Purcellville, VA, November 3, 2011 — Only a few days after winning an Innovation Award in the Loudoun County Green Business Challenge, Catoctin Creek Distilling Co. received two awards at the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce's Small Business Awards.

Scott Harris was named the Entrepreneur of the Year, and the Purcellville distillery was also named Rural Business of the Year at the awards banquet Wednesday night at the National Conference Center. In his speeches, he thanked other rural business owners such as Doug Fabbioli of Fabbioli Cellars and Jim and Lori Corcoran of Corcoran Vineyards, as well as his wife and business partner, Becky Harris.

"We work our tails off in this business but we love every single minute of it," he told the 400 banquet attendees. "If you love it then you should do it. You only live once, go live your dream."

"Competition for the Small Business Awards is fierce," Chamber President and CEO Tony Howard said in his opening remarks. "This year we had 182 businesses that were nominated for an award. From that number, it was narrowed down to 76 companies and individuals."

Catoctin Creek Distilling Company is the first distillery in Loudoun County Virginia since before prohibition. Certified organic and kosher, Catoctin Creek produces high quality spirits and liqueurs: rye whisky and gin from organic sources, brandy from Virginia wines, and seasonal specialty liqueurs. At Catoctin Creek, high quality and organic spirits are our passion. For more information, contact us at www.catoctincreek.com or 37251C East Richardson Lane, Purcellville, VA 20132. Tel: 540-751-8404.

Photograph courtesy David Galen Photography.

Purcellville, VA, October 28, 2011 — Catoctin Creek Distilling Company has been named a Silver-level certified green business and awarded the Innovation Award in the 2011 Green Business Challenge.  The awards were received at the Green Gala, celebrated at the National Conference Center on Thursday evening.  Over 60 Loudoun county businesses participated in this year's challenge.

"We are thrilled by this," says Scott Harris, Vice President and General Manager at Catoctin Creek. "The Green Business Challenge affirms our commitment to sustainable practices, while producing the finest rye whisky, gin, and brandy in the area. Going green means we are simultaneously preserving our environment and saving big on energy and waste expenses."

As an example, Catoctin Creek Distilling Company recycles all by-products of their whisky production process. Waste alcohol is recycled into fuel-grade ethanol for blending into gasoline, and the spent rye mash is given away freely to local farms as a nutritious and organic-certified cattle feed. "This means that nothing in our production process ends up in landfill," says Harris. "We're really proud of that!"

The Green Business Challenge is a partnership between the Loudoun County Government and the Chamber of Commerce to encourage Loudoun businesses to adopt environmentally sound business practices. The Green Business Challenge has identified a number of actions businesses and organizations can take to become more energy efficient, implement more sustainable practices, and improve their bottom line. By making this commitment, businesses and organizations will help Loudoun County ensure a healthy and sustainable quality of life for all its citizens.

Catoctin Creek Distilling Company is the first distillery in Loudoun County Virginia since before prohibition. Certified organic and kosher, Catoctin Creek produces high quality spirits and liqueurs: rye whisky and gin from organic sources, brandy from Virginia wines, and seasonal specialty liqueurs. At Catoctin Creek, high quality and organic spirits are our passion. For more information, contact us at www.catoctincreek.com or 37251C East Richardson Lane, Purcellville, VA 20132. Tel: 540-751-8404.

Purcellville, VA, October 24, 2011 — Catoctin Creek Distilling Company has updated their labels providing a fresh new look on the shelves.  Catoctin Creek's three signature products, Roundstone Rye, Mosby's Spirit, and Watershed Gin have each received revised labels.

"We felt that the new labels would help differentiate the products on the shelf, adding some new creative design elements, while staying true to the classic 'saloon' feel that we enjoyed on the first labels," said Scott Harris, Vice President and General Manager of the distillery. "Nothing has changed in the products; just the labels are new."

Apart from the decorative changes, each new label also highlights that the products are hand crafted and small batch, produced in the distillery's 100 gallon copper pot still.  Look for the new labels to begin appearing on bottles around the end of the year, as existing labels are depleted.

The new labels:

Catoctin Creek Distilling Company is the first distillery in Loudoun County Virginia since before prohibition. Certified organic and kosher, Catoctin Creek produces high quality spirits and liqueurs: rye whisky and gin from organic sources, brandy from Virginia wines, and seasonal specialty liqueurs. At Catoctin Creek, high quality and organic spirits are our passion. For more information, contact us at www.catoctincreek.com or 37251C East Richardson Lane, Purcellville, VA 20132. Tel: 540-751-8404.

Purcellville, VA, August 3, 2011 — Catoctin Creek Distilling Company has been awarded a gold medal from the Beverage Testing Institute in Chicago, Illinois. Catoctin Creek Organic Watershed Gin was awarded 91 points (Exceptional) in the category of gin.

From the review:

Watershed Gin - Aromas of tropical citrus and melon, Swedish caraway herb bread and delicate spices with supple dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body with a nice juniper, anise seed, mint and white pepper snap. Will make bold cocktails. 91 points - Exceptional - Gold

"This is our first medal for Watershed Gin, and we are delighted to learn it is gold!" said founder and chief distiller Becky Harris.  "We're so happy to have this award from BTI."

The Beverage Testing Institute was founded in 1981 with the objective of producing fair and impartial wine reviews for consumers. Today, this philosophy still holds true. Over the years, their buying guides have appeared in the Wine Enthusiast, Restaurant Hospitality, The New Yorker Magazine, Wine & Spirits, International Wine Review, Epicurious.com, All About Beer, and many others. For more information about the Beverage Testing Institute, see http://www.tastings.com.

Catoctin Creek Distilling Company is the first distillery in Loudoun County Virginia since before prohibition. Certified organic and kosher, Catoctin Creek produces high quality spirits and liqueurs: rye whisky and gin from organic sources, brandy from Virginia wines, and seasonal specialty liqueurs. At Catoctin Creek, high quality and organic spirits and liqueurs are our passion. For more information, contact us at www.catoctincreek.com or 37251C East Richardson Lane, Purcellville, VA 20132. Tel: 540-751-8404.

Purcellville, Virginia – Catoctin Creek Distilling Company today began offering tastings at their Purcellville, Virginia distillery store in compliance with Virginia state law (section 4.1-119.G) which was approved in the 2010 session (HB 952).  Tastings will be offered at scheduled and pre-arranged times, a listing of which are available on the company web site.

"Tastings will become an important part of our business at the distillery store," said co-founder and Vice President Scott Harris.  "Along with the recent change allowing us to have a store, and now this ability to offer tastings, we're really able to fully serve our customers looking to try, and then potentially buy, our local-made spirits."

By Virginia law, tastings are limited to no more than three half-ounce samples per person. For more information on tours and tastings, please see the company web site (below).

Catoctin Creek Distilling Company is the first distillery in Loudoun County Virginia since before prohibition. Certified organic and kosher, Catoctin Creek produces high quality spirits and liqueurs: rye whisky and gin from organic sources, brandy from Virginia wines, and seasonal specialty liqueurs. At Catoctin Creek, high quality and organic spirits and liqueurs are our passion. For more information, contact us at www.catoctincreek.com or 37251C East Richardson Lane, Purcellville, VA 20132. Tel: 540-751-8404.