roundstone Rye in a Langdon Wood maple syrup barrel. According to Catoctin, the resulting liquid is “not cloying or sweet”, but instead offers “a smooth maple flavour that blends perfectly into the whisky”, with “a maple finish that goes on, and on, and on, and on…”.
You can read the full story, here.
Top 10 Best Value for Money American Whiskeys
Created 2016-08-23 18:10:40
Hot on the heels of the American Whiskey Masters, where Catoctin Creek received a gold medal and two silver medals, Nicola Carruthers at The Spirits Business called out ten best whiskey values from the USA:
Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye Cask Proof caught the attention of the panel and was accordingly awarded a Gold. The bottling was described as “very balanced and opened well with water”. Judges found it to be a good example of a rye whiskey due to being “sweet” on the nose but with “rye characteristics”.
You can read the full story, here.
Top 10 Coolest American Distilleries to Visit
Created 2016-08-31 18:56:34
Holiday Lettings is a branch of TripAdvisor from the United Kingdom. They recently listed the top ten coolest distilleries to visit in America. Catoctin Creek came in at number TWO!
From the article:
Although Prohibition put a damper on America’s ability to drink in the 1920s and 1930s, the recent emergence of craft distilleries has put drinking spirits back on the map. We searched high and low to find the coolest distilleries across the country to sip top-notch beverages. The distilleries on our list pride themselves on using locally-sourced (when possible) ingredients to produce high-quality spirits ranging from classic whiskies to off-the-wall flavoured vodkas. Each can be savoured in the form of a tasting flight or mixed into a craft cocktail. No matter what you order, there’s nothing like tasting spirits straight from their source.
Read the full article, here.
Scott Harris talks whisky and history on The Whisky Guy podcast
Created 2016-09-02 20:19:35
I hope you'll enjoy this little podcast by The Whisky Guy interviewing our founder, Scott Harris. A little history, a little whisky, and a lot of fun!
The podcast site is located here, and we recommend you check them out and subscribe: http://www.thewhiskyguy.com/020-2/
Adroit Beer/Whisky Collaboration in Washington City Paper
Created 2016-09-23 13:06:09
Our second beer collaboration, this one with Adroit Theory Brewing Company and called Día de los Muertos, will be available on November 12 (November 2 for VIP members). Warren Rojas does the full backstory at Washington City Paper:
Next to scrutinize the end result was Becky Harris, Scott’s wife and Catoctin Creek’s chief distiller. As she siphoned the resulting whiskey from its cask, she couldn’t help gush about the collaboration. “I’ve been waiting for this one for two years,” she says as she pulls a dram of the experimental beverage they dubbed “Día de los Muertos” American Malt Whisky.
“The name of the original beer was Día de los Muertos. So it made sense to name the whiskey the same,” [Mark] Osborne [founder of Adroit Theory Brewing Company] says of the ominous moniker he came up with.
The whiskey smells of roasted malt and shines as brightly as copper. It’s less forceful on the palate than traditional rye whiskey, but still has a rich mouthfeel, conveying definitive hoppiness balanced by caramel notes.
You can read the full story, here.
Local Distillers Highlighted in the Washington Post's Going Out Guide
Created 2016-12-02 15:53:41
This month, Fritz Hahn did a fantastic story on the craft distilling scene in DC. Things have certainly exploded since 2010, when we came on the scene in the District! When we started selling in DC, there were two (us and Copper Fox). Now there are over ten... and more each year!
About Catoctin Creek, Fritz writes:
The 80-proof original, a young (almost two-year-old) whiskey with lots of rye spice and caramel and woody notes, is a solid all-purpose rye for cocktails. The 92 proof ($52.79), released in 2014, takes the spice and sweetness up a level and is great neat or with ice. The cask strength ($89), is a must-try for serious whiskey aficionados; it's released in limited quantities twice per year.
You can read the full story, here.
David Wondrich Reviews Peach Brandy
Created 2016-12-13 18:48:55
David Wondrich does a fantastic piece on peach brandy in The Daily Beast. I love the history presented. I always learn from Mr. Wondrich. We are so happy to be included in his review as well:
From Purcellville, Virginia’s popular Catoctin Creek distillery there’s the Short Hill Mountain Peach Brandy ($30/375 ml), which explores the funkier end of the spirit’s flavor spectrum. It offers notes of honeysuckle and aged tobacco in the nose and is thick, rich and sweet on the palate, with plenty of peach skin.
We still have it available at the distillery for only $29 per bottle. Get yours! In the meantime, read the full story, here.
Catoctin Creek profiled in the Loudoun Now
Created 2017-02-18 13:04:04
Loudoun Now did a great article on our recent growth and the investment by Constellation Brands. From the story:
“With the advent of increased competition even locally, it really takes more resources to support your brand,” she said. “We were trying to grow ọṙḡạṇịcally but it gets more and more difficult to see sales consistently stay level when you don’t have the support that you need. We were looking for a strategic partner.”
You can read the full story, here. Photo credit: Douglas Graham, Loudoun Now.
Scott Harris talks about Catoctin Creek on The Sports and Spirits Podcast
Created 2017-02-23 21:19:00
I hope you'll enjoy this little podcast by The Sports and Spirits Podcast interviewing our founder, Scott Harris. A little history about Catoctin Creek starts at minute 53:00.
The podcast is located on iTunes, here.
DC Refined covers our bottling workshops
Created 2017-06-26 13:31:34
Photo courtesy Kelly Magyarics.
Kelly Magyarics writes in DC Refined about our bottling workshops. If you haven't had the opportunity to attend one of these free events, you really are missing out on the fun!
Ever take a distillery tour and say to yourself: “I’d love to give that a try”? Well, while you can’t technically make a batch of their award-winning Roundstone Rye (that would be the job of co-founder, chief distiller and former chemical engineer Becky Harris), you can get a taste of the booze producer life at Catoctin Creek Distilling Company. Each month on a Saturday, the craft spirits operation holds a free bottling workshop for curious spirits fans (and anyone who’s ever wanted to be part of a production line.)
You can read the full story, here.
Old Tom Gin in Garden and Gun
Created 2017-07-13 18:23:46
Many thanks to Wayne Curtis, writing for Garden and Gun, in this feature on Old Tom Gin and our special Pearousia barrel version. Wayne writes:
For the Pearousia Barrel Old Tom Watershed Gin—a third limited bottling of which was released this past spring—Purcellville’s Catoctin Creek ages its acclaimed Watershed Gin, distilled from local rye and wheat, for four months in barrels freshly emptied of pear brandy, that classic Southern spirit. The result’s dense floral aroma filigreed with toasty oak convincingly changes the geography of gin.
You can read the full story, here.
WDBJ-TV: Virginia Governor Declares Virginia Spirits Month
Created 2017-09-03 16:41:02
Nice to show up in the Roanoke based Local Roots restaurant cocktail for this news piece about September and Virginia Spirits Month:
Read the full story, here.
