Historic Mount Vernon Showcases Washington Rye Whiskey

As we get ready to celebrate July 4th across the USA in just a few days, visitors to former president George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate in Virginia are in for an extra little special historic whiskey treat. A limited run of rye whiskey bottles, containing brown spirit made according to an original Washington recipe, will be available for sale on site.

George Washington’s Straight Rye Whiskey, according to Mount Vernon, will be available for purchase July 3 and 4 only at its The Shops at Mount Vernon and the Gristmill Shop. It is expected a substantial demand will happen for the 375 ml bottle release, so a special voucher program is being put into place during part of the sale which will allow you only on July 3 to purchase a guaranteed bottle. Sales on the 4th, meanwhile, will be on a first come, first serve basis.

It looks as if there will be a few hundred or so bottles available for purchase over the two days of the event, with each pricing $188. As previously mentioned, these are crafted based upon an old recipe Washington, a prolific distiller before his death, developed. Mount Vernon’s staff produced this whiskey based on traditional 18th-century methods, and it was aged on-site in charred oak barrels for two years (an unaged white rye exists as well).

For the curious, the Washington distillery, besides the whiskies, has also produced a few rather interesting fruit brandies as well.