Who will reign supreme in RVA?

Join us for a memorable evening in the stunning Black Iris Gallery. Witness six bartenders battle for the title of RVA's finest and enjoy commentary from the bartenders, hosts and judges. Have a chance to experience the Black Iris venue while sampling each cocktail entry, enjoy a Catoctin Creek Distillery portfolio tasting and bar takeover and vote for your favorite bartender for the coveted People's Choice award!

Where: Black Iris Gallery - 321 West Broad St, Richmond VA 23220
When: February 25th 2019 starting at 5pm
Tickets: $25 at the door. Early Bird online purchases $20. $10 for Black Iris Club Members. Ticket's available on EventBrite.
Participants: TBA

Book Now

Think you got what it takes and want to be a contender? Here's how you can earn your chance to be crowned RVA's Finest!

1. EMail your entry to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Be sure to put "BATTLE OF THE BARTENDERS" in the subject of the email.
2. Let us know who you are, what restaurant/bar you represent and share a number and email in which to contact you at in the event of being selected.
3. Come up with an original name and recipe for your Catoctin Creek cocktail
4. All cocktails must be made with either the Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye 80 Proof or Watershed Gin 92 Proof
5. Catoctin Creek must be the predominant based ingredient to qualify.
6. It must be something that can be fairly easily recreated at Black Iris and at the Catoctin Creek Distillery to comply (i.e. homemade shrubs, tinctures, infusions, syrups, waters, charcoal, butterly pea flower, salts, peppers, other spices and smokes are fine, but I would avoid drinks that call for a 2 year house barrel aged, homemade vermouth, centrifuge separated, gastromolecular modified, dry iced ash from Oaxaca shamans, etc. You get the idea). Make it something spectacular but you'd make at your bar that you would allow your fellow bartenders to recreate again and again when you are not there.
7. Send a high quality photo of the cocktail with the bottle of Catoctin Creek used to make the drink with a detailed breakdown of the recipe.

The contenders will be contacted and details of event protocol will follow.

There is a 1st, 2nd, 3rd place cash prize. 1st place also wins the Catoctin Creek swag basket, get's their winning cocktail featured for the month of March at Black Iris and Catoctin Creek Distillery—plus bragging rights. People's Choice Award TBA.

Catoctin Creek is pleased to present, our FOURTH year of this five-part educational series on the art of the cocktail.  This year, we have all new content exploring various flavors from around the world.

Starting in January, Scott Harris, founder and distiller at Catoctin Creek, will appear in the tasting room every Friday for this five-week series. Beginning at 7pm, Scott will personally guide you through the construction of several cocktails, including the old classics, and modern takes on the cocktail!  There will be samples for sharing, and you are encouraged to buy bottles to take home with you and practice.  Lots of practice.

Here is the schedule of the series:

• January 4 - Italy - vermouth, amari, digestivs, noccino, 'cellos.
• January 11 - Iberia - flavors of Spain and Portugal, sherry, brandy, port, and saffron.
• January 25 - France - vermouth, Amer Picon, brandy, many liqueurs and more.
• February 1 - USA - whiskey, Martinez, Sazerac, Old Fashioned, and punch.
• February 8 - Latin America - molasses, limes, agave, cacao, chiles, hibiscus, and coffee.

NOTICE ON SNOW DAYS:  If we have to cancel a class because of weather, we will reschedule the date to February 22, March 1, etc.  Your reservation will be honored for the snow date, or you may get a refund if you are unable to make the new date.

If you don't know anything about cocktails, you'll love this class.  If you're already an expert, come and enjoy some casual conversation and a few drinks.  The cost is $35 per person and includes drinks.  Sign up for all six and receive two FREE Catoctin Creek rocks glasses and a FREE copy of The Architecture of the Cocktail. 

What:	Art of the Cocktail
Where:	120 W. Main Street Purcellville, Virginia
When:	Every Friday from January 4 to February 8 (some exceptions, see above) 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Price:	Each session: $35 per person (VIP members 50% off) (includes four cocktails) Book Now

  This class will fill up, so reserve your spot now!  Due to overwhelming demand and the intimate size of our tasting room, space is limited to the first 30 people responding.

Per ABC laws, cocktail samples will be limited to four pours with 0.5 oz of liquor in each pour.  Certain mixer limitations will apply.

Ever wonder where the cocktail came from?

What were the primary influences of the early bartenders?

How did Prohibition affect the cocktail?

What spirits were widely available before/during/after Prohibition?

What's the difference between a fizz and a flip?

What exactly are vermouth/bitters/shrubs, anyway?

Catoctin Creek is proud to present, our THIRD year of this six-part educational series on the history and the art of the cocktail.  This is a reprise of last year's content, so if you missed this very popular series last year, we highly encourage you to make your reservation now!

Starting in January, Scott Harris, founder and distiller at Catoctin Creek, will appear in the tasting room every Friday for this six-week series. Beginning at 7pm, Scott will personally guide you through the history and construction of several cocktail styles, including the old classics, and modern takes on the cocktail!  There will be samples for sharing, and you are encouraged to buy bottles to take home with you and practice.  Lots of practice.

Here is the schedule of the series:

• January 5 - The Old Fashioned - the proto-cocktail of the 1840s
• January 12 - Gin is in!  Several gin cocktails including the Martinez, the Gimlet, and the Sloe Gin Fizz
• January 19 - Everything you wanted to know about Martinis and bitters
• January 26 - New Orleans mojo - The sophisticated and complex beauty of the Sazerac
• February 2 - Moonshine in American culture - 1930 to present day
• February 9 - Toddies and warm cocktails

NOTICE ON SNOW DAYS:  If we have to cancel a class because of weather, we will reschedule the date to February 23, March 2, etc.  Your reservation will be honored for the snow date, or you may get a refund if you are unable to make the new date.