Catoctin Creek on Channel 4, UK News
Created 2017-09-03 16:55:42
Catoctin Creek featured prominently in a news story on the US/UK free trade relationship. You can view the story, here:
And read further background on the topic, here.
Our story in the Richmond Times-Dispatch
Created 2017-09-13 14:30:58
Jack Berninger does a really nice profile piece on the distillery and what motivated us to get started with rye. Quoting the story:
"We settled on rye for three reasons,” Scott said. “No. 1, it was delicious; 2, nobody was making anything like it at the time. It was unique; and 3, it was the historical whiskey grain of Virginia.
Those seemed like good reasons to hitch our wagon to the rye train.”
You can read the full story, here.
Catoctin Creek named Finalist in the 2018 Good Food Awards
Created 2017-11-08 05:00:00
The 15 categories the Good Food Awards celebrate -- from spirits to cheese to coffee -- comprise over $200 billion in America's gross domestic product, a greater portion than the cattle and pork industries combined. The 2018 Finalists represent the vanguard in each of their industries, setting new standards for gastronomic excellence as well as social and environmental practices that have over time proven to be adopted by the rest of the industry. Each Finalist rose to the top in a blind tasting of 2,057 entries, and also passed a rigorous vetting to confirm they meet Good Food Awards standards regarding supply chain transparency, environmentally sound agricultural practices, humane animal husbandry and deep community engagement.
View the complete list of 2018 Good Food Awards finalists, here.
Fantastic Rabble Rouser review at Astor Wine and Spirits
Created 2017-11-10 20:36:11
Staff Pick Notes
Do you long for a robust whiskey? Rabble Rouser is easily the best I've had all year. What it lacks in age statement and pedigree is more than made up for with real character. Tasting it for the first time, I enjoyed a depth of flavor I've never experienced with another rye. It reminded me of Belgian waffles baked dark and chocolate chip cookies without the sugar. Big spice, too. This caramelized grain flavor is the antithesis of what people dislike about young craft whiskey, that unresolved raw flour sensation on the mid-palate. In a category full of heritage brands, scarcity performs a strange seduction. I guess some people enjoy the hunt for whatever the whiskey blogs are talking about, but if you'd like something more than a trophy, give Catoctin Creek a shot.
- TT
Read the full review and order the product, here. WHILE SUPPLIES LAST!!
Catoctin Creek included in Forbes' Holiday Season List
Created 2017-11-30 15:55:08
If you're purchasing whiskey for the holidays, Forbes has a nice recommendation: us!
Catoctin Creek Distilling Co. Roundstone Single Barrel Rye Whiskey &endash; Purcellville, VA (SRP $45)
Delicate at first, this single-barrel rye gains in strength on the tongue, with flashes of herb, pear, white chocolate, whole-grain toast, and gentle spice.
Read the full article, here.
Catoctin Creek in Travel Channel
Created 2017-12-13 21:26:30
Nice mention on the Travel Channel web site:
[O]ne of the top boutique rye makers in the country, Catoctin Creek Distilling in Purcellville, Virginia.
Award-winners for their Virginia-crafted 80 and [92] proof rye, Catoctin Creek was singled out recently for a Good Food Awards for those distinctive spirits.
This family-run distillery in Loudon, County Virginia produces rye, gin and brandy from local Virginia wines. Forbes offered this enticing description of Catoctin’s Roundstone Single Barrel Rye Whisky, “Delicate at first, this single-barrel rye gains in strength on the tongue, with flashes of herb, pear, white chocolate, whole-grain toast, and gentle spice.” Sold!
Read the full story, here.
Women Mixing It Up - The Total Wine Livestream
Created 2018-03-01 16:19:08
Women have worked hard to win some of the most rewarding and difficult jobs in a male- dominated industry – distilling fine spirits and brewing beer. Join our conversation and sampling with four women who’ve blazed trails to craft acclaimed spirits and world-famous beers: Lesley Gracie, Master Distiller for Hendrick’s Gin, Becky Harris, Chief Distiller for Catoctin Creek, Allison Parc, creator of Brenne Single Malt Whisky, Hollie Stephenson, Head Brewer for Guinness North America.
If you are not able to personally be present at the Total Wine Livestream event this weekend, here is a link to the Livestream on YouTube, or continue to watch this space on Saturday, March 3, 4pm.
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Catoctin Creek named Best of NOVA 2018!
Created 2018-03-30 16:02:47
You eat, live and breathe this region. Who better to judge which restaurant has the best bite to eat, which store delivers the greatest products and which venue offers the most entertaining events? So, Northern Virginians, tell us the local spots that make living here all worth your while.
Thank you to all the great readers of Northern Virginia Magazine who voted Catoctin Creek as Best Distillery for 2018! We are delighted with the news!
Look for more in the upcoming June issue of the magazine!
Roundstone Rye Cask Proof wins at World Whiskies Awards
Created 2018-02-27 19:19:05
You can read the full article, here.
WhiskyCast: 90 Points for Roundstone Rye Distiller's Edition
Created 2018-04-30 19:16:49
Score: 90 points
This edition is bottled at 46% ABV, compared to the 40% strength of the standard Roundstone Rye, and the difference clearly shows. The nose is very aromatic with notes of honey, butterscotch, bitter lemon, linseed oil, and muted spices. The taste is tart and spicy with cinnamon and clove balanced by lemon zest, honey, vanilla, and a nice touch of butterscotch that comes out late and sticks around through the finish, along with muted spices and a touch of lemon zest. Nice!
You can read the full review, here.
Talking Taxes and Whisky Sours on Fox 5 News
Created 2018-05-17 13:50:17
- The reduction in Federal Excise Tax has allowed small businesses like ours to invest in jobs--good high paying jobs--that improve our local community.
- We also invest in other businesses like farms and other suppliers, further boosting the local economy.
- The tax savings allow us to invest in our own business with about $1M more of equipment coming online in the next year, allowing us to get more of our product to more people.
- And finally, May is whisky sours month at Catoctin Creek, and a hibiscus, strawberry, lime whisky sour is a beautiful thing!
Watch the full clip, here.
Bourbon Paddy reviews Roundstone Rye 92 Proof Distillers Edition
Created 2018-05-28 14:01:51
This is a very nice easy drinking rye whisky; it’s smooth, flavourful, well-balanced, and not just an over-oaked fiery wall of young rye spice and barrel char. What stands out for me is despite coming across young and grain forward on the nose, those bold and spicy rye grain notes are very well balanced by the rest of the flavours as you sip giving a spicy rye with a fruity edge. At times it is hard to believe that this is a 100% rye mashbill because of all the beautiful flavour notes that emerge as you chew this; however, I put this down to the fact that this isn’t sourced (so no familiar MGP notes here) and Catoctin’s considerate approach when making this whisky.
You can read the full review, which includes detailed notes on nose, palate, finish, as well as production notes, here.
Photo courtesy Bourbon Paddy.
Talking trade tariffs and whiskey on Fox News
Created 2018-06-10 21:54:07
Scott was invited down to Fox News to talk about trade tariffs and how they'll negatively impact small business and large business alike in the spirits sector. Trade wars like the one proposed are direct threats to the growth and expansion of manufacturing and agriculture jobs across all 50 states. Click the video below to learn more.
