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B-21 Top Recommendation
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"Since its founding in 2011, Virginia Distillery Co. has been a pioneer in American Single Malt and a force behind the style." - Whisky Advocate
America's most authoritative spirits publication sums it up neatly in the above quote – the burgeoning American single malt scene is still finding its footing and its place in the wider craft spirit world, but there's no question that it was Virginia Distillery Company that got the ball rolling on this dynamic category in the first place. Founded by Irish-American immigrant Dr. George Moore, the distillery is utterly dedicated to producing reference-point expressions that set the bar for what malted barley spirits can achieve in the United States. Nestled in the stunning Blue Ridge Mountains, VDC distills with pristine mountain spring water. Made from two-row barley grown at a handful of top-notch Midwest farms and malted on site at the distillery, the spirits are double-distilled on custom-made, copper pot stills fabricated in Scotland. Once you taste the purity of the malt in each bottling, you'll be fully convinced of their dedication to the craft.
The 94-point Blue Ridge Select Single Malt is the flagship. Aged onsite for five years in virgin oak barrels harvested from the Blue Ridge Mountains, it's a roundly praised, reference-point for the category, "a layered and rich gateway American Single Malt" that has racked up numerous awards and accolades including multiple medals and Best Of nods from the country's most prestigious spirits competitions. The distillery also excels at cask finishing, which is evident in their critically acclaimed, 96-point Port Cask Reserve Single Malt and the 94-point Cabernet Cask Select Single Malt, each of which offers a distinctive take on their superb base spirit, the casks imparting noticeable yet measured influence on the profile of the juice. Finally, the distillery has hit on a stellar limited edition concept in their Split Barrel #1 Bourbon + Single Malt Whisky. This brilliant expression marries 5-year-old VDC single malt and 4-year-old Kentucky bourbon (from an undisclosed yet well-known Bardstown source) in a surprisingly harmonious profile. B-21 Spirits Buyer Andrew Kitz writes, "The best thing about this Split Barrel is that the bourbon is not the centerpiece. VDC knows their bread and butter, and they choose to highlight it here, with timely interludes of bourbon influence here and there ... and the value is just off the charts."
Maybe you're familiar with American Single Malt or maybe you're not, but either way, for anyone looking to get a handle on some of the best under-the-radar buys in craft spirits, this is your entry into the category, and your exploration couldn't be easier on the wallet at sub-$35 pricing across the board. |
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Finished in virgin toasted barrels sourced from trees grown in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Expect a burnished gold hue and a bright fresh apple and pear scent. Honey coats the toasty palate, adding a hint of plum, and finishing long with a smoky waft and cinnamon tingle.
94 points, Kara Newman, Wine Enthusiast (Nov 2025)
Gold color. Aromas and flavors of orange zest, clove, toffee, and red apple, cardamon and five spice, and grilled peach with a round, crisp, dryish medium body and a tingling, interesting, medium-length finish manifesting overtones of peanut butter and oatmeal, corn bread with fruit salad and five spice, mesquite smoked leather, and peppered bacon. Nice and youthful with apple and citrus notes enlivened with baking spice; this is a layered and rich gateway American Single Malt.
92 points, Beverage Testing Institute (Sep 2024)
Initially, cinnamon is the star of the show, culminating in Golden Grahams and Cinnamon Life cereal on the nose. Soon enough, however, those spiced aromas are checked by strawberries, cre`me patisserie, vanilla pudding, strawberry Whoppers, and white chocolate. On the palate, hot cinnamon emerges, balanced here by Mexican hot chocolate and espresso-tinged notes. The finish ties it all together nicely: chocolate, coffee, and cinnamon spice combine in a most satisfying flavor trifecta.
92 points, Julia Higgins, Whisky Advocate (Winter 2024)
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