Skip to main content

News and Press Releases - 2026

Press Release: Catoctin Creek Announces New Distribution Partnership with PM Spirits in New York

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Purcellville, VA — February 20, 2026 — Catoctin Creek Distilling Company, Virginia’s first legal distillery since Prohibition and a nationally recognized producer of Virginia rye whisky, brandy and gin, is proud to announce a new distribution partnership with PM Spirits for the state of New York.

Through this new relationship, PM Spirits will represent Catoctin Creek’s award-winning portfolio throughout New York, expanding availability of its flagship Roundstone Rye expressions and specialty releases to retailers, restaurants, and bars across the state.

The spirits to be initially distributed in New York include Roundstone Rye 80 Proof, Roundstone Rye Cask Proof, Hot Honey Rye, AppleJack, and Peach Brandy.

“We are absolutely thrilled to be working in the New York market with PM Spirits,” said Becky Harris, Founder and Master Distiller of Catoctin Creek. “New York is one of the most dynamic and influential spirits markets in the world, and PM Spirits shares our commitment to authenticity, quality, and long-term brand building. We couldn’t ask for a better partner to help tell our story and bring our organic rye whiskies to discerning New York consumers.”

Founded in 2009 in Purcellville, Virginia, Catoctin Creek has built a reputation for its Roundstone Rye whisky, crafted from Virginia heritage rye with traditional methods and a steadfast dedication to quality. Over more than 15 years, the distillery has grown from a small startup to a nationally distributed brand while remaining independent and founder-led.

“PM Spirits was started two years after Catoctin Creek. Both companies kept at it in their respective fields, without deviating from the path. It's a cool feeling over 15 years later to finally get to work together in the NY market,” said Nicholas Palazzi, owner of PM Spirits.

The partnership reflects a shared philosophy between the two companies: championing integrity in production, honoring tradition, and supporting independent, craft-focused producers. Together, Catoctin Creek and PM Spirits aim to deepen engagement with New York’s vibrant cocktail community and whisky enthusiasts statewide.

About Catoctin Creek Distilling Company

Founded in 2009 by Scott and Becky Harris, Catoctin Creek Distilling Company is Virginia’s first legal distillery since Prohibition. Based in historic Purcellville, Virginia, the distillery produces award-winning, Virginia spirits, including its flagship Roundstone Rye whisky. Committed to sustainability, transparency, and traditional production methods, Catoctin Creek distributes its products nationwide and internationally while remaining proudly independent and family-owned. For more information, visit www.catoctincreek.com.

About PM Spirits

PM Spirits champions products crafted by artisans who pour their passion and expertise into every bottle – their senses are their compass. We are a brand-building operation, importing and distributing niche spirits in the US. We operate as two separate but intertwined arms: a NY distribution company and a portfolio of nationally distributed spirits. Our story began with a profound passion for Cognac. Today, we work with a myriad of artisanal distillers worldwide – really good people making really good distillates and refusing to cut corners. Our guiding principle? If we wouldn't drink it, we won't sell it. For more information, visit www.pmspirits.com.


Read more …Press Release: Catoctin Creek Announces New Distribution Partnership with PM Spirits in New York

  • Created on .

Press Release: Catoctin Creek joins as commemorative partner of VA250—The Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Purcellville, VA (January 31, 2026) — Catoctin Creek Distilling Company, Virginia’s award-winning rye whisky distillery, is proud to be a Commemorative Partner of VA250—The Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission. Of the thirteen original colonies, none played as fundamental a role as Virginia in the formation of our country. From the ideas that inspired it, to the battlefields that decided it, there is simply no America without it.

All year long, Catoctin Creek will celebrate the history of whisky in America, a history that begins in Virginia.  The distillery will have events and lectures through the year highlighting the 250th anniversary.  Keep an eye on the Events page of the website for future details.

As we mark 250 years of Independence, now is the perfect time for you to reconnect with your country in the place that made it possible. Please join us at VA250.org.

For more information about Catoctin Creek Distilling Company and its portfolio of spirits, visit www.catoctincreekdistilling.com.


Media Contact:
Scott Harris, Catoctin Creek Distilling Company
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: www.catoctincreekdistilling.com


Read more …Press Release: Catoctin Creek joins as commemorative partner of VA250—The Virginia American...

  • Created on .

Good Grit: Rye Revival

Good Grit magazine published an article in their Spring 2026 issue about ten women distillers who are making waves in the industry.  Becky was featured for her work in rye whisky, but also for her work in industry advocacy:

Becky Harris, head distiller and co-founder of Catoctin Creek Distillery, has been crafting 100% rye whiskey in Purcellville, Virginia, since 2010.  A chemical engineer by training, Harris runs the production side while her husband, [Scott Harris,] manages the business–a reversal of typical distillery roles.  She's committed to reviving Virginia's whiskey heritage, using heirloom Abruzzi rye grown in the state's Northern Neck by a multigenerational farmer.  Unlike mass-produced rye sourced globally, Harris's approach honors the crop's historical role as a winter companion to Virginia's once-thriving tobacco fields.  Her pot still method captures the velvety, fruity depth of rye that challenges the spice-bomb stereotype.  One of her most popular bottles is the Roundstone Rye Cask Proof.  The spirit is aged in 30-gallon barrels that previously held maple syrup from southwest Virginia producers before being bottled at cask strength.  Liquid from the used syrup barrels becomes one of the distillery's most anticipated annual releases.  Harris advocates fiercely for craft distilleries, working with the American Craft Spirits Association to modernize regulations on alcohol sales and ensure small producers can build sustainable businesses that support local agriculture and living wages for workers.

(She sounds pretty amazing, doesn't she?  That's why I married her! –Scott)

Look for the magazine wherever fine magazines are sold.


Read more …Good Grit: Rye Revival

  • Created on .

Forbes: American Whiskey in 2026

Much has been said about the corrections in the spirits market in the past two years.  If I hear the word "headwinds" once more, I think I'll choke!  That said, this article from Forbes gives a realistic look at the market for 2026, with some reasons for optimism, especially in craft spirits.  With rye whiskey in particular, they predict a second wave:

Rye’s Second Wave: Beyond the 95/5 Formula

Rye whiskey helped fuel the craft boom, but much of it followed the same templates: 95% rye, 5% malted barley, spicy, sharp, and cocktail-centric, or with a significant corn component in the mash bill, making it more bourbon-like.

In 2026, rye is diversifying and exploring new aroma and flavor profiles. Distillers are experimenting with innovative mash bills, heirloom rye varietals, 100% rye grain-to-glass expressions, malted rye, and hybrid styles that blend rye with bourbon or malt influences. The result is rye that can be fruity, floral, nutty, or creamy — not just spicy and peppery.

Producers like Catoctin Creek, Still Austin, and Distillery 291 are expanding what rye can be, not just how it tastes but how it fits into cocktails beyond the Manhattan.

The article does a nice job delving into the importance of transparency, authenticity, and regaional identity.  

There are more good whiskey bottles, fewer bad ones, and better reasons to trust what is inside the glass. That is what growing up looks like — and it tastes better than hype ever did.

I encourage you to read the full article, here.


Read more …Forbes: American Whiskey in 2026

  • Created on .