Hotmixology Revisit - Nine Years Later
Created 2018-06-01 13:18:20
Nine years have passed since our first appearance on Hotmixology. Check us out again with our Roundstone Rye!
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AP News story on how the trade tariffs will hurt US whiskey
Created 2018-06-21 14:12:31
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The Associated Press released a story this week, and it featured Catoctin Creek. The gist of the story is that the Trump trade tariffs will appreciably harm both big producers and small producers alike, just as the US whiskey market is set to explode in Europe. The timing could not be worse.
[Scott Harris, Founder at Catoctin Creek] worries his overseas distributors might drop his spirits if the dispute drags on, and consumers will quench their thirst elsewhere. Already, rye whiskeys are coming out of Ireland and Scotland, he said, and with a bit of internet digging, "I could probably come up with a German distiller who's making a corn spirit that could, for all practical purposes, be very similar to bourbon."
The story was released nationally, and showed up in many newspapers. We like the version in the Sacramento Bee best, because it included some cool photos at the distillery. Read that, here.
Original AP story, here.
New York Times article on the trade tariffs
Created 2018-06-23 12:32:51
A self-described free-trade Republican, Mr. Harris is disappointed with the path that his party has taken on trade.
“I remember just two years ago we were talking about pushing hard for the Trans-Pacific Partnership so we could open markets in Asia, but all of that has just been turned upside down,” Mr. Harris said. “It really is quite puzzling.”
Read the original story, here.
Fox5 DC interviews Scott Harris on the tariffs
Created 2018-06-23 12:18:10
Fox5 DC came out to Purcellville to interview Scott Harris, founder of the distillery, about the impacts of the trade tariffs on his growing small business. Matt Ackland reports:
Starting on Friday, the European Union has slapped a 25-percent tariff on whiskey and other products. Harris said he has already produced more product for his European customers and worries what he will do with it if those customers go away due to higher prices.
“I have been asked, ‘Does that mean we’re laying people off?’” Harris said. “No, we’re not laying people off, but we may not be hiring anybody for a while now either.”
You can read the entire story, here. Or click the image above to see the video.
More on Tariffs in Vanity Fair
Created 2018-06-26 13:42:22
The coverage continues. Vanity Fair has a story sweeping up the impact of the tariffs across a broad set of industries, including ours:
American whiskey makers are worried the E.U.’s retaliatory 25 percent duty on whiskey will obliterate its export business, with Scott Harris, a founder of Catoctin Creek Distillery, telling the Times, “We are just launching into the European market now in a big way, and . . . we’re probably going to see all of our European sales now come to a screeching halt”
Read the full story, here.
CGTN America produces report on tariffs' effect on American whiskey
Created 2018-06-27 13:23:45
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Owen Fairclough, reporting for CGTN America, does a thorough job explaining the perils that small whiskey producers, such as ourselves, face due to the trade tariffs. He writes:
Distilled spirits have enjoyed huge growth in the U.S over the last 20 years and are now manufactured and exported from 42 U.S States. The impact of those tariffs is being felt across the country.
According to the Distilled Spirits Council, nearly half of the exports are being targeted by tariffs. And it’s not just the liquor.
The tanks used in the distilling process are made from European metal – and even they’ve been hit by tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.
You can read the full story, here.
Further tariff coverage on WJLA ABC 7 News
Created 2018-06-27 11:36:02
Local news channel WJLA ABC 7 covered our story on the trade tariff impacts on our whiskey business. Tim Barber reports:
Distilling whiskey takes time. And so does positioning a small business for a big, overseas expansion.
“These are solid, good American manufacturing jobs and these are being impacted,” says Scott Harris of Catoctin Creek Distilling Company in Purcellville.
Right now, the price of his most popular bottle is $45 overseas. But if the tariff turmoil continues, that price could jump to $56 per bottle.
You can read the full story, here.
German language coverage of the trade tariffs from NTV
Created 2018-06-27 16:33:15
Sprechen Sie Deutsch? Wenn ja, können Sie gerne erfahren, wie sich die Trump-Zölle negativ auf amerikanische Whiskyhersteller wie Catoctin Creek auswirken. Dies ist eine übersetzte Version der ursprünglichen AP-Geschichte von Bruce Schreiner.
US-Whiskybrennereien bangen um Exportgeschäft — Echter Bourbon könnte schon bald deutlich teurer werden. Grund sind die von der EU verhängten Vergeltungszölle auf US-Produkte. Doch nicht nur Verbraucher dürften künftig unter dem Handelsstreit leiden. Viele Whiskeybrennereien in den USA blicken mit Sorge auf die Handelsstreit.
Sie können das Video anzeigen, indem Sie auf das obige Video klicken oder hier klicken.
Do you speak German? If so, you can enjoy learning about how the Trump trade tariffs are negatively affecting US whiskey makers like Catoctin Creek. This is a translated version of the original AP story by Bruce Schreiner.
US whiskey distilleries are worried about export business - real bourbon could soon become significantly more expensive. The reason is the EU's retaliatory tariffs on US products. But not only consumers are likely to suffer from the trade dispute in the future. Many whiskey distilleries in the US are worried about the trade dispute.
You can view the video by clicking the video above, or click here.
Further German language coverage:
Scott Harris on Fox Business talking trade tariffs
Created 2018-06-28 12:50:30
Scott Harris (our founder and general manager) was on Fox Business this week, on Countdown to the Closing Bell with Liz Claman, discussing trade tariffs and their impact to our small business. This is great insight into the unintended consequences of this trade war with the EU, in a non-partisan forum. This topic isn't about politics, but rather, about allowing free and fair trade between the EU and the USA so small businesses like ours can grow and create good paying American jobs.
“The impact of these tariffs is going to wipe out all the benefits we got from the tax cuts for our particular business,” he said during an interview with FOX Business’ Liz Claman on Wednesday. “That’s really disappointing for us.”
See for yourself in the video above, or for the full story, click here.
Bloomberg coverage of the trade tariffs
Created 2018-07-03 12:48:53
Photo courtesy Kristen Dill.
Bloomberg has continuing coverage of the Trump Trade Tariffs, and their unintended impact on craft distillers like us. Janine Wolf reports:
For the Harris family in Purcellville, the European market was supposed to represent 25 percent revenue this year—a significant share for a company of just 20 employees. It started spending the $100,000 in 2013 with a focus on Germany and Italy, with the expansion into its new markets expected to take off this year. Now, Catoctin Creek won’t be sending another shipment to the continent until either tariffs are lifted or a European customer places an order where they're swallowing the tariff cost.
"The only option that we’re really left with,” Scott Harris said, “is to tread water and see how long this will [shake] out."
Read the full story, here.
