One of the feature cocktails for Virginia Spirits Month 2017. This one comes to us from Rebecca Dudley, proprietor at Market Table Bistro in Lovettsville, Virginia.

1½ oz Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye
½ oz elderflower liqueur
1 lemon wedge
1 tsp rhubarb jam
1 oz Cava (or other sparkling wine)

Squeeze & drop lemon wedge in shaker with ice. Add rye, elderflower and jam shake well. Strain into coupe glass and top with sparkling wine.

Courtesy Rebecca Dudley.

One of the feature cocktails for Virginia Spirits Month 2017.  This is an easy-drinking crushed ice drink that is presented in tiki style.

1 oz Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye
1 oz Sunset Hills Gin
¼ oz Luxardo
Maraschino liqueur
¼ oz Mt. Defiance Cassis Liqueuer
¾ oz Cointreau
¾ oz Lemon Juice
½ oz Simple Syrup

Build all ingredients in a 14+oz Tumbler or pint glass. Add crushed ice halfway, and “swizzle” with a bois lele (natural swizzle stick) or agitate agressively with a bar spoon. Add crushed ice to fill. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Courtesy Derek Salerno of Shagbark, Richmond, VA.

One of the feature cocktails for Virginia Spirits Month 2017.  This drink came about because I knew I wanted to create a cocktail that kept some of the traditional flavors of tiki drinks, but used rye as the base spirit. I wanted to find a way to encourage people who wouldn’t normally have a whiskey drink to try something new.

1½ oz Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye
½ oz Allspice Dram
¾ oz lemon juice
½ oz pineapple shrub
⅓ oz orgeat syrup

Shake all ingredients and serve over ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with a lemon wheel.

Courtesy of Melissa Smith of the Rappahannock Oyster Bar, Washington DC.

One of the feature cocktails for Virginia Spirits Month 2017.  A balanced, spiced whiskey cocktail that’s perfect for late summer or early fall.

1½ oz Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye
½ oz St. Elizabeth’s Allspice Dram
¾ oz Burnt Local Honey*
¾ oz lemon juice
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Add all ingredients to shaker, add ice, shake. Double-strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon peel, expressing the oils into the glass first.

*Burnt Local Honey

3 cups local honey
1 cup water

Pour honey into a small saucepan and heat it up at the medium heat setting, whisking continuously. Once it’s simmering, turn down to low heat. Continue whisking until the honey darkens to a deep, golden brown. Add the water to the pan, whisk it all together to homogenize, then remove from heat. Allow to cool completely. Store in a clean container and keep refrigerated. Yield: About 1 qt.

Courtesy Alec Spidalieri of Junction, Charlottesville, VA.

One of the feature cocktails for Virginia Spirits Month 2017.  The Bramblin’ Man came to be after finding some amazing blackberries at our local farmers market. With blackberry cordial as the centerpiece of this cocktail, we use catoctin creek gin for its exceptionally floral notes as a foundation. Then we acidify and add a touch of violet sweetness, and round it out with a hit of absinthe and bitters for a boozy, fruity kick. Prosecco adds the effervescence and dryness to make this cocktail a perfect patio sipper.

2 oz Catoctin Creek Watershed Gin
¾ oz Blackberry Cordial
½ oz Lemon Juice
¼ oz Creme de Violette
1 dash Absinthe
1 dash Peach Bitters
1 oz Prosecco
1 sprig of thyme (For Garnish)

Combine all ingredients except Prosecco in a shaker and shake over ice. Double strain into a chilled coupe and top with prosecco. Garnish with sprig of thyme.

Courtesy Jake Rice of Brine, Fairfax, VA.

One of the feature cocktails for Virginia Spirits Month 2017.  An earthy interpretation of a Sazerac, featuring Catoctin Creek Rye, Birch Beer syrup made from local birch bark, and a peaty rinse of Laphroig. Served up in a glencairn glass. A great introduction to fall with a zesty and savory cocktail.

