American

Whiskey Review: Courage & Conviction American Single Malt Whisky

We review Courage & Conviction American Single Malt Whisky, the long awaited flagship expression from American single malt specialist Virginia Distillery Company.

OVERALL RATING

8
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Virginia Distillery Company Courage & Conviction

Tasting Notes

About:

Bottled at 46% ABV/92 proof. Aged 3 to 4 years, about 25% in red-wine barrels, 25% in sherry casks and the rest in bourbon barrels; $75 to $85 for a 750ml bottle.
Appearance:
Blond; wet straw.
Nose:
Rich and sweet, almost as if it had been aged in port barrels. Redolent of coconut, lavender, raisins, dried apricots and fabric softener.
Palate:
Knocks softly rather than kicking the door down. Light up front, coming into its own as a slightly sweetish-ish but balanced whisky in the mid-palate and finishing graceful and long. Fruity, floral and a little bit winey. Brings to mind bubble gum, prunes, toffee and fruit cake.
Finish:
Comments:
The price point for Courage & Conviction is a little bit high for an early batch from a craft distiller. If you can find it, though, and if you have money to put behind something out of the ordinary to share with your whisky-appreciating friends, Courage & Conviction is not a bad option. rnrnVDC seems to be going about its business the right way, and is creating fun, distinctive American single malts that share roots with the Scotches we all know and love while being distinctly new and different at the same time.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Scott Bernard Nelson

Scott Bernard Nelson is a writer, actor, and whiskey reviewer based in Portland, Oregon. While currently working in higher education, he previously dedicated 22 years to journalism, covering impactful events such as 9/11 in Manhattan, crossing into Iraq with U.S. Marines, and contributing to The Boston Globe's Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of abuse in the Catholic Church, which inspired the film "Spotlight." Since 2019, Scott has shared his insights as a whiskey reviewer for The Whiskey Wash.  

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