Senator Tim Kaine discusses Catoctin Creek in Senate Committee
Created 2018-07-12 18:07:49
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Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) highlighted our company as an example of how the trade tariffs are hurting US small businesses, particularly manufacturing and agriculture jobs. From their press release:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, pressed a Trump Administration official on President Trump’s trade war and the concerns he’s heard from Virginia farmers and business owners about the negative effect it is having on their business. In a Committee hearing on tariffs, Kaine, with a bottle Catoctin Creek Whiskey from Purcellville, VA in hand, told the success story of the Loudoun County company’s expansion and how that is now at risk because of the trade war that the Trump Administration has created with our allies.
You can watch the full video, here.
Further coverage:
More International Coverage on the Trade Tariffs
Created 2018-07-26 15:53:54
While President Trump and EU chair Junkers met to begin the process of negotiating the tariffs, Catoctin Creek received more press coverage as an unintended victim on the ongoing trade war. Both BBC (UK) and ARD (Germany) have stories on the issue, featuring out distillery:
From the BBC article, "Now in the craft distilling industry [in the United States], we have small distillers like ourselves in all fifty states," says Scott Harris, founder of Catoctin Creek. "If these trade negotiations go on for many months, or a year or more, then we're really going to have to re-evaluate our European strategy. and it means we may have to pull back from Europe for a while."
From the ARD article, "The difficult thing about being in the whisky business," says Mr. Harris, "is, you know, we've laid down whisky years ago in anticipation for markets for today."
Here are links to the various web, radio, and TV spots:
- BBC Web Coverage, 2018 July 26
- BBC Radio Coverage, 2018 July 26
- ARD Web Coverage, 2018 July 26
- ARD Radio Coverage, 2018 July 26
- ARD TV Coverage, 2018 July 26
The BBC audio was also picked up by American Public Radio, which ran it on the Marketplace Morning Report:
- Marketplace Morning Report, 2018 July 27 (minute 4:30)
One Nation Under Whisky Podcast
Created 2018-08-01 12:44:10
We were absolutely delighted to be part of the One Nation Under Whisky podcast. If you're a whisky nerd, who wishes to know all the details, this is a fun, clever, and not-taking-itself-too-seriously podcast. Love, love, love it!
Give it a listen, here.
Inside Loudoun visits the distillery
Created 2018-08-03 23:13:40
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We had the pleasure of hosting Inside Loudoun at our distillery last month. They had a great time sampling our seasonal cocktails, and visiting with Denise, our tasting room manager:
Sipping the spirits at Catoctin Creek is part of the experience. Visitors can make reservations (necessary on weekends) to try flights of their Roundstone Rye, Watershed Gin and brandies straight, or make choose to enjoy them mixed into incredibly creative cocktails by bartender brainiac, Denise Petty. Every recipe from the monthly changing drink menu captures the season and features locally-sourced juices, syrups and bitters.
You can read the full story, here, or watch the video above.
Becky Harris featured on Great Day Live! on WHAS
Created 2018-08-14 18:53:53
Becky Harris was featured today on Great Day Live! on WHAS TV in Louisville, Kentucky. This week, we're launching Catoctin Creek into the Kentucky market, and today's show was celebrating that launch, and featuring our distiller dinner tonight at Decca restaurant. You can watch the full video, here.
Catoctin Creek Nominated in USA Today's 10 Best Awards
Created 2018-08-18 21:28:59
Catoctin Creek has been nominated in USA Today's "10 Best" awards, in the category of "Best Brandy". Please go to the link below and VOTE for us every day! From the article:
While Catoctin Creek might be best known for its flagship rye whiskey, the Virginia distillery also makes the state’s first commercial grape brandy since the founding of the Commonwealth. This 1757 Virginia Brandy, made from locally grown wine grapes, is aged in French oak barrels for at least two years.
Voting is now closed.
Catoctin Creek in Kentucky
Created 2018-08-20 13:16:48
Louisville Business First did a story on our launch into Kentucky last week. David Mann writes:
[Scott] and his wife, Becky Harris, started a rye whiskey distillery, Catoctin Creek Distillery, in Purcellville, Va., in 2009 — just before the spicy whiskey drink catapulted to a ubiquitous offering at bars and liquor stores everywhere.
...
The company's product hit shelves here recently — It's available at 8UP, Westport Whiskey and Wine, Total Wine & More, Taste Fine Wines and Bourbons and other places. The company uses Heidelberg Distributing Co. in Louisville.
You can read the full story, here.
Roundstone Rye Cask Proof receives 93 points from WhiskyCast!
Created 2018-09-03 04:00:00
93 points. This rye whiskey from Virginia’s Catoctin Creek Distillery is often hard to find, but well worth the effort. The nose has soft spices and touches of toffee, vanilla, honey, and charred oak. The taste starts off with dark fruity notes of raisins and plums, followed by spicy notes of clove, allspice, and a hint of coriander while toffee, vanilla, and caramel notes add balance in the background. The finish is very long and rich with lingering spices and a hint of honey. This is cask-strength rye whiskey that doesn’t taste like it’s cask-strength! Excellent!
Read the full review, here.
Catoctin Creek named in USA Today's 10 Best Awards
Created 2018-09-22 04:00:00
While Catoctin Creek might be best known for its flagship rye whiskey, the Virginia distillery also makes the state’s first commercial grape brandy since the founding of the Commonwealth. This 1757 Virginia Brandy, made from locally grown wine grapes, is aged in French oak barrels for at least two years.
You can read the full article, here.
Scott Harris on Uncapped Podcast
Created 2018-09-27 13:52:42
Our founder, Scott Harris, headed up to Frederick this week to chat with the guys at the Uncapped podcast. After nearly ten years in business, Scott reflects on how they got started, the financial, competitive, and legal environments then and now, and reviews some of the recent awards from the New York competition.
You can listen to the podcast, here, or head over to their site and subscribe, here.
Modern Bar Cart Podcast - The Battle of the Bartenders
Created 2018-09-27 13:57:30
We had a lovely event last month, The Battle of the Bartenders, where some of Loudoun County's top mixologists came together to sling cocktails and compete to see who had the best drinks. Proceeds went to support CORE (Children of Restaurant Employees), who support those in our industry in need. It was a great wild evening, and definitely for a great cause.
Eric Kozlik reviewed the evening in his Modern Bar Cart podcast. You can listen to the full episode, here, or go over to his site and subscribe, here.
