We Tested Virginia Distillery's Best Expressions—Here's the Winner

Explore the fascinating world of American Single Malt Whiskey with Your Bourbon Journey! Fresh off our American Single Malt Academy certification (which we highly recommend you check out!), Wayne and Rebecca dive into three fascinating expressions from Virginia Distillery Co. in Lovingston, Virginia. Join us for a definitive tasting "showdown" as we compare three completely distinct barrel finishes. We’ll see how wood management can totally transform a 100% malted barley mash bill. We are tasting: * Cider Cask: A light, orchard-fresh core release finished in French Calvados, Virginia Cider, and Laird’s Apple Brandy barrels. Perfect for summer! * Courage Club Coffee Cask: A potent, 112-proof Courage & Conviction club exclusive, 5 years old and finished in coffee casks. Think chicory and espresso! * Cigar Blend "First Cut": A 7-year-old masterpiece and the distillery’s first cigar blend. It's a complex "cask cocktail" featuring Spanish Oak, Sherry, Port, STR, Cabernet, Armagnac, Cognac, and Fino casks, with a whisper of Islay smoke. From entry-level value to rare club exclusives, this video is your guide to Virginia Distillery Co.’s impressive lineup. Check out their website for more details on these bottles and their amazing club perks! Distillery & Links: * Virginia Distillery Co.: https://www.vadistillery.com/ ### **Connect With Us & Support The Journey!** 🥃 **Become a Patron & Get Exclusive Content:** https://www.patreon.com/cw/YourBourbonJourney 🌐 **Visit Our Website:** https://yourbourbonjourney.com/ 🔔 **SUBSCRIBE HERE:** https://www.youtube.com/@YourBourbonJourney?sub_confirmation=1 📸 **Instagram:** https://www.instagram.com/yourbourbonjourney/ 👍 **Facebook:** https://www.facebook.com/YourBourbonJourney ❌YOUR BOURBON JOURNEY DOES NOT SELL ALCOHOL❌ American Single Malt Cider Cask Classification:  American Single Malt Whiskey Company: Virginia Distillery Co. Distillery: Virginia Distillery Co. (Lovingston, VA) Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley Age: NAS (No Age Statement); matured for multiple years (typically 4+ years) in ex-bourbon barrels before the finish. Finished: French Calvados, Virginia Cider, & Laird’s Apple Brandy Barrels Proof: 93 MSRP: $44.99 (700 ml) Released: Core Release (ongoing) Purchased: 04/03/26 from Virginia Distillery Online American Single Malt Coffee Cask Classification:  American Single Malt Whiskey Company: Virginia Distillery Co. Distillery: Virginia Distillery Co. (Lovingston, VA) Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley Age: 5 Years Primary Maturation Cask: Ex-Bourbon Finishing Cask: Coffee Proof: 112 MSRP: $99.99 (750 ml) Released: Courage Club Exclusive, Bottle 289 Purchased: 03/22/26 from Virginia Distillery Online American Single Malt Cigar Blend “First Cut” Classification:  American Single Malt Whiskey Company: Virginia Distillery Co. Distillery: Virginia Distillery Co. (Lovingston, VA) Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley Age: 7 Years Finished: A complex "cask cocktail" including Spanish Oak, Sherry, Port, STR (Shaved, Toasted, Re-charred), Château Palmer Cabernet, Armagnac, Cognac, and Fino casks. Note: Contains a "whisper" of smoke from rare Islay casks. Proof: 108 MSRP: $59.99 (700 ml) Released: February/March 2026 Purchased: 04/03/26 from Virginia Distillery Online ❌YOUR BOURBON JOURNEY DOES NOT SELL ALCOHOL❌ 🎥VIDEO CHAPTERS: 0:00 - It’s Time for American Single Malts 0:22 - Getting Certified with the American Single Malt Academy 1:08 - Virginia Distillery Co. & Their Club Membership (Courage & Conviction) 1:35 - The Convenience of Shipping 2:09 - Specs: American Single Malt Cider Cask 3:36 - Cider Cask Nose & Tasting: Apple Orchards & Summer Vibes 7:15 - Specs: Courage Club Exclusive Coffee Cask (112 Proof) 8:32 - Coffee Cask Nose & Tasting: Espresso, Chicory, & Caramel Macchiato 13:20 - Specs: First Cut Cigar Blend & Its "Cask Cocktail" 15:48 - Cigar Blend Nose & Tasting: Jammy, Complex, & Long-Finishing 19:59 - Final Rankings: The Winner and Which Bottle We'd Buy Again 21:25 - Final Thoughts & Cheers 🚨REMEMBER TO ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY🚨 ❓Questions❓ YourBourbonJourney@gmail.com NOTE: The spirits in this review were purchased by us. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is simply our opinion based on what we tasted on this day. Please drink responsibly. #WhiskeyReview #AmericanSingleMalt #VirginiaDistilleryCo #WhiskeyTasting #SingleMaltShowdown #CigarBlend #CourageAndConviction #YourBourbonJourney #WhiskeyEducation #CaskFinish #CiderWhiskey #CoffeeWhiskey #RareSpirit #WhiskeyLife #BourbonCommunity