News and Press Releases - 2023

The Virginia Rye Whisky ℠ donates over $5000 to support underprivileged workers in the spirits industry

PURCELLVILLE, Va. (June 23, 2023) - - - Catoctin Creek Distilling Company, a leading craft spirits producer, is thrilled to announce its donation of $5,180 to the Spirits Training Entrepreneurship Program for Underrepresented Professionals (STEPUP Foundation). This donation is the result of Catoctin Creek's successful #SipForEquality campaign, which ran throughout the month of March in honor of Women's History Month.

The #SipForEquality program was an initiative designed to promote equality and equity within the spirits industry. For every bottle of Catoctin Creek sold and every cocktail tagged with #SipForEquality on social media during March, Catoctin Creek pledged to donate $1 to the STEPUP Foundation. With the support of our customers and distributors, we are thrilled to have raised $5,180 to contribute to this important cause.

Furthermore, we are delighted to announce that our Maryland/District of Columbia/Delaware distributor, Prestige Beverage Group, has generously pledged to match our donation for the results achieved in their region. This collaboration between Catoctin Creek and Prestige Beverage Group amplifies the impact of our collective efforts, and we commend their commitment to fostering positive change within the craft spirits community.

The STEPUP Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, is dedicated to promoting diversity within the alcoholic beverage industry. Through its comprehensive and immersive internship program, STEPUP provides under-served and under-represented individuals with the training, encouragement, and opportunities needed to enter the craft spirits community. By facilitating workplace diversity, STEPUP aims to address the industry's lack of representation and increase talent from diverse backgrounds.

"We are honored to support the STEPUP Foundation and contribute to their efforts in creating a more inclusive and diverse craft spirits industry," said Becky Harris, President & Chief Distiller of Catoctin Creek Distilling Company. "By partnering with Prestige Beverage and collectively donating, we hope to make a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals seeking opportunities in our industry."

To learn more about the STEPUP Foundation and its initiatives, please visit www.stepupinternship.org or contact Margie A.S. Lehrman at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Alexandra Sklansky at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

About Catoctin Creek Distilling: Catoctin Creek Distilling Company, The Virginia Rye Whisky ℠, was founded by Scott and Becky Harris in 2009. Inspired by the history and craft of Virginia, Catoctin Creek made a name for itself as the first legal distillery since Prohibition in Purcellville, Virginia’s Loudoun County. The craft distillery is home to Virginia’s most-awarded whisky, Roundstone Rye, which has been presented gold medals across the globe and stands out through its old-world production methods. Catoctin Creek prides itself on sourcing rye whisky, gin, and seasonal brandy from local grains and fruits, with spirits available in 47 states and 3 continents. The Harris’ intricate attention to detail results in high quality internationally acclaimed products, including seasonal releases and private cask offerings, that recognize the true craft of Virginia spirits. For more information, call (540) 751-8404 or visit CatoctinCreek.com. Follow Catoctin Creek on Instagram, Mastodon and Facebook.

The Canadian publication, Travel Courier, did a feature story on our new Barrel Select Premium "filling station."  You can learn more about that, here. 

The author writes:

And a recent distillery innovation provides a very hands-on experience for visitors, inviting them to fill their own bottles of purchased whiskey. In addition to touring and enjoying spirits and cocktails, visitors now have the option to fill their own bottle from the new Catoctin Creek Filling Station.

Barrels with unique profiles and collaborative stories will be chosen from Catochin Creek’s inventory and offered for hand-filling at the station. Visitors will be instructed how to apply the label, cork the bottle, seal it, and then can write the special batch information upon each bottle with their own signature, making a unique bottle.

Read the entire story, here.

The tasting notes from the judging mention, "A toffee and sweetly spiced nose leads to buttery feel with notes of caramel, brown sugar and spices with a buttery mouthfeel."

As a platinum medal winner, it is one of the top finishers in a competition with hundreds of entrants.

Platinum

Ragnarök Rye

Another great article from the folks at Imbibe!  Paul Clarke does the comprehensive story on the history of rye whiskey in America and where it has brought us today.  He writes:

When Scott and Becky Harris were scoping out plans for their Virginia distillery, Catoctin Creek, prior to its 2009 debut, they turned to the history books to help determine what spirits they planned to make. “If you look at Colonial times, rye was the partner crop to tobacco, which was something that was very prevalent here. Rye was the cover crop that would replenish the soil,” says Becky Harris. “And [rye whiskey] was mostly made by women, because the men were in the fields tending tobacco. We liked the story, and we really just liked the flavor.” Scott Harris agrees. “We loved that history. Rye was Virginia’s native spirit since we started calling this place Virginia, and it all sort of fit together. We love the flavor, we love the history, and that’s why we developed our rye.”

You can read the full story, here.