If you don't know anything about cocktails, you'll love this class.  If you're already an expert, come and enjoy some casual conversation and a few drinks.  The cost is $35 per person and includes drinks.  Sign up for all six and receive two FREE Catoctin Creek rocks glasses and a FREE copy of The Architecture of the Cocktail. 

What:	Art of the Cocktail
Where:	120 W. Main Street Purcellville, Virginia
When:	Every Friday from January 5 to February 9 (some exceptions, see above) 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Price:	Each session: $35 per person (VIP members 50% off) (includes four cocktails) Book Now

  This class will fill up, so reserve your spot now!  Due to overwhelming demand and the intimate size of our tasting room, space is limited to the first 34 people responding.

Per ABC laws, cocktail samples will be limited to four pours with 0.5 oz of liquor in each pour.  Certain mixer limitations will apply.

For the folks at Catoctin Creek, every Wednesday is #WhiskyWednesday, so we figured all of you should have the same luxury. Last fall, we had a couple tastings at some of our favorite DC whiskey bars. This time, we're going anywhere and everywhere!

Join us each and every Wednesday for a different wild whisky experience around the DMV. Join us for a spirits dinner at a great neighborhood spot one week, a tasting of a rare Catoctin Creek spirits another and a fun cocktail event another! Stay tuned to our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram pages for updates on other #WhiskyWednesday events by following #wwccdc. Post your own Catoctin Creek #WhiskyWednesday experiences using the hashtag #wwccdc. We wanna see how you do #WhiskyWednesday!

For March:

• March 2 - Jack Rose
• March 9 - Boss Shepherd's
• March 16 - Celtic Crowns + Cocktails
• March 23 - Captain Gregory's
• April 6 - Monk's BBQ
• April 27 - The Ashby Inn

What:	Whisky Wednesdsay
Where:	A different location each week in the DMV
When:	Every Wednesday 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Price:	Generally FREE to attend! (Some exceptions, sometimes)

Photo courtesy Whiskey Cats and used with permission.

Catoctin Creek is proudly hosts our regular cocktail dinner at the distillery in Old Town Purcellville.

Enjoy a private tour of the distillery. We will guide you through the process of making whisky and describe for you the wonderful history of our "new" building, which is nearly 100 years old.

Dinner will be a four-course affair, using seasonal produce and local suppliers, prepared by Chefs Wes Rosati and Maria Aros of The Wandering Chef. Chefs Rosati and Aros are formerly of Lansdowne Resort, and have combined talents to provide exquisite dining for our new venue!

Oh, and did I say cocktails? Yes, we will personally craft cocktails expertly paired with your dinner! This will be a magical evening, and one not to miss!!

Dinner is priced at $99, and includes all four courses and cocktails.

What:	Dinner at Catoctin Creek
Where:	120 W. Main Street Purcellville, Virginia
When:	About once every two months: Friday, February 16, 2018 ♥♥♥ Valentines Day! (observed) ♥♥♥ Friday, April 13, 2018 Friday, June 15, 2018 Friday, August 17, 2018 Friday, October 19, 2018 Friday, December 14, 2018 Tour begins at 7:00pm, dinner at 7:30pm
Price:	$99/person, tax and gratuity are additional. Click the button below to select your date... Dinner at the Distillery

 

Pre-purchase required, and only 34 seats are available for this exclusive event.  Dress attire is dressy-casual:  collared shirt, jacket optional, tie not required.

Refundable within two weeks of the event, and non-refundable thereafter, since we must purchase food and prepare for your spot after this time. If you are unable to attend, you may transfer your ticket to another person and let us know.

Our FIRST EVER American Malt Whisky!  A must-have for the collector!

Coming February 20th! Our first ever American Malt Whisky! Brewed in collaboration with Heritage Brewing in Manassas, Virginia, this limited quantity whisky will be available on a special release day along with its sister beer, the Kings Mountain scotch ale, aged in Catoctin Creek whisky barrels! Only 344 bottles of the whisky were made.

This whisky is the purest expression of Heritage's Kings Mountain beer, and it is remarkable to see the close relationship between the whisky and the beer. There is a recognizable barley sweetness in the beer, and that carries through note-for-note in the whisky. The whisky is highly aromatic, and reminds one of fields of lavender on a bright sunny day. After the first sip, the whisky settles in at a very comfortable 92 proof, and the malty goodness lingers forever. It is a fine sipping whisky, made from a fine sipping beer.

The event will kick off at Magnolias in Purcellville, where Heritage will have a tap takeover. There, you can sample the beer, then mosey down the street to Catoctin Creek and pick up your bottle of Catoctin Creek Kings Mountain whisky. Both Scott and Sean, owners of the two companies, will be on hand to sign bottles, visit and answer questions.

What:	Catoctin Creek / Heritage Release Day
Where:	Magnolia's at the Mill and Catoctin Creek N. 21st Street Purcellville, Virginia
When:	Saturday, February 20th 12:00pm - 4:00pm
Price:	The event is free, tastings and drinks are at normal prices.   Please note, we will not be able to do tastings of the Kings Mountain whisky, due to its extremely limited number of bottles.

 

Each bottle comes signed by the owners in it's own custom made cedar box for $119/bottle.   Not available in stores.  Distillery special release only.  750 mL, 92 proof / 46% ABV.