Moonshine and more in southside Virginia.
Virginia’s urban meccas have more than their fair share of distilleries, but traveling outside Southside Virginia’s city limits reveals a host of small-town makers and lots of tasty spirits.
Bondurant Brothers Distillery, Chase City
Run by the descendants of the Bondurant Boys, the subject of the 2012 film Lawless, this distillery makes corn-based moonshine. The tasting room is open one weekend per month, March through November. Facebook.com/BondurantBrothersDistillery
Springfield Distillery, Halifax
Housed in an 1840s cabin, Springfield Distillery offers unaged corn whiskey, bourbon, port barrel-aged whiskey, rum, and various flavored whiskies, including butterscotch and blackberry. The distillery also launched Blackberry Whiskey Sour and Strawberry Smash canned cocktails. SpringfieldDistillery.com
Three Crosses Distilling Co., Powhatan
Powhatan’s first distillery, Three Crosses began “truly as a hobby that got out of hand.” Since its founding in 2017, it has racked up considerable awards for its handcrafted spirits like whiskey, rye, gin, and rum. Executive Chef Tara Powers runs The Table at Three Crosses, where she’s known for zhuzhing up southern classics at the distillery’s restaurant. ThreeCrossesDistilling.com
Sandy River Distillery, Rice
Venture to Prince Edward County for Sandy River’s impressive aged bourbon, vodka, peach cobbler-flavored moonshine, and strawberry shortcake-flavored moonshine. Visit the 1840s log cabin tasting room (the structure was relocated from its original home in Charlotte Court House) for a guided tasting, a flight, or a cocktail. SandyRiverDistillery.com
