Virginia Distillery Company Courage & Conviction Sherry Liquor Barn Single Barrel 750ML

Virginia Distillery Company Courage & Conviction Sherry Liquor Barn Single Barrel 750ML is a cask-strength American single malt whisky bottled at 750ml from a hand-selected Pedro Ximénez Sherry cask. The broader Courage & Conviction Sherry Cask expression earned a Double Gold Medal at the 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and 92 points from Whisky Advocate, placing this single barrel selection within a critically acclaimed lineage of sherry-matured Virginia malt.

Quick Facts: ABV: Cask Strength (varies by barrel)  |  Origin: Central Virginia, USA  |  Minimum 4 Years Old  |  Distillery: Virginia Distillery Company

Production & Heritage

Virginia Distillery Company sits among the Blue Ridge Mountains in central Virginia, where the region's dynamic seasonal temperature swings accelerate maturation in meaningful ways. This whisky is distilled from a 100% malted barley mashbill and aged a minimum of four years in former Pedro Ximénez (PX) Sherry casks sourced from bodegas in Jerez, Spain. As the distillery's blending team evaluates maturing stock, certain exceptional casks displaying outsized depth and complexity are hand-selected and set aside for single barrel releases. This particular barrel was chosen for its standout character, bottled at natural cask strength with no chill filtration and no artificial color added — allowing the full influence of the PX Sherry cask to come through undiminished.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Honeycomb and apricot rise first, followed by sugared almonds and a thread of bright lemon citrus. At cask strength, the sherry influence is amplified, with layers of dried fig and golden raisin developing as the whisky opens in the glass.

Taste: The entry is silky and immediately sweet, with hazelnut and toffee coating the palate. Mid-palate brings soft leather, caramelized plum, and dark cherry, while the cask-strength proof adds assertive structure without harshness. A few drops of water unlock additional baking spice and marzipan complexity.

Finish: Long and warming, with a slow fade of soft caramel, toasted oak, and lingering nutmeg. The PX Sherry influence stays present through the end, leaving a dried-fruit sweetness that persists well after the sip.

How to Drink the Courage & Conviction Sherry Single Barrel

At cask strength, this whisky rewards neat sipping with a few drops of water to open up its full aromatic range — the proof will vary by barrel, so start with a small splash and adjust. It also anchors rich, spirit-forward cocktails with distinctive depth. A Rob Roy benefits from the PX Sherry sweetness pairing naturally with sweet vermouth. A Blood and Sand gains additional dried-fruit complexity that amplifies the cocktail's classic cherry and orange notes. An Old Fashioned built with this single barrel trades bourbon's vanilla profile for a darker, more sherried foundation of toffee and fig.

Best For

• Gifting a whisky enthusiast who collects unique single barrel selections
• Side-by-side tasting against the standard Courage & Conviction Sherry Cask expression
• Anchoring a curated American single malt tasting flight
• Celebrating a milestone with a cask-strength pour that rewards slow, contemplative sipping

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Courage & Conviction Sherry Single Barrel taste like? This cask-strength American single malt leads with rich toffee, hazelnut, and caramelized plum, driven by extended maturation in a Pedro Ximénez Sherry cask. The finish is long and warming, marked by soft caramel and baking spice.

How does the Courage & Conviction Sherry Single Barrel compare to Westland Sherry Wood? Both are American single malts aged in sherry casks, but Virginia Distillery Company uses exclusively PX Sherry casks from Jerez and bottles its single barrels at cask strength, while Westland Sherry Wood blends multiple sherry cask types and is typically bottled at 46% ABV. The Virginia expression tends to deliver more concentrated dried-fruit sweetness and higher proof intensity.

Is the Courage & Conviction Sherry Single Barrel good for sipping neat? Absolutely — it is specifically designed for neat sipping, though a few drops of water help tame the cask-strength proof and unlock additional layers of marzipan, honeycomb, and spice.

Where is the Courage & Conviction Sherry Single Barrel made? It is distilled and aged at Virginia Distillery Company, located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of central Virginia. The PX Sherry casks used for maturation are sourced from bodegas in the Jerez region of southern Spain.

What foods pair well with the Courage & Conviction Sherry Single Barrel? Dark chocolate truffles complement the whisky's toffee and dried-fruit sweetness. Aged Manchego cheese echoes the Spanish sherry-cask influence. Roasted lamb with rosemary stands up to the cask-strength intensity. Crème brûlée mirrors the caramelized sugar notes. Fig and walnut crostini reinforce the PX-driven fig and nut aromatics.

What sizes does the Courage & Conviction Sherry Single Barrel come in? This single barrel selection is available in the standard 750ml bottle size.

Is the Courage & Conviction Sherry Single Barrel worth the price? It positions as a premium single barrel expression within the American single malt category, justified by its cask-strength bottling, non-chill-filtered production, and individual cask selection — factors that place it above the standard Courage & Conviction range in both exclusivity and intensity.

Why the Courage & Conviction Sherry Single Barrel?

What separates this release from the standard Courage & Conviction Sherry Cask is barrel-level individuality — a single PX Sherry cask chosen by the distillery's blending team for exceptional depth, bottled without dilution or chill filtration. The Courage & Conviction Sherry Cask program has already earned a Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and 92 points from Whisky Advocate, and this barrel represents the upper tier of that already acclaimed stock. Virginia's dramatic temperature swings push spirit deeper into the dense PX-seasoned oak, producing a concentration of flavor that distinguishes it from more temperate-climate single malts. For anyone tracking the rapid rise of American single malt whisky as a serious category, this is a barrel worth experiencing at full proof.