American Single Malt whisky distillery Virginia Distillery Co. of Lovingston, Virginia, recently won ‘Best Single Malt’ in the No Age Statement category for the pre-release of its American Single Malt line, Courage & Conviction, called Prelude: Courage & Conviction at the World Whiskies Awards. The distillery’s Port Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky also won ‘Best American Blended Malt’ for a fourth year.
The American results were announced in New York City on Feb. 11. The awards program highlights whiskies from around the world. The international results will be announced on March 26 at an awards dinner in London.
“Last night’s results were a result of the distillery team’s dedication, teamwork and passion for ultra-premium whisky,” Virginia Distillery Co. CEO Gareth Moore said. “I’m very proud of these accolades, which adds to the momentum for the upcoming release of our Flagship offering of Courage & Conviction this spring.”
Aged a minimum of three years at the distillery nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, Prelude: Courage & Conviction features notes of caramel and butterscotch and evolves on the palate with hints of dark dried fruit, raspberry, barrel spice and vanilla. The finish is creamy and exceptionally smooth. The whisky was released in the fall of 2019 as a sneak peek to Virginia Distillery Co.’s upcoming Flagship offering of Courage & Conviction, which will be released nationally in Spring 2020. The 100% malted barley whisky is matured in former Bourbon, Sherry and Cuvée wine casks, producing a uniquely nuanced profile. These whiskies were produced under the tutelage of the late Dr. Jim Swan, known for crafting some of the world’s greatest whiskies.
Virginia’s pronounced temperature swings between winter and summer accelerate the maturation of the Courage & Conviction series. The whisky’s name is a nod to a phrase the late founder Dr. George G. Moore was often heard saying: “Have the courage of your convictions.”
As the whiskies of Courage & Conviction aged, the distillery offered its cask finished Virginia-Highland Whisky series, which marries American Single Malt made onsite with whisky from Scotland. The Port Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky served as the flagship offering of this series, earning ‘Best American Blended Malt’ at the World Whiskies Awards in 2017, 2018, 2019 and again in 2020. Other finishes from the Virginia-Highland Whisky series includes beer, chardonnay and cider, which ranked in Whisky Advocates 2019 Top 20. This award-winning series will continue to be sold alongside the Courage & Conviction line.
The awards are a part of the World Drinks Awards program which launched in 2007 with the World Whiskies Awards and World Beer Awards. Judges for the awards included a panel composed of leading journalists, specialist drinks retailers, bartenders/mixologists and hoteliers. Each entry is tasted blind, and in addition to nose, palate and finish the judges look for balance, character, complexity, quality and functionality when judging.