Virginia has gotten a lot of attention in the last few weeks as it marked the 400th anniversary of the arrival of a handful of slaves in the U.S., landing at Point Comfort, what later became Fort Monroe, just across the Chesapeake Bay from Norfolk.
Not being talked about so much, perhaps because it occurred the next year – 1620 – was the distillation of the first batch of whiskey. About 170 years later, George Washington went on to be the biggest producer of Virginia whiskey during his time, producing more than 11,000 gallons in 1798 alone.
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam joined more than 20 Virginia distilleries at George Washington’s Mount Vernon Distillery to kick off September as Virginia Spirits Month. The fourth annual month-long campaign to support sales and education for Virginia’s craft spirits industry.
Distilled spirits production in the in the U.S. began with Virginia colonist George Thorpe distilling the first batch of corn whiskey in 1620.
“Virginia is the birthplace of American Spirits, and our distilleries continue to represent one of the fastest growing sectors of our booming beverage industry,” said Northam. “I am proud to celebrate Virginia Spirits Month and the important contributions of our high-quality distilled spirits to the Commonwealth’s rich history and thriving economy.”
Since the first year of the campaign, September sales at Virginia ABC stores and distillery stores have grown by 85 percent. “Virginia ABC is proud to carry more than 200 Virginia-made spirits crafted in distilleries across the Commonwealth,” said Travis Hill, CEO of Virginia ABC.
The 2019 September Virginia Spirits Month campaign coincides with the launch of the Virginia Spirits Trail and Passport Program, sponsored by the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC).
In addition to sharing the history of Virginia’s distilled spirits, the Virginia Spirits Trail provides tourists with a map detailing the locations of the 28 participating Virginia distilleries. A passport program encourages multiple visits and gives spirited travelers a free trail T-shirt once they visit 10 distilleries, with no purchase necessary.
“As we kick-off Virginia Spirits Month, I can think of no better time to celebrate the launch of the Virginia Spirits Trail,” said Rita McClenny, President and CEO of VTC. “This is an important new product development for the tourism industry in Virginia, as visitors from around the world will be able to sip premier spirits across the commonwealth.
“This trail is an important and exciting addition to our culinary scene and will show travelers that some of the best things made in Virginia come in a bottle. We can’t wait for travelers to discover for themselves why Virginia is for Spirits Lovers.”