Private company

Catoctin Creek Distilling Company

Logo: catoctincreekdistilling.com3

Distillery in Virginia, United States

The Catoctin Creek Distilling Company ( kə-TOK-tən), which operates under the trade name of Catoctin Creek, is the first legal distillery in Loudoun County, Virginia, since prohibition. The distillery is a certified organic and kosher microdistillery in Purcellville, Virginia, that produces brandy, rye whiskey, and gin from local fruit, organic grain and Virginia wine.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

2009Founded1
Catoctin Creek Distillery 01
Photo: Scott E. Harris, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons5

The Catoctin Creek Distilling Company ( kə-TOK-tən), which operates under the trade name of Catoctin Creek, is the first legal distillery in Loudoun County, Virginia, since prohibition. The distillery is a certified organic and kosher microdistillery in Purcellville, Virginia, that produces brandy, rye whiskey, and gin from local fruit, organic grain and Virginia wine.2

The story

The distillery was founded in 2009 by Scott and Rebecca Harris using an SBA 7(a) loan for start-up capital. Initially, the company operated using custom-made 400 and 1200 liter Kothe hybrid pot-column stills.

In the 2011 session of the Virginia General Assembly, the company sought approval to sell its spirits at the distillery. Virginia Senate Bill 1249 passed both the Senate and the House of Delegates and was then signed by Governor Bob McDonnell on March 26, 2011, allowing direct bottle-sales to the public from the distillery. With the prior year's passage of 2010 House of Delegate Bill 952, the company now provides tastings at their distillery store, in a fashion similar to wineries within the state.

In 2012, the distillery purchased the historic Case Building (built 1921) on Main Street in Purcellville, and renovated the building as the home of their new distillery. Renovations included structural repair to the roof, complete electrical upgrade, new plumbing systems, fire sprinklers, a new tasting room, extensive masonry repair, and a 41kWh solar array.

In 2017, the distillery announced a new minority partner and investor, Constellation Brands of Victor, New York. In a company press release, Rebecca Harris, the co-founder and chief distiller, stated the reasoning behind the investment: "In order to expand our production and portfolio, we needed the right partner for the next level of growth. Constellation has a strong commitment to this category..." During this time, Scott and Rebecca Harris, the co-founders, remained the majority owners and managers of the business.

In 2021, the company upgraded their production equipment, tripling their capacity, including a new mash cooker, fermenters, and a 2000 liter Specific Engineering hybrid pot-column still, replacing the older 400 liter pot still. That same year, Catoctin Creek collaborated with the Virginia based heavy-metal band, Gwar to produce Ragnarök Rye, a limited-edition rye whiskey.

In a 2023 press release, the company states that it had re-purchased the shares from Constellation Brands, returning the company to full independent ownership, with Scott and Rebecca Harris maintaining control.

From Wikipedia’s article on Catoctin Creek Distilling Company, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Products and brands

  • liquor

Listed on Wikidata.1

Timeline

  1. 2009Founded Founded in Purcellville1

Funding

Where the company's money came from, by calendar year: private offerings filed with the SEC, federal grants, loans, contracts and other assistance from USAspending.gov, and PPP loans from the SBA. Each bar links to the records below.

Money received by year$210.9K 2020–2020
Money received by yearMoney received by year, 2020–2020: $210.9K in all. PPP loans $210.9K.$0$100K$200K$300K2020 · PPP loans: $210.9K2020
Figures by year
YearPPP loansTotal
2020$210.9K$210.9K

PPP loans

Paycheck Protection Program loans of $150,000 and up, approved April 2020 to July 2021, from the SBA6. Matched to this company by name and state.

  1. Apr 9, 2020$210.9K PPP loan (first draw) from John Marshall Bank6To CATOCTIN CREEK DISTILLING COMPANY, LLC, Purcellville VA; $212.1K forgiven Nov 3, 2020