Visitors are invited to celebrate Virginia Spirits Month with George Washington’s Distillery, located on the grounds of the historic Mount Vernon estate. During special September weekend whiskey tastings, visitors can enjoy a rare opportunity to sample three one-of-a-kind distilled spirits made using 18th-century methods and techniques, learn how spirits are distilled today, and tour the historic Distillery & Gristmill.

Also, only during the month of September, these handcrafted spirits are offered at a rare 20 percent discount on unaged, straight, and premium whiskey made at George Washington’s reconstructed distillery. It’s the perfect time to stock up on the award-winning spirits and shop early for holiday gifts. The spirits include:

• George Washington’s Rye Whiskey is the official state spirit of the Commonwealth of Virginia and received a silver medal at the 2019 American Craft Spirits Association Award, a top award among white (unaged) whiskeys nationwide.
• George Washington’s Straight Rye Whiskey is aged for two years in barrels, then bottled and labeled by hand.
• George Washington’s Straight Rye Premium Whiskey is distilled at Mount Vernon’s reconstructed Distillery using George Washington’s original recipe, then aged on-site for five years.

The spirits are available for purchase in person at the Mount Vernon Shops and online. Orders can be shipped only to residents of Virginia and DC and select military bases. Every purchase helps support the ongoing preservation and restoration of the property and its education programs. 

The special whiskey tastings are scheduled for September 14, 21, and 28 at George Washington’s Distillery located at 5514 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy from 2–5 p.m. ET. Space is limited and advance ticket purchases are recommended. 

The methods at the George Washington Distillery are similar to those used in the 18^th-century, all by hand and in accurately reconstructed buildings. George Washington began commercial distilling in 1797 at the urging of his Scottish farm manager, James Anderson, who had experience distilling grain in Scotland and Virginia. He convinced Washington that Mount Vernon’s crops, along with the large gristmill and abundant water supply, would make the distillery a profitable venture. 

Anderson’s son, John, managed the production. By 1799, the year Washington died, the distillery had five stills that produced 11,000 gallons of spirits, making it one of the largest in America and one of the most profitable enterprises at Mount Vernon. Customers included merchants, neighboring farmers, and family. 

Mount Vernon researchers discovered the rye whiskey recipe used today at the distillery in ledgers from 1798 and 1799. It is 60 percent rye, 35 percent corn, and five percent malted barley. Traditional 18th-century production methods include grinding the grain in the reconstructed water-powered gristmill, fermenting the whiskey in wooden mash tubs, and distilling it in copper pot stills heated by wood fires.

Read more: Top 100 American Whiskeys of 2023 — RANKED

About Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington, is owned and operated by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, the oldest national historic preservation organization in the United States. The estate is open to visitors and includes the Mansion, a museum and education center, gardens, tombs, a working farm, a functioning distillery, and a gristmill. It also includes the George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon. 

(Photo courtesy of Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association.)