Virginia has a long tradition of whiskey, with companies like A. Smith Bowman among others. As with many other states, it is currently enjoying a craft whiskey boom, with younger distilleries like Reservoir popping up. Copper Fox, though being a little on the older site of the current boom (founded 2005), is doing something slightly different: an American Single Malt, made in the Scottish style using apple and other fruit woods as a source of the smoke. No surprise given founder Rick Wasmund interned at the fabled Bowmore Distillery.
Taconic Dutchess Private Reserve Cognac Cask
Taconic distillery was founded in 2013 by Paul Coughlin and Gerald Valenti as Millbrook Distillery until the change to the present name in 2015, located in the Hudson Valley of New York. A farm to bottle operation, the grains and water are all sourced locally and the distillery has a whiskey-central focus. They are also active in the American Distilling Institute, the American Craft Spirits Association and the New York Distillers Guild. The regular Dutchess Private Reserve is a straight bourbon named after the county in New York the distillery is located in and approximately four years old. This particular edition was aged in new oak barrels for 3.5 years before being finished in ex-cognac casks from Remy Martin for a further six months.
Bladnoch Vinaya
Bladnoch distillery was founded in 1817 and, located along the River Bladnoch, is the most southerly distillery in Scotland. It is the fourth-oldest distillery in Scotland and, owned by Australian businessman David Prior starting in 2015, is the oldest independently owned one. The distillery produces for two brands; one the main Bladnoch brand and the other called Pure Scot. Their current master distiller is Dr. Nick Savage, and they have been producing whiskies from a mix of new and aged stock since the brand’s relaunch in 2017. The Bladnoch Vinaya is matured from a mix of first-fill bourbon casks and first-fill sherry casks. Vinaya is a Sanskrit word meaning respect and gratitude, and is meant as a warm acknowledgement to the distillery’s founders.