Virginia Distillery Co. Drops a New Blend of Bourbon and Single Malt
One of the more unusual whiskey releases in recent memory has just arrived in the form of the new Split Barrel Project from Virginia Distillery Co. What makes this release so unique is that it’s a blend of sourced bourbon and in-house-distilled American single malt, a combination of styles that you don’t see very often, but both of which are distinctly American.
Virginia Distillery Co. was founded by George Moore in 2011, but after he passed away a few years later his son Gareth took over the business. Initially, the distillery produced a series of whiskeys that were blends of single malt scotch and American malt whiskey, but by 2020 it had moved on to releasing its own single malt, including the core Courage & Conviction expression and others finished in beer, cider, port, and wine casks.
The new Split Barrel Project #1, the first in what is said to be an ongoing series, combines two key components. Fifty percent of the blend is straight Kentucky bourbon produced at Bardstown Bourbon Company made from a mashbill of 75 percent corn, 15 percent rye, and 10 percent malted barley, and aged for four years in new charred oak (as required by law). The other half of the blend is American single malt that is produced at the distillery, made from a mashbill of 100 percent malted barley and aged for five years in first-fill ex-bourbon barrels.
The point here seems to be to find a way to introduce American whiskey drinkers to their homegrown single malt category, which still remains small and relatively unknown in comparison to bourbon and rye whiskey. It was just last year that the TTB finally gave the category a legal definition after years of lobbying by distilleries, many of which are part of the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission. The established guidelines state that American single malt must be distilled and aged at one distillery in the U.S. from a mashbill of 100 percent malted barley, and it can be aged in either used or new barrels. There are many craft distilleries that have been making this style of whiskey for decades now, but large brands and distilleries like the James B. Beam Distilling Co., Jack Daniel’s, Woodford Reserve, and Bulleit have all released their own versions in recent years.
“The Split Barrel Project is unlike anything else on a back bar or retail shelf,” said Gareth Moore, CEO of Virginia Distillery Co., in a statement. “We’re creating a gateway into American single malt by meeting bourbon drinkers where they are, while still showcasing the depth and character that defines our whisky. It’s a bold step forward in growing the category.”
We got to sample Split Barrel Project #1 (90 proof), and it’s an interesting whiskey that does indeed split the difference between the sweet vanilla and oak notes of bourbon and the chocolate, fruity, malty notes of American single malt. It’s available now at select retailers and at the distillery gift shop (SRP $45). And according to the distillery, future Split Barrel projects will be collaborations with other distilleries, so we will update you when we find out what those are.