More Tariff Coverage from TF1 (France)
Created 2018-11-07 05:00:00
We received some more press on the trade tariffs, this time from France's TF1 television station. Translating the summary of the article, to English, and the original French:
When Donald Trump's policy penalizes American companies
Donald Trump has upset the rules of world trade in recent months, like the customs duties of 25% introduced on some European products. This policy was very popular in the United States, initially. However, it is starting to have negative consequences for some American companies. A crankback that concerns even everyday consumers. This topic was broadcast in the news broadcast of 20H of 03/11/2018 presented by Anne-Claire Coudray on TF1. You will find in the program of the 20H news of November 3, 2018 reports on current political economic, international and cultural, analysis and rebound on the main topics of the day, topics in the regions and surveys on topics that concern the daily French.---
Quand la politique de Donald Trump pénalise les entreprises américaines
Donald Trump a bouleversé les règles du commerce mondial ces derniers mois, à l'exemple des taxes douanières de 25% instaurées sur certains produits européens. Cette politique était très populaire aux États-Unis, au départ. Cependant, celle-ci commence à avoir des conséquences négatives sur certaines entreprises américaines. Un retour de manivelle qui concerne même les consommateurs quotidiens. Ce sujet a été diffusé dans le journal télévisé de 20H du 03/11/2018 présenté par Anne-Claire Coudray sur TF1. Vous retrouverez au programme du JT de 20H du 3 novembre 2018 des reportages sur l'actualité politique économique, internationale et culturelle, des analyses et rebonds sur les principaux thèmes du jour, des sujets en régions ainsi que des enquêtes sur les sujets qui concernent le quotidien des Français.
Watch the video, here.
Great Rabble Rouser review in Paste
Created 2018-11-21 16:25:08
We have begun seeing some of the sneak-preview reviews of our forthcoming Rabble Rouser Bottled In Bond Rye Whisky Release. Graham Averill, writing for Paste, gives us stunning marks on the new dram:
Rabble Rouser doesn’t need any fancy stamp to be great, though. It just is. The 100% rye is aged for four years and bottled at 100 proof. It pours a deep mahogany and has an incredibly enticing nose full of cherries and toasted marshmallows. There’s nothing but rye in the bottle, so you’ve got plenty of spice to contend with, with notes of pepper and ash, but also a hell of a lot of caramel, like from the center of your favorite candy bar. There’s some stone fruit in there, maybe some figs and something nutty, like cashews. A layer of heat underscores all of it so you realize you’re drinking a relatively high-proof rye.
You can read the full review, here.
Bourbon Brotherhood and the Distillery Trail
Created 2018-12-19 18:48:05
On my recent visit to Louisville, Kentucky, I was invited to speak at the December meeting of the Bourbon Brotherhood. Lucky for me, Distillery Trail was there covering the meeting. They did a nice profile of our company, our products, and the history of rye whiskey in Virginia.
Husband and wife team Scott and Becky Harris started Catoctin Creek Distilling in 2009. In the late 2000s, Scott had what one might call a mid-life crisis as he approached 40. “You know if I was going to construct for myself, the perfect version of hell, it would be sitting in a windowless office under fluorescent light making PowerPoint charts for people that will never read them,” said Scott. “I started to day dream about making something. I kept going back to when I was a 15 year old kid and I worked in a winery. It was cool, in a winery, you press the grapes, you bottle it, you ferment it and you do all this stuff and at the end of the day, or at the end of a fermentation period you have something in your hand, you can present it to somebody, you pour it, you can taste it and you can say, ‘I made that.'”
You can read the full story and see the video, here.
Hai Visto Tom Collins!
Created 2018-12-24 22:39:53
Enjoy this fun little video from Italy! I don't think you need to speak Italian to enjoy this.
Much thanks to Zafferano for the sponsorship of the product.
Washington Post : Whiskey Sour
Created 2019-01-03 14:53:22
Some coverage of how trade wars hurt small businesses like ours, front page coverage from the Washington Post:
But weeks after the Harrises’ triumphant European tour, the White House unleashed a trade war with the European Union by slapping tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. The E.U. retaliated with tariffs that made some American goods, including bourbon and rye whiskey, more expensive to import.
Catoctin Creek’s orders from Europe dried up, and a potential British distributor lost interest. He “ghosted us like a bad girlfriend,” Scott Harris said from the distillery’s red-brick tasting room as a pair of shiny stills chugged away behind a plate-glass window. “He just stopped answering the phone.”
Read the full story, here.
Celebrating 10 years on WUSA-9's Great Day Washington
Created 2019-03-20 13:07:15
Becky and Scott had the pleasure to go on Great Day Washington to talk about what it's been like to be distilling for 10 years. We also got to mix up a Colonial Mint Julep and talk about our upcoming 10th anniversary party!
Check out the entire clip by clicking on the image above, or click here.
More painful tariff coverage in Barron's
Created 2019-03-20 12:09:09
Jake Emen covers the topic:
Harris says that his company has directly spent $100,000 on export promotion trips to the EU in the years since. The result was that in 2018, Catoctin Creek expected a full quarter of its revenue to come from the European market. Right before the tariffs hit, he says another trip overseas netted a dozen handshake deals he was eager to finalize.
“Upon our return, when the tariffs went into effect, our distributor dropped us, and our sales in the U.K. never materialized,” Harris says. “That 25% revenue we expected from Europe was about 1%.”
Read the full story, here.
Catoctin Creek review on Bourbon & Banter
Created 2019-04-12 14:36:53
Lee Stang, writing for Bourbon & Banter, does revisits the distillery after an eight year hiatus. Though he was not originally a fan, he seems to be now:
As I said at the beginning, I had tasted the Roundstone Rye about 8 years ago and was not a fan. This time around however was totally different. More rich and complex for an 80 proof rye. Remembering our talk about the 4 rye strain mash bill I asked if that is what they were using 7 or 8 years ago and Scott replied no, they had used a rye grain from Kansas and that was all they used. Over the years it appears that the taste profile has changed.
You can read the full story, here.
Bit by a Fox podcast
Created 2019-04-12 19:59:15
If you ever want to hear the deep origin story of Catoctin Creek, this podcast is the best we've heard yet. Prairie Rose was enormously gracious in listening to my mid-life crisis story:
As I said in the podcast, "I wanted to do something made by hand. ... Well, I'd love to make whisky!"
You can listen to the full podcast here, or download the MP3 here.
The 10 Best Bottled-in-Bond-Whiskies: Hiconsumption
Created 2019-05-03 12:04:34
Hiconsumption gives us a little history about bottled-in-bond whiskey and what makes it special. Then, he highlights the 10 best, and our Rabble Rouser is first on the list! Sean Tirman writes:
With a name that harkens back to Old West barroom brawls and bootlegging, Catoctin Creek’s Rabble Rouser Bottled-in-Bond Rye is a much smoother and gentler drink than its name might suggest. As perfect in classic cocktails as it is on its own, this whiskey has a deep caramel color, both spice and sweetness on the tongue, and a finish that tapers off smoothly without lingering for too long. If you can find it, it should cost around $99 a bottle.
You can read the entire story, here.
Whiskey Wash reviews Rabble Rouser
Created 2019-05-03 12:36:13
The Whiskey Wash reviews Rabble Rouser. I think they love it, giving it a 4.5 out of 5 stars. Cindy Capparelli writes:
4.5 of 5 stars. Catoctin Creek’s Roundstone Rye has received multiple accolades. Think of the Rabble Rouser as its wilder cousin. “For the Roundstone, we want high level of reflux, so all the plates on the column are engaged. With the Rabble Rouser, the plates are disengaged, which captures a much rougher spirit, but with more of those fruity and nutty flavors. Then it spends longer in the barrel.”
You can read the entire story, here.
