A multi-distillery blend that trades polish for complexity and constant evolution.
“Not bourbon, not rye, not an American single malt” — this is positioned as a true Virginia whiskey, blending four styles across multiple distilleries into a single, high-proof expression.
Stats
- Age: 5-7 year
- Proof: 120 (60% ABV)
- Mashbill: Blend of exclusively virginia grown grains: Bourbon (55% C │ 35% W │10% MB), American Single Malt (100% MB), Rye (100% R), and Wheat Whiskey (100% W)
- Origin: 35% Ironclad (Newport News, VA), 25% Virginia Distillery Co (Lovingston, VA), 25% Catoctin Creek (Purcellville, VA), 15% Reservoir (Richmond, VA)
- Release: Limited release (2,400 sets total), blended, 10 barrel blend
- MSRP: $124.99 (Trio pack – VA ABC)
Tasting Notes
- Nose: Yeasty brown bread, cinnamon roll, red fruit, baking spice, and raw marshmallow create an expressive and grain-forward nose with plenty of personality.
- Palate: Full-bodied and immediately corn-forward with waves of cinnamon spice, youthful grain, and dense sweetness underneath the heat.
- Finish: Cinnamon and peppermint carry into a long finish layered with molasses cookie, red apple, drying oak tannins, and lingering grain sweetness.
A constantly shifting whiskey: expressive on the nose, more aggressive and grain-forward on the palate. Complex, but not always cohesive.
Presentation
The packaging carries equal weight alongside the spirits themselves. Norfolk-based artist Mark Todd (M.C. Todd Design) was commissioned to create a triptych-style design where each bottle contributes to a continuous visual narrative of the James River flowing from Virginia’s mountains to its coastline. A subtle river-shaped window cut into the display box reinforces the connective thread between regions, distilleries, and styles—less three separate bottles than one shared idea expressed three different ways.
Todd’s work feels deeply rooted in Virginia itself. Raised in Suffolk and now based in Norfolk, his background in advertising and illustration informs a design approach that is both highly detailed and story-driven. The artwork captures the Commonwealth’s landscape, history, agriculture, and sense of place without feeling overly romanticized or forced. The deeper you look, the more details reveal themselves.
It’s among the most thoughtful presentations I’ve seen from a modern craft spirits release. My only criticism is practical rather than artistic: the complexity of the label artwork appears to require a thicker application, leading to occasional bubbling that slightly detracts from the otherwise premium feel.
Distinctiveness
Arguably the most unique of the trio.
The blend vacillates dramatically, offering a profile that feels genuinely new, even when imperfect.
“A Once-in-250-Years Collaboration”
— Virigina Spirits
Transparency
Full mashbill breakdowns, percentages, ages, and distilleries.
A model for clear, detailed disclosure.
Truly nothing more a whiskey enthusiast or any consumer could ask for.
Value
The trio’s $125 retail price works out to around $42 per 375ml bottle, which initially feels slightly steep considering the whiskey components range from roughly 5 to 8 years old. Drinkers looking strictly for age statements or polished refinement may struggle to fully justify the cost on liquid alone.
Where the value becomes more compelling is in the sheer ambition of the project. Bringing together four distilleries, four whiskey styles, and multiple blending philosophies into a cohesive “Virginia whiskey” is something rarely attempted at this scale and likely not easily replicated again. The collaborative aspect alone gives the bottle a level of significance beyond a typical limited release.
That’s amplified further by the presentation. Mark Todd’s artwork, the river-inspired collector’s box, and the triptych-style design all reinforce the idea that this release is meant to represent a moment in Virginia distilling history as much as it is a drinking experience. Even with some youthful edges in the glass, the combination of experimentation, artistry, and regional storytelling creates a value proposition rooted more in identity and collectibility than pure refinement.
Buy if:
- You enjoy complex, unconventional whiskey
- You’re interested in multi-grain blends
- You value innovation over polish
- You are a collector of limited edition sets, especially locally driven.
Skip if:
- You want smooth, easy-drinking bourbon
- Grain-forward or youthful profiles bother you
- You put value in the liquid alone and don’t care about limited editions, exclusive distillery collaboration or stories.
Verdict
Imperfect, but compelling. A whiskey that demands attention rather than easy enjoyment.
For those who prefer numbers, here’s the full score breakdown:
- Nose: 5 / 7
- Palate: 3.5 / 7
- Finish: 5.25 / 7
- Presentation: 6.75 / 7
- Distinctiveness: 6 / 7
- Transparency: 7 / 7
- Value: 4.92 / 7
Bourbon Bishop Rating: 5.49 / 7 – Divine
Top-shelf. Must-buy for fans of the style.
| Score | Descriptor | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 0–1 | Hell No | Drain pour. Seriously undrinkable. |
| 1.1–2 | Purgatory | Bad, but could be worse. Only in extreme cases. |
| 2.1–3 | Only Earthly | Just okay. Best used as a mixer. |
| 3.1–4 | Bliss | Passable sipper. Works well in cocktails. |
| 4.1–5 | Angelic | Good to great. High value for the price. |
| 5.1–6 | Divine | Top-shelf. Must-buy for fans of the style. |
| 6.1–7 | Holy Heaven | Out-of-this-world. A true unicorn. |
Disclosure: This bottle was provided to me free of charge for review. All opinions are my own.
The Distilleries Behind the Whiskey
Ironclad Distillery
- Location: Newport News, VA
- Specialty: Bourbon
- Contribution: 5-year bourbon (55% Corn, 35% Wheat, 10% Malted Barley)
Virginia Distillery
- Location: Lovingston, VA
- Specialty: American single malt
- Contribution: 7-year American single malt (100% malted barley)
Catoctin Creek
- Location: Purcellville, VA
- Specialty: Rye whiskey and gin
- Contribution: 7-year rye (100% rye)
- -> Read about my visit
Reservoir
- Location: Richmond, VA
- Specialty: Bourbon and wheat whiskey
- Contribution: 6-year wheat whiskey (100% wheat)
The Distillers & Blenders
Blended by Amanda Beckwith, Lead Blender of Virginia Distillery Co (Lovingston, VA) and Scott Harris of Catoctin Creek Distillery (Purcellville, VA).
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