There's a new bottle sitting on shelves right now that doesn't fit neatly into any category most whiskey drinkers would recognize. Virginia Distillery Co. has released something called the Split Barrel Project, and it's exactly what it sounds like — a whiskey that lives in two worlds at once. Half of what's in the bottle is straight Kentucky bourbon. The other half is American single malt made right at the distillery in Virginia. It's a combination that doesn't come around very often, and the story behind why it exists says a lot about where American whiskey is headed.
The Distillery Behind the Idea
Virginia Distillery Co. has an interesting history. George Moore founded it back in 2011, but after he passed away, his son Gareth stepped in and took the reins. In the early days, the distillery was putting out whiskeys that blended single malt scotch with American malt whiskey — a kind of transatlantic experiment. By 2020, though, the operation shifted its focus toward releasing its own American single malt. That's the whiskey most people know the distillery for now, built around its core Courage & Conviction expression, along with a range of bottles finished in beer, cider, port, and wine casks.
A Distillery Built on Doing Things Differently
That willingness to mix things up is what led to the Split Barrel Project in the first place. The distillery didn't just stumble into this idea — it came from a clear-eyed look at who's drinking what in America right now, and what it might take to get bourbon lovers to try something they've mostly ignored.
What's Actually in the Bottle
Split Barrel Project #1 is the first in what the distillery says will be an ongoing series. The blend is a 50/50 split between two very different whiskeys.
The bourbon half was produced at Bardstown Bourbon Company in Kentucky. It's built on a mashbill of 75 percent corn, 15 percent rye, and 10 percent malted barley, and it was aged for four years in new charred oak — which is exactly what federal law requires for a whiskey to carry the bourbon label. Bardstown Bourbon Company is one of the more respected contract distillers in the country, so the sourced component here isn't some afterthought.
The single malt half is made entirely in-house at the Virginia distillery. It starts with a mashbill of 100 percent malted barley, which is the foundation of any single malt, and it spent five years aging in first-fill ex-bourbon barrels. That last part matters — ex-bourbon barrels bring their own vanilla and caramel character to whatever goes into them, but they let the barley-driven flavors come through in a way that new oak never would.
How It Tastes
The finished whiskey comes in at 90 proof. On one end, there are the sweet vanilla and oak notes that anyone who drinks bourbon regularly will recognize immediately. On the other, there's chocolate, fruit, and that malty depth that's the signature of a well-made single malt. Neither side overwhelms the other. It splits the difference, which is exactly what the name promises.
It's available now at select retailers and at the distillery's gift shop, with a suggested retail price of $45.
The Bigger Picture: American Single Malt Is Still Fighting for Its Seat at the Table
To understand why a release like this matters, it helps to know just how small and relatively obscure the American single malt category still is. Bourbon has been king for decades. Rye has made a serious comeback. But American single malt? Most drinkers couldn't tell you what it is, let alone name a brand.
That's not for lack of effort. Craft distilleries have been making this style of whiskey for decades. The American Single Malt Whiskey Commission has spent years pushing for official recognition, lobbying regulators to give the category a legal definition. That finally happened just last year, when the TTB — the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau — established formal guidelines.
What Makes It Official
Under those guidelines, American single malt must be distilled and aged at a single distillery located in the United States. The mashbill has to be 100 percent malted barley. And unlike bourbon, which requires new charred oak, American single malt can be aged in either new or used barrels. It's a flexible framework, which has allowed distilleries to develop their own house styles rather than chasing one set standard.
The category has gotten a boost recently from some heavyweight names. James B. Beam Distilling Co., Jack Daniel's, Woodford Reserve, and Bulleit have all released their own versions of American single malt in recent years. When brands that size pay attention to something, the broader market usually follows.
Using Bourbon as a Bridge
What Virginia Distillery Co. is doing with the Split Barrel Project is more strategic than it might first appear. Gareth Moore, CEO of the distillery, put it plainly: "The Split Barrel Project is unlike anything else on a back bar or retail shelf. We're creating a gateway into American single malt by meeting bourbon drinkers where they are, while still showcasing the depth and character that defines our whisky. It's a bold step forward in growing the category."
That word — gateway — is the key. The logic is simple. Bourbon drinkers already have a palate built around American whiskey. They know corn sweetness, they know charred oak, they know the warmth of a well-aged spirit. If a bottle can speak that language while simultaneously introducing something new, the barrier to entry drops significantly. A drinker who picks up Split Barrel Project #1 expecting a classic bourbon experience will find something familiar enough to feel comfortable, but different enough to make them curious.
The Ongoing Series
The distillery has confirmed that Split Barrel Project #1 is just the beginning. Future releases in the series will be collaborations with other distilleries, though specifics haven't been announced yet. That opens up a lot of possibilities — different bourbon sources, different barrel regimens, different mashbills on the single malt side. Each new release could tell a slightly different story about what happens when these two styles of American whiskey share the same bottle.
Why This Matters for Whiskey Drinkers
For the guy who's been drinking bourbon his whole life and hasn't thought much about what else is out there, this is about as low-risk an entry point as anyone could design. The price — $45 — keeps it accessible. The proof — 90 — keeps it drinkable without being watered down. And the blend itself is structured so that neither style crowds out the other.
American single malt is a category worth knowing. It draws on the same tradition that made Scotch whisky famous around the world, but it's made here, aged here, and shaped by American raw materials and American climate. The heat and humidity of Virginia, for example, interact with aging whiskey in ways that are completely different from what happens in a Scottish warehouse. That produces a different flavor profile — one that's worth exploring on its own terms.
The Split Barrel Project is one distillery's attempt to make that exploration feel a little less like homework and a lot more like something worth pouring on a Friday night.