The Austin Whiskey Vault reviews Maple Cask Rye
Created 2019-05-08 18:24:59
Enjoy this fun video from the guys at the Austin Whiskey Vault! They hit the nail on the head in several of their points about our rye:
- 100% rye
- Blue Ridge Mountains
- 100% potstilled
- Not cloying or sweet - just great flavor coming from the maple
- 100% fun!
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Catoctin Creek in Best of Nova
Created 2019-06-13 12:39:20
Northern Virginia magazine included us in their Best of Nova feature again this year! What an honor! Stefanie Gans writes:
Catoctin Creek created the modern era of distilleries in George Washington’s playground. The husband-and-wife team—she’s the master distiller—set up shop in downtown Purcellville with a tasting room to showcase their award-winning spirits, like the flagship Roundstone Rye.
You can read the full story, here.
Governor of Virginia touts international expansions
Created 2019-06-19 18:53:45
The Governor of Virginia put out a press release announcing our successful new relationship in Germany this year:
"Virginia distilleries provide a growing market for our Commonwealth’s agricultural products, and we are proud to support companies like Catoctin Creek and Reservoir as they pursue export opportunities and forge important relationships around the world,” said Governor Northam. “Foreign trade and investment are key to strengthening and diversifying our economy, and these two international partnerships are a perfect example Virginia’s commitment to helping businesses of all sizes explore new sales channels and compete both at home and abroad.”
You can read the entire press release, here.
Making bespoke Virginia bitters - Telling a Story with Flavor
Created 2019-06-26 14:02:54
Eric Kozlik is the founder of Modern Bar Cart, a company which seems to attack the fine art of drinking from all directions: podcasting, blogging, recipes, and they even make bitters. Erik's latest episode focuses on the process that led up to our first set of bespoke bitters:
One of our very first retail partners – almost half a decade ago – was Catoctin Creek Distilling Co., based out of beautiful Purcellville, Virginia. They were one of the first craft distilleries in the region, and when tasting room manager Denise Petty and brand rep John Shope asked me to work with them to develop a bitters flavor to pair with their award winning Roundstone Rye, to say I was excited would be a vast understatement.
Read the entire story, here, and listen to the podcast, here.
You can buy the bitters in our distillery tasting room or online at Modern Bar Cart.
Daily Beast - What Music Embodies Rye Whiskey?
Created 2019-06-26 15:48:12
Photograph by Atlantic Records, used under license, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45577655.
The Daily Beast asked rye distillers around the country to tell us what their spirits taste like by comparing them to music. Of the various responses, most were fairly (in our humble opinions) predictable: old white guys honoring other old white guys. <yawn>
That is what it's like being a woman in a man's whiskey world. Becky Harris, our founder and distiller, mixed it up a little bit, and I think Becky nails it here:
Whiskey, like music, is primarily viewed through a male lens, and I wanted to shout one out for the ladies. Doreen St. Felix wrote about Missy Elliott in the New Yorker, ‘hip-hop artists are musicologists, and sampling is one way histories are folded into the present.’ Like Elliott, another Commonwealth native, we pull influences from all corners and filter them through our Virginia mindset. We take the rye of the past, and... flip it, and reverse it. Catoctin Creek created a new aesthetic for rye: toggling between chill, fruity, and bold spice.
You can read the full story, here.
Fox 5 DC visits Catoctin Creek on the Fox 5 Zip Trip
Created 2019-07-12 15:30:09
We had the pleasure of showing Tucker and the Fox 5 DC team around the distillery on their Fox 5 Zip Trip to Purcellville! Click on the video above to see the visit!
Scott Harris on CNBC: Tariffs are hurting the whisky business
Created 2019-08-28 19:28:47
Here is an interview Scott Harris, founder and general manager of Catoctin Creek, did with CNBC regarding the tariffs with the EU:
Click the video above to view the clip, or see the whole story, here.
One Nation Under Whisky Podcast
Created 2019-09-25 12:05:27
This is a great episode where we provide some insight into some fun, cool, and weird things we're doing with the gents from Single Cask Nation.
- iTunes: https://apple.co/2luemxB
- Stitcher: http://bit.ly/2mGCxc1
- Or hit the website and find Season 3, Episode 16: http://onenationunderwhisky.com/episodes/
Enjoy!
Becky Harris Sales Training Video
Created 2019-09-26 13:48:15
Mucho gracias to Lamar Romero at Dragon Spirits Marketing for assembling this training video of our founder and chief distiller, Becky Harris, walking through a sales session with the spirits.
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Scott Harris on Fox Business - More Tariff Talk
Created 2019-10-09 13:09:18
I wish we didn't have to do these interviews, but we continue to hammer the point that tariffs are hurting small businesses, and the government needs to listen to us.
To see the full story, click the video above, or click here.
Whisky Jason interviews at Bar Convent Berlin
Created 2019-10-11 15:49:11
Get to know Catoctin Creek, via WhiskyJason in Berlin:
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Catoctin Creek included in Loudoun Virginia's top 40 business moments 1979-2019
Created 2019-10-11 15:58:32
We are so honored to be included in Loudoun County's history timeline of top 40 business moments from 1979 - 2019:
Catoctin Creek, Loudoun’s First Distillery Since Prohibition, Opens in Purcellville
Scott and Becky Harris started Loudoun’s first post-Prohibition distillery during the heart of the recession, with funding from personal finances, an SBA loan, and help from neighbors and friends in the community. Now sold in 26 U.S. states and in Europe and Asia, Catoctin Creek has won the most awards of any whiskey made in Virginia.
You can read the full story, here. Photograph courtesy Kristen Dill.
Battle of the Bartenders coverage
Created 2019-11-06 15:00:45
Jon Schott of The People’s Drug in Alexandria. Photo credit Renss Greene, Loudoun Now.
Great coverage of our Battle of the Bartender's event last week, which raised over $4,000 for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Nikki Drake, from 2941 Restaurant in Falls Church took home top honors for the night. Writing in Loudoun Now, Rens Greene sums up the night:
Nikki Drake, from 2941 Restaurant in Falls Church, came out on top, earning bragging rights for the next year as Northern Virginia’s best bartender. She overcame competition from Jon Schott from The Peoples Drug in Alexandria, Eric Bowers from Magnolias at the Mill in Purcellville, Erin Robertson from AhSo Restaurant, Alex Moreno from Circa at Clarendon in Clarendon, and Chris West from The Wine Kitchen in Leesburg. They were judged by Michael Saccone, of Thrashers Rum & Tiki TNT; Stefanie Gans, former dining editor and restaurant critic for Northern Virginia Magazine and current program director at Cookology; and Scott Harris, founder of Catoctin Creek Distillery.
You can read the full story, here.
5 southern companies that make great whiskey
Created 2020-02-03 14:05:16
How nice to be included in this video of "5 southern companies that make great whiskey."
Scotland and Ireland aren't the only places where fine spirits are distilled. There are plenty of companies in the Southern U.S. that craft whiskey and show it off at tastings, tours, and other events. If you're a whiskey lover, check out the five distilleries listed here."