1¾ oz Catoctin Creek Rye
¼ oz Benedictine
1 tsp Birch Bark Syrup
Laphroig 10 Year Scotch (For Rinse)
Lemon Peel (For Garnish)

Combine Rye, Benedictine, and Birch Bark Syrup in a mixing glass and stir until chilled. Rinse a glencairn glass with Laphroig 10 Year and dump. Express the lemon peel over the cocktail then discard.

Courtesy Jake Rice of Brine, Fairfax, VA.

One of the feature cocktails for Virginia Spirits Month 2017.  The Old Fashioned cocktail is one of the best ways to showcase an aged spirit. Simple and easy to make, all while keeping the base spirit center stage. The extra proof really holds up well in a cocktail without worry of losing any flavor.

2 oz Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye "92 Proof"
¼ oz 2:1 Demerara syrup
couple dashes of orange and Angostura bitters
orange twist

Combine all in a rocks glass. Add ice and stir until well chilled and diluted. Garnish with an orange twist.

Courtesy Thomas Leggett of The Roosevelt, Richmond, VA.

One of the feature cocktails for Virginia Spirits Month 2017.  Named after the county that Catoctin Creek was founded in, this punch is perfect for an afternoon of sipping on the porch with friends or for any party.

1 1/2 parts Catoctin Creek Mosby’s Spirit
2 parts Lemon Syrup
1 part Simple Syrup
1 part Black Tea
2 parts water
½ part Fresh Lemon Juice
2 Dashes of Angostura Bitters for every 8 oz of punch
Fresh Fruit and Mint for Garnish

Combine all ingredients in a large punch bowl and add ice. Make sure to stir well before serving. Garnish with your fresh fruit and mint just before guests arrive.

Courtesy Whitney Sacdalan of Harper’s Table, Suffolk, VA.

One of the feature cocktails for Virginia Spirits Month 2017.  This is a collaboration between Matt Savopoulos and I. It a refreshing riff on a Southside, with a few summery ingredients to set it apart.

1½ oz. Catoctin Creek Watershed Gin
¾ oz. Lime Juice
½ oz. Cointreau
½ oz. Simple Syrup
½ oz. Grapefruit Juice
One Small Pinch of Mint (approximately 8 leaves)
1 Dash of Angostura Bitters
2 Dashes Peach Bitters (Fee Brothers is fine)
2 oz. Soda Water (or desired preference)

In a one pint mason jar. Add mint. Muddle lightly. Add the rest of the ingredients to the glass except soda water. Add ice to fill. Attach to a shaker and shake thoroughly. Add Soda Water and then Ice to fill mason jar. Garnish with lime wheel and mint sprigs.

Courtesy Brett Harder of The Whiskey Jar, Charlottesvile, VA.

One of the feature cocktails for Virginia Spirits Month 2017.  We went back to the roots to refresh the greatest cocktail in the world – local rye whiskey, vermouth, house made bitters and some homemade Brandied Cherry Ice Cubes! Yum!

2 oz Catoctin Creek Rye
1 oz Cinzano Vermouth
4 dash House made dark bitters (or Angostura)
3 ea Brandied Cherry Ice cubes

Mix the rye, vermouth & bitter with ice in a mixing glass. Muddle the cherry ice cubes and then pour cocktail over. Stir lightly and serve.

Courtesy Adam Steely of The Blue Tallon Bistro, Williamsburg, VA.

Courtesy John Shope.

One of the feature cocktails for Virginia Spirits Month 2017. A nod to the classic Manhattan with a southern twist. Wonderful cocktail to pair with traditional hors d’oeuvres or appetizer course.

2 oz Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye Whiskey
½ oz Grand Marnier Cordon Rogue
¼ oz Broadbent Rainwater Madeira
1 wedge of orange
1 wedge of lemon

Build all spirits in a mixing glass. Squeeze and drop in both lemon and orange wedges. Add ice and stir well. Strain into a martini glass or coupe. Express oil of an orange twist into glass and/or onto the rim of glass and use twist as garnish.

Recipe courtesy Marilee and Matt Billingsley, Postbellum, Richmond, VA.