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News and Press Releases - 2026

Good Grit: Rye Revival

Good Grit magazine published an article in their Spring 2026 issue about ten women distillers who are making waves in the industry.  Becky was featured for her work in rye whisky, but also for her work in industry advocacy:

Becky Harris, head distiller and co-founder of Catoctin Creek Distillery, has been crafting 100% rye whiskey in Purcellville, Virginia, since 2010.  A chemical engineer by training, Harris runs the production side while her husband, [Scott Harris,] manages the business–a reversal of typical distillery roles.  She's committed to reviving Virginia's whiskey heritage, using heirloom Abruzzi rye grown in the state's Northern Neck by a multigenerational farmer.  Unlike mass-produced rye sourced globally, Harris's approach honors the crop's historical role as a winter companion to Virginia's once-thriving tobacco fields.  Her pot still method captures the velvety, fruity depth of rye that challenges the spice-bomb stereotype.  One of her most popular bottles is the Roundstone Rye Cask Proof.  The spirit is aged in 30-gallon barrels that previously held maple syrup from southwest Virginia producers before being bottled at cask strength.  Liquid from the used syrup barrels becomes one of the distillery's most anticipated annual releases.  Harris advocates fiercely for craft distilleries, working with the American Craft Spirits Association to modernize regulations on alcohol sales and ensure small producers can build sustainable businesses that support local agriculture and living wages for workers.

(She sounds pretty amazing, doesn't she?  That's why I married her! –Scott)

Look for the magazine wherever fine magazines are sold.

Read more …Good Grit: Rye Revival

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Forbes: American Whiskey in 2026

Much has been said about the corrections in the spirits market in the past two years.  If I hear the word "headwinds" once more, I think I'll choke!  That said, this article from Forbes gives a realistic look at the market for 2026, with some reasons for optimism, especially in craft spirits.  With rye whiskey in particular, they predict a second wave:

Rye’s Second Wave: Beyond the 95/5 Formula

Rye whiskey helped fuel the craft boom, but much of it followed the same templates: 95% rye, 5% malted barley, spicy, sharp, and cocktail-centric, or with a significant corn component in the mash bill, making it more bourbon-like.

In 2026, rye is diversifying and exploring new aroma and flavor profiles. Distillers are experimenting with innovative mash bills, heirloom rye varietals, 100% rye grain-to-glass expressions, malted rye, and hybrid styles that blend rye with bourbon or malt influences. The result is rye that can be fruity, floral, nutty, or creamy — not just spicy and peppery.

Producers like Catoctin Creek, Still Austin, and Distillery 291 are expanding what rye can be, not just how it tastes but how it fits into cocktails beyond the Manhattan.

The article does a nice job delving into the importance of transparency, authenticity, and regaional identity.  

There are more good whiskey bottles, fewer bad ones, and better reasons to trust what is inside the glass. That is what growing up looks like — and it tastes better than hype ever did.

I encourage you to read the full article, here.

Read more …Forbes: American Whiskey in 2026

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