Check us out at #5, starting about 4:38 in the video above. Just click the image to bring up the video.
Becky Harris feature on Spirit Hub
Created 2020-02-26 20:58:45
Nice to see the article about Becky Harris on Spirit Hub:
But living in the birthplace of American spirits, the idea of opening and operating their own independent distillery was an notion that had always appealed to the couple.
Becky was influenced by Virginia’s rich distilling history. Especially where rye whiskey was concerned.
“Rye was one of the most important products in colonial times,” Becky explains. “George Washington had one of the largest distilleries of his time. And we were inspired by that to focus on rye. Make it from scratch. And create a whiskey that speaks to the past, present and future of Virginia Rye.”
The Harrises decided on the name Catoctin Creek as another homage to their Virginia Roots.
You can read the full interview, here.
DCist - Virginia Distillery Catoctin Creek Is Blending A Custom Whiskey From Leftover Casks To Help Restaurant Workers In Need
Created 2020-05-15 13:46:46
DCist did a great article talking about our #InThisTogether Infinity Barrel Rye Whisky. This benefit project supports local hospitality workers who have been out of work since COVID-19 began. Writing from the article:
All the proceeds are going towards charities supporting out-of-work and struggling restaurants, bars, and their workers: Restaurant Workers Community Foundation, an advocacy and action nonprofit created by and for restaurant workers; USBG’s Bartender Emergency Assistance Program; Ayuda DMV, which provides social services and language access services to low-income immigrants; and Southern Smoke, a crisis relief organization for people in the food and beverage industry.
You can read the full story, here.
Washington Post: Craft distillers aren't getting any of the love.
Created 2020-05-26 14:06:35
Nice coverage in the Washington Post about how even if liquor sales are up, the craft spirits category is not seeing the same boom. Laura Reiley writes:
The narrative had been that people were buying all kinds of liquors, but we were skeptical,” said Scott Harris, co-owner of Catoctin Creek Distilling in Purcellville, Va., which makes its flagship Roundstone Rye, as well as gin and brandy. “The market has seismically changed.
You can read the full store, here.
The Glass Less Traveled LiveCast with Avalon Haas
Created 2020-07-16 16:55:54
One of our sales managers, Avalon Haas (aka the Unicorn Whisky Fairy), has a really wonderful interview with the folks at The Glass Less Traveled. Enjoy this!!
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Sippin with Brocky! The Whiskey And Kicks Show
Created 2020-07-27 17:15:21
The guys over at the Whiskey and Kicks Show recently interviewed brand ambassadors John Shope and Avalon Haas (of Virginia and DC/MD/DE, respectively). This was a really fun interview, with an interesting insight into the life of these two wonderful sales employees. Enjoy!
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The Whiskey Wash reviews #InThisTogether Barrel Select Rye Whisky
Created 2020-07-29 04:00:00
We received a really wonderful review from Carin Moonin at The Whiskey Wash, regarding our #InThisTogether Rye Whisky that was done for charity. We scored a very rare 5 out of 5 stars! Yet, such a funny and insightful review. What's coolest is how much Carin seemed to enjoy the product:
Palate: Honey. Wonderful. Like how mead has always been described to me, versus how it actually tastes (i.e., mead is disgusting). But this is not. This is fantastic. It marries together all sorts of weird influences and makes it work, like a beautiful child from sexy parents. All the genetics of this whiskey are there and the outcome is marvelous. The mouthfeel is thinner than some but not at all tinny.
It is really delicious. I could drink this, neat, over and over again. It doesn’t need a damn thing. I want to try more of their whiskeys under better circumstances and it’s evident why they have received so many accolades. Well done.
You can read the full review, here.
Roundstone Rye Family Tasting Notes by BourbonVeach
Created 2020-08-19 15:24:08
Michael Veach reviewed the three flagship spirits in our Roundstone Rye lineup: the 80 proof, the 92 proof, and the cask proof. Really good tasting notes from the reviews, and he even offers a cigar pairing.
About 7 or 8 years ago, I was a judge at the ADI conference at the Starlight Distillery in Indiana. That is where I met Scott Harris. He and his wife Becky founded the Catoctin Creek Distillery about that time and I had a chance to taste the new-make spirit for their rye. I liked it. It showed real promise. They had everything fundamentally correct and I enjoyed the flavors I tasted in the rye spirit. I have been looking forward to tasting their aged rye ever since that meeting.
A few weeks ago, they sent me three bottles of their rye at different proofs. I like them.
You can read the full reviews, here.
Catoctin Creek named as Finalist in Loudoun 2020 Small Business Awards
Created 2020-09-24 10:51:25
Vote for Catoctin Creek Today!
Catoctin Creek has been selected as a finalist for the Main Street Business of the Year for the Loudoun County 26th Annual Small Business Awards. Cast your vote today to help us win the People's Choice Award and spread the word to your friends and family! Please note, you can vote only once per person/device.
Catoctin Creek receives Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Award
Created 2020-09-24 11:17:04
We are delighted to learn that Tripadvisor has awarded us the Travelers' Choice 2020 Award. From our entire team at the distillery, and especially those in the tasting room, who work so hard to give each person a wonderful experience, we say, Thank You!
About this award:
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
You can view our listing (and give us a review if you like!), here.
Catoctin Creek receives three gold medals and two category winners in the Whiskey and Barrel Consumer Choice Awards 2020
Created 2020-11-13 16:23:41
Catoctin Creek continues to rack up the gold medals, with a clean sweep of the Whiskey and Barrel Consumer Choice Awards 2020. All three of our Roundstone Rye products, the 80 proof, 92 proof "Distiller's Edition," and cask proof, received gold medals in the judging, while the 80 proof received the coveted Consumer Choice Award in the "Under $51" category, while the cask proof received the Consumer Choice Award in the "$51-100" category. About the competition:
Over 30 vetted consumers and over a dozen whiskey industry and media professionals gathered on October 10th at Bub City Rosemont IL, a premier bourbon and whiskey bar and restaurant, to participate as judges at this awards event. Judges are listed on the website - www.wabcca.com
An awards competition years in the making and long overdue – Consumers want to know the preference of their peers. Founders Dave Sweet and Mario Campa have more than 35 years of combined international spirits experience, hosting and consulting in tasting events and awards across North America, Europe and Australia. Currently owning and operating the Whiskey and Barrel Nite tasting events across the US and avid whisky enthusiasts themselves, they are truly in tune with what consumers are looking for.
You learn more about the competition and see the other winners, here.
Catoctin Creek Wins Big at Small Business Awards
Created 2020-11-18 14:02:34
Coverage in the Loudoun Now newspaper:
Catoctin Creek Distillery was formally recognized in three categories at the Loudoun Chamber’s Small Business Awards on Friday, Nov. 13, following a year that saw the Purcellville company expand its market overseas into the UK while pivoting to help tackle the COVID-19 pandemic at home.
The distillery, founded by Scott and Becky Harris, took home three awards at the chamber’s virtual ceremony: Main Street Business of the Year, the People’s Choice Award, and the evening’s highest award, Small Business of the Year.
