Whiskey distilled with 17th-century water.
Photo courtesy of Eight Shires Coloniale Distillery
William Dodson Jr. opened Eight Shires Coloniale Distillery, named for the original Virginia Territory’s county divisions, last year. The micro craft distillery, located in the heart of Williamsburg, uses authentic colonial technology. They “cover the period of American distillation from 1620 to 1775,” says Dodson. “We want people to come into Colonial Williamsburg and be able to say, ‘I want a colonial drink, as it was done back then.’” Dodson is currently working on a single malt special release, limited to 500 bottles, made from water drawn from a rediscovered Jamestown well dating to the early 17th century. “We serve up history in a glass,” Dodson says. 8Shires.com
Upcoming Distillery Events Around the State
April 19 — The Whiskey Sour Cocktail Class: Ironclad Distilling Co., Newport News, IroncladDistillery.com
April 29 — Sip + Craft: Catoctin Creek Distillery, Purcellville, CatoctinCreekDistilling.com
May 11 — Mother’s Day Celebration: Virginia Distillery Company, Lovingston, VaDistillery.com
June 15 — Annual Father’s Day Festival: A. Smith Bowman Distillery, Fredericksburg, ASmithBowman.com
Aug. 24 — Virginia Craft Spirits Roadshow: Belmont Farm Distillery, Culpeper, VirginiaSpirits.org
This article originally appeared in our February 2019 issue.
