Owen Fairclough, reporting for CGTN America, does a thorough job explaining the perils that small whiskey producers, such as ourselves, face due to the trade tariffs.  He writes:

Distilled spirits have enjoyed huge growth in the U.S over the last 20 years and are now manufactured and exported from 42 U.S States. The impact of those tariffs is being felt across the country.

According to the Distilled Spirits Council, nearly half of the exports are being targeted by tariffs. And it’s not just the liquor.

The tanks used in the distilling process are made from European metal – and even they’ve been hit by tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.

You can read the full story, here.

Local news channel WJLA ABC 7 covered our story on the trade tariff impacts on our whiskey business.  Tim Barber reports:

Distilling whiskey takes time. And so does positioning a small business for a big, overseas expansion.

“These are solid, good American manufacturing jobs and these are being impacted,” says Scott Harris of Catoctin Creek Distilling Company in Purcellville.

Right now, the price of his most popular bottle is $45 overseas. But if the tariff turmoil continues, that price could jump to $56 per bottle.

You can read the full story, here.

The coverage continues.  Vanity Fair has a story sweeping up the impact of the tariffs across a broad set of industries, including ours:

American whiskey makers are worried the E.U.’s retaliatory 25 percent duty on whiskey will obliterate its export business, with Scott Harris, a founder of Catoctin Creek Distillery, telling the Times, “We are just launching into the European market now in a big way, and . . . we’re probably going to see all of our European sales now come to a screeching halt”

Read the full story, here.

More coverage from the New York Times on the Trump trade wars, and how they're hurting our growing small business.  Alan Rappeport reports:

A self-described free-trade Republican, Mr. Harris is disappointed with the path that his party has taken on trade.

“I remember just two years ago we were talking about pushing hard for the Trans-Pacific Partnership so we could open markets in Asia, but all of that has just been turned upside down,” Mr. Harris said. “It really is quite puzzling.”

Read the original story, here.

Fox5 DC came out to Purcellville to interview Scott Harris, founder of the distillery, about the impacts of the trade tariffs on his growing small business.  Matt Ackland reports:

Starting on Friday, the European Union has slapped a 25-percent tariff on whiskey and other products. Harris said he has already produced more product for his European customers and worries what he will do with it if those customers go away due to higher prices.

“I have been asked, ‘Does that mean we’re laying people off?’” Harris said. “No, we’re not laying people off, but we may not be hiring anybody for a while now either.”

You can read the entire story, here.  Or click the image above to see the video.

The Associated Press released a story this week, and it featured Catoctin Creek.  The gist of the story is that the Trump trade tariffs will appreciably harm both big producers and small producers alike, just as the US whiskey market is set to explode in Europe.  The timing could not be worse.

[Scott Harris, Founder at Catoctin Creek] worries his overseas distributors might drop his spirits if the dispute drags on, and consumers will quench their thirst elsewhere. Already, rye whiskeys are coming out of Ireland and Scotland, he said, and with a bit of internet digging, "I could probably come up with a German distiller who's making a corn spirit that could, for all practical purposes, be very similar to bourbon."

The story was released nationally, and showed up in many newspapers.  We like the version in the Sacramento Bee best, because it included some cool photos at the distillery.  Read that, here.

Original AP story, here.

Scott was invited down to Fox News to talk about trade tariffs and how they'll negatively impact small business and large business alike in the spirits sector.  Trade wars like the one proposed are direct threats to the growth and expansion of manufacturing and agriculture jobs across all 50 states.  Click the video below to learn more.

Nine years have passed since our first appearance on Hotmixology.  Check us out again with our Roundstone Rye!

So very cool to have a great review from Bourbon Paddy, who reviews whiskey from his home near Dublin, Ireland. As we are just starting our entrance into the UK market (not Ireland just yet, unfortunately), it's great to see Paddy's detailed review.  From the review, he writes:

This is a very nice easy drinking rye whisky; it’s smooth, flavourful, well-balanced, and not just an over-oaked fiery wall of young rye spice and barrel char. What stands out for me is despite coming across young and grain forward on the nose, those bold and spicy rye grain notes are very well balanced by the rest of the flavours as you sip giving a spicy rye with a fruity edge. At times it is hard to believe that this is a 100% rye mashbill because of all the beautiful flavour notes that emerge as you chew this; however, I put this down to the fact that this isn’t sourced (so no familiar MGP notes here) and Catoctin’s considerate approach when making this whisky.

You can read the full review, which includes detailed notes on nose, palate, finish, as well as production notes, here.

Photo courtesy Bourbon Paddy.

On Wednesday night, Scott Harris, founder and general manager of Catoctin Creek, appeared on Fox 5 evening news to talk taxes, economic development, and whisky sours.  Key points raised during the quick interview:

• The reduction in Federal Excise Tax has allowed small businesses like ours to invest in jobs--good high paying jobs--that improve our local community.
• We also invest in other businesses like farms and other suppliers, further boosting the local economy.
• The tax savings allow us to invest in our own business with about $1M more of equipment coming online in the next year, allowing us to get more of our product to more people.
• And finally, May is whisky sours month at Catoctin Creek, and a hibiscus, strawberry, lime whisky sour is a beautiful thing!

Watch the full clip, here.

It was very nice to receive a 90 point review from WhiskyCast this week! We definitely enjoy seeing other people's tasting notes. Palates can be very subjective and vary from person to person, but it's always nice when they like our whisky! From the review:

Score: 90 points

This edition is bottled at 46% ABV, compared to the 40% strength of the standard Roundstone Rye, and the difference clearly shows. The nose is very aromatic with notes of honey, butterscotch, bitter lemon, linseed oil, and muted spices. The taste is tart and spicy with cinnamon and clove balanced by lemon zest, honey, vanilla, and a nice touch of butterscotch that comes out late and sticks around through the finish, along with muted spices and a touch of lemon zest. Nice!

You can read the full review, here.

You eat, live and breathe this region. Who better to judge which restaurant has the best bite to eat, which store delivers the greatest products and which venue offers the most entertaining events? So, Northern Virginians, tell us the local spots that make living here all worth your while.

Thank you to all the great readers of Northern Virginia Magazine who voted Catoctin Creek as Best Distillery for 2018!  We are delighted with the news!

Look for more in the upcoming June issue of the magazine!