Happy Holidays!

December is here, and the Holidays are approaching!

Have you gotten your Christmas or Hanukkah shopping done yet?  If you're still looking for that perfect gift, remember, local and organic spirits make a great gift for those hard-to-shop-for special people in your life.

This year, we have several new items available at the distillery store, among them, a handsome new rocks glass: heavyweight, high-quality glass, etched with our logo, the perfect glass for enjoying a dram of rye whisky.

All three of our standard spirits--Roundstone Rye, Mosby's Spirit, and Watershed Gin--are available at the distillery store, and we are very happy to announce the following:

Batch Two of Pearousia is Here!

Yes, that's right! After a very long wait, our second batch of very limited release Pearousia pear brandy is now available at the distillery store (or by special order in the Virginia ABC or Bacchus).  Each bottle is hand numbered, and only a few hundred will be produced this year.  Pearousia bottles sold out last year in two months, so get yours while you can!

For those unfamiliar with our Pearousia, it is a seasonal brandy done in collaboration with Fabbioli Cellars.  Made from 100% Bosc pears, the brandy is distilled in an old-world style, non-sugary, and full of fruity taste and aroma, similar to a Calvados or a Cognac, but made from pears, of course.

So drop on by the distillery, and pick up a few items on your list.

And, from our family to yours, have yourself a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and an excellent and prosperous New Year!

Limited Holiday Hours

During the week between Christmas and New Year's Eve, we WILL be open for tours, tastings, and item sales, but we will have LIMITED store hours:

Watershed Gin Wins Silver Medal in New York

We were thrilled to receive another award, a silver medal, in the 2011 New York International Spirits Competition for our organic Watershed Gin.

"Gin is a product in a very competitive market," said founder and distiller Becky Harris. "so we are very happy to do well in a major competition like the NYISC."  Watershed Gin is a formulation based on our organic rye spirits, with a maceration of ten herbs and spices, including juniper, coriander, anise, cinnamon, and orange peel.  Becky describes the gin as a "modern style" gin that realizes her expression of the greenness of Loudoun County, Virginia, where the gin is made.

Upcoming Events

There are a variety of events planned for autumn that should prove entertaining and educational:

• December 2 - Tasting at Wagshal's Deli - Join us at Wagshal's as we pour all three of our favorite spirits!
• December 7 - Becky on the Kojo Nnamdi Show - Listen from 1-2 pm to WAMU 88.5 FM to catch Becky speaking about Whiskey with other experts from the DC area.
• December 9 - Tasting at Modern Liquors - And again, at Modern Liquors, we'll be pouring for free. Come by for a sample!
• January 14 - Distilling Workshop - Perfect as a gift for the uber-whisky enthusiast, or for anyone who would love to spend the day with us learning about distilling.

For the full list of events, check our events page.

Cocktail for December - The Ghost of Vesper Lynd

A Catoctin version of the real Bond cocktail.

3 oz Catoctin Creek Organic Watershed Gin
1 oz Catoctin Creek Organic Mosby's Spirit
1/2 oz Lillet blanc
twist of lemon peel

Combine all ingredients... shaken, not stirred.

Courtesy Chad Robinson, Brand Ambassador, Washington DC.

See this cocktail and over fifty more on our cocktails page.

In Closing...

As always, there are lots of fun and information on our Facebook and Twitter pages, where you can stay up to date with the daily activities at the distillery.  Tours are always free, so stop by and see us sometime!

Remember, "Think Global, Drink LOCAL!"^SM

Cheers!
Scott & Becky