Mid-Atlantic Rye Whiskey Founders
(The Mid-Atlantic States Region includes Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia)
(NOTE: FOUNDERS ARE LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)
VIRGINIA & WEST VIRGINIA WHISKEY FOUNDERS
Below is a list and links to Whiskey Founders that have made huge contributions to the growth of the Mid-Atlantic Rye Whiskey Industry. These may have been historical figures that lived long ago before prohibition or may be living leaders that have advanced the cause of the industry as a whole. Mid-Atlantic Rye Whiskey has been its own whiskey category for years.
1
Abram Smith Bowman
Abram Smith Bowman (1868-1952) created A. Smith Bowman Distillery, a historic Virginia bourbon producer. Founded in 1927 in Fairfax County, Virginia, the distillery transitioned from grain farming to distilling after Prohibition. Its “Virginia Gentleman” whiskey became a symbol of Southern refinement. Bowman won World’s Best Bourbon at the World Whiskies Awards in 2016 and 2017.
2
Dave Cuttino
Dave Cuttino stands as a distinguished figure in the world of American craft distilling. As the founder and driving force behind Reservoir Distillery in Richmond, Virginia, his dedication to authenticity, quality, and innovation has helped shape the landscape of contemporary whiskey production. Through a blend of traditional practices and creative exploration, Cuttino has elevated Reservoir Distillery from a local curiosity to a nationally respected brand.
3
Elijah Craig
Elijah Craig was born in 1743 in Orange, Virginia. He opened a distillery in 1789, and in June of that year, one of his barns burned down. Some of the barrels were burned, but being a frugal man, Craig used them anyway. He sent his whiskey in the burned barrels on the 6-month trip to New Orleans via riverboat. When the barrels arrived, they had imparted both color and flavor. Consumers raved about that “Red Liquor from Bourbon County."
4
Bill Dodson
Aerospace Engineer, Endodontist, Distillery Owner and Politician: After successful years in engineering and dentistry, Bill Dodson created 8 Shires Coloniale Distillery in Williamsburg, which crafts authentic Revolutionary and Colonial-era whiskey, rum, and gin. The distillery was opened in 2014 and serves colonial-era spirits using historic recipes and ingredients from the 17th and 18th centuries.
5
Rebecca Harris
Becky is the President and serves as the Chief Distiller at Catoctin Creek and has focused on creating the finest Virginia Rye Whisky from grain to glass. Catoctin Creek Distillery was started early in the wave of craft distilleries. They started in 2009 with a tiny 100-gallon still and a single full-time employee which happened to be Becky.
Catoctin Creek Distilling is now home to Virginia’s most-awarded whisky, Roundstone Rye.
6
John Little
Born in North Carolina and later moving to West Virginia, John Little and his father-in-law developed a goal of creating a world-class product that makes West Virginians proud. Ultimately, John Little became the Co-Founder, Former Head Distiller, and CEO of Smooth Ambler Spirits, from start-up to $30. With years of operational management experience in the beverage alcohol industry, and products available for purchase in many states in the U.S. and in international markets.
7
Chuck & Jeanette Miller
The Visionaries behind the Belmont Farm Distillery, Chuck and Jeanette Miller, are the heart and soul behind Belmont Farm, a renowned name in the world of craft distilling and agritourism. Their story is one of passion, perseverance, and a profound respect for tradition rooted in the rolling fields of rural America. Their partnership—both in life and in business—would become the cornerstone for an enterprise that bridged heritage with innovation.
8
Dr. George G. Moore
George G. Moore, an Irish-born entrepreneur whose journey from humble beginnings to founding one of America’s most celebrated single malt distilleries is a testament to courage and conviction. His legacy lives on not only through his work, but also in the very name of the Virginia Distillery Company’s flagship whiskey: Courage & Conviction. George Moore’s story begins in Ireland—a land steeped in whiskey tradition.
9
George Thorpe
George Thorpe was a notable English landowner, educator, distiller, and early investor in American colonial enterprises. Thorpe's agricultural pursuits included experiments with distilling. He adapted traditional European distillation methods to use corn, introduced by Native Americans, rather than barley. By the fall of 1620, he had produced what is believed to be the first corn whiskey in North America, a precursor to modern bourbon.
10
Rick Wasmund
Rick Wasmund is a visionary in the American whiskey landscape, best known as the founder of Copper Fox Distillery. Situated in the rolling hills of Virginia, Copper Fox Distillery has drawn attention for its innovative approach to whiskey making, especially through the use of fruitwood smoke and unique maturation techniques. Wasmund’s journey goes with the rise of Copper Fox Distillery as a distinctive player in the world of spirits.
11
George Washington
George Washington was an American Founding Father, politician, military officer, and farmer who served as the first President of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Second Continental Congress as Commander of the Continental Army in 1775, then served as President of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, which drafted the current Constitution of the United States. Washington has thus become commonly known as the "Father of his Country".