Six Virginia distilleries will exhibit at the Whisky Live trade show in London March 23 – 24 at The Honourable Artillery Company. The six distilleries – Belmont Farm Distillery,Catoctin Creek Distilling, Copper Fox Distillery, Franklin County Distilleries, KO Distilling and Reservoir Distillery – will offer samples of their products in the “Virginia is for Spirits Lovers” themed booth.
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Office of International Marketing and its European trade representative are supporting the distilleries in their participation in this international event:
- Belmont Farm Distillery has been distilling whiskey in Culpeper since 1988 and was the first craft whiskey distillery in the U.S. It also produces gin, rum and vodka.
- Catoctin Creek Distilling Company opened its doors in 2009 in Purcellville producing whiskeys, gins and brandies.
- Copper Fox Distillery has locations in Williamsburg and Sperryville where it produces whiskeys and gin.
- Franklin County Distilleries is located in Boones Mill where it produces whiskeys, brandy and rum.
- KO Distilling has been producing whiskeys and gins in Manassas since 2015.
- Reservoir Distillery, located in Richmond, began selling its whiskey in 2010.
Virginia is home to 57 licensed distilleries. A recent economic analysis by the Virginia Distillers Association showed that Virginia distilleries supported 1,477 full-time equivalent jobs and contributed nearly $17.5 million state and local taxes in 2017. “We’re excited to utilize our European representative office to support these distilleries in their efforts to expand into international markets,” said VDACS Acting Commissioner Charles Green. “We applaud them in their decision to use this major trade event as an opportunity to connect with distribution partners, trade buyers and industry influencers in the U.K.”
VDACS Office of International Marketing assists agricultural and forestry products producers, including distilleries, to find profitable export opportunities around the world.
The U.K. is the largest export destination for U.S. whiskey, accounting for more than 11 percent of the total export market share in 2017. Whisky Live London is the U.K.’s premier event for show casing whiskey to both trade representatives and consumers. For more information on Whisky Live London 2018, visit whiskylive.com/events/england/london and follow the show’s social media hashtag #whiskylive.
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