Get Intoxicated With History At Mount Vernon
April 11, 2007 – 3:29 pmIf you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
If you’re looking for a vacation that can teach you something, Virginia’s Mount Vernon is a destination that will intoxicate you.. with Rye Whiskey.. just like George Washington used to make.
Washington’s Mount Vernon estate officially opened on March 31 boasting a $2.1 million reconstruction of Washington’s original distillery on the exact site where it was located in 1799. It’s located just a few miles away from his home that overlooks the Potomac River.
The Mount Vernon distillery “will become the equivalent of a national distillery museum,” said Frank Coleman, spokesman for Distilled Spirits Council, which paid for the reconstruction.
“Whiskey tourism is growing around the world, just like tourists go to Bordeaux or the Napa Valley to visit wineries. This sort of helps us level the playing field with winemakers,” Coleman said. “There could be no better representative for America’s distilling heritage than George Washington.”
Whiskey produced at the distillery will be available for purchase, but be warned.. it isn’t the whiskey you might be used to. Unlike popular whiskeys today, Washington didn’t age his spirits so the finished product is colorless and less refined than those you’ll find in your local liquor store.
The distillery is open daily April 1-Oct. 31, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is $4 for adults, children 6-11, $2. With admission to Mount Vernon estate (adults, $13; children 6-11, $6), distillery admission is $2 for adults, $1.50 for children.
For more information please visit Mount Vernon’s website.