The first award, the People’s Choice Award, caught the Harrises off guard, with Becky rushing to get back into frame in front of their computer at home—“Becky was upstairs putting away dinner when we got that, so we truly did not expect that,” Scott said.
You can read the full story, here.
Photo courtesy Douglas Graham, Loudoun Now.
Virginia Living: Party like it's 1620!
Created 2020-11-24 19:11:02
Virginia Living did a neat little story about the history of whiskey (whisky) from the beginning of the country - Jamestown in the early 1600's. Robert Nelson writes:
However, Virginians are reclaiming their heritage and even beating their Kentucky brethren at international competitions. And many of them are doing it using Virginia ingredients in every step of the process. “You have Virginia grain, Blue Ridge water, Virginia white oak, Virginia-made barrels, and other specifically Virginia ingredients getting worked together in this hot Virginia climate,” Harris says. “Virginia whiskey is unique to this place for all kinds of reasons. What we’re definitely finding is that this Virginia flavor is something that translates well around the world.”
You can read the full story, here. Illustration by Zohar Lazar for Virginia Living.
Designated Drinker Show - Scott Harris
Created 2020-11-24 19:32:05
So, two engineers walk into a bar and somehow, leave as distillers. Well, that’s kinda’ how Scott and his wife Becky—both engineers—started Catoctin Creek, the first legal distillery in their home county since Prohibition. Which is no joke, indeed.
Give the podcast a listen, here, and you can check out the podcast and subscribe, here!
Ludacris tries Catoctin Creek Cask Proof Maple Cask
Created 2020-12-03 18:03:18
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Fred Minnick got Ludacris a bunch of samples, and had a really neat interview with him on The Fred Minnick Show. Check it out around 16:20 when Ludacris takes a sip of our Cask Proof rye.
My Whiskey Den 2020 Craft Rye of the Year
Created 2020-12-29 14:26:25
The good folks of My Whiskey Den have named Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye Cask Proof their 2020 Craft Rye Whiskey of the Year! Huzzah!! Benjamin reviews the Cask Proof:
This one knocked it out of the park for me. As good as the others were, this one was a step – a STEP – better.
Check out starting at minute 4:30 for the rye category awards, or around 11:15 for our specific mention...
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Southport Whisky Festival in UK
Created 2021-01-02 14:37:54
We were absolutely delighted last week to be included in the Southport Whisky Festival in the United Kingdom. A small, online festival of very devoted whisky drinkers, Catoctin Creek was the only American whisky represented at the festival. As such, we were a bit of a novelty. Victor, the organizer of the festival, was kind enough to share the video recording, which you can watch here for more information.
If you'd like to get involved with the festival, or live in the UK and would like to order our products through Southport, check them out here: https://www.southportwhisky.co.uk/
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Bourbon Bytes reviews Ragnarök Rye
Created 2021-07-08 16:14:47
Check out this review of Ragnarök Rye by Bourbon Bytes:
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Art of the Cocktail class recognized in RAMMYS
Created 2021-07-28 14:34:13
Northern Virginia magazine was one of many regional publications to cover the finalists:
The RAMMY Awards, our region’s culinary Oscars, presented by Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW), is making big changes for 2021. According to a press release, the panel of RAMMYS judges and the 2021 RAMMYS Chairs Committee saw fit to create new categories this year to reflect the unique challenges that 2020 presented to restaurants. Rather than judging performance of chefs and restaurants, the team created categories to speak to where restaurants excelled in the face of COVID-19. Membership in RAMW was also not a prerequisite this year, meaning nominations for restaurants, people, and businesses that were previously ineligible.
Below, find the list of all the nominees. NoVA finalists (or those with NoVA locations) are in italics. Categories voted for by the public are noted with an asterisk.
*Festive Foodie Experiences:
- Baker’s Daughter, CSA Box Cooking Classes
- Carlie Steiner, Various Virtual Classes
- Catoctin Creek, The Art of the Cocktail
- Eric Adjepong, Cooking with Eric
- Eva Kronenburg, YouTube Cooking Series
- Louise Salas and Gina Chersevani, Designated Drinker Show
- Kwame Onwuachi, Eat Clean While Quarantined
- Mess Hall DC, Some Disassembly Required
- Sticky Fingers, Virtual Baking Classes
- Xiquet, Cooking with Chef Danny Lledó
You can read the full story, here.
Purcellville's Catoctin Creek Distillery to triple production with $1 million renovation
Created 2021-08-03 19:33:27
Loudoun Times Mirror did a feature on our new equipment installation. Karen Graham writes:
Purcellville-based Catoctin Creek Distillery is in the midst of a $1 million equipment overhaul which will triple the distillery's production capacity.
The renovation includes a new 2000 liter copper pot still, a glycol cooling system, a 2000 liter mash tank, six new 2000 liter fermenters as well as concrete floors to replace the existing 100-year-old floors.
Read the full story, here.
Photo courtesy Loudoun Times Mirror/Karen Graham.
Loudoun Now: Catoctin Creek Distilling Triples Capacity
Created 2021-08-12 15:13:23
Some coverage from our local paper, Loudoun Now:
The million-dollar expansion includes a new, larger copper pot still, replacing their beloved12-year-oldstill “Barney;” a closed-loop glycol cooling system; a new mash tank; six new fermenters; a new spent mash still; and new concrete floors to replace the 100-year-old floors in the distillery.
The installation work began in mid-July and is nearly complete—the distillers are just waiting on the new glycol cooler to come in, which will replace the tap water cooling system.
It continues the constant growth and renown of a company whose spirits can now be bought in 47 states and on three continents.
Read the entire story, here. Photo by Renns Greene, Loudoun Now.
Catoctin Creek celebrates ribbon cutting on new expansion
Created 2021-09-21 10:53:18
Photo courtesy Loudoun Now, Renss Greene.
Loudoun Now covered the ribbon cutting ceremony this week, as we had several local legislators and business people in to celebrate the completion of our $1M expansion, tripling our current capacity. Renss Greene writes:
Business leaders and lawmakers from the local through the federal levels were on hand Monday to help Catoctin Creek Distilling founders Scott and Becky Harris celebrate a $1 million expansion that tripled the distillery’s capacity to turn out Virginia’s favorite spirits.
Their Roundstone Rye is Virginia’s most-awarded whisky, and their brandy, gin and whisky have won fans and awards here and around the world. And in a few years, after the next batches are done aging, there will be plenty more of those drinks to go around.
You can read the full article, here.
The Loudoun Times Mirror also has coverage, here.
Last Call does Old Fashioneds with Catoctin Creek
Created 2021-11-22 13:52:11
Enjoy this fun little video making Old Fashioneds with Last Call.
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Fox 5 DC Visits Catoctin Creek
Created 2022-01-19 19:52:57
Fox 5's Mike Thomas visited the distillery to learn about how Virginia's rye whisky is made and a little about how to make cocktails in our Art of the Cocktail classes. Three segments below:
