There are only five days left until the U.S. Tax & Trade Bureau’s ratification of American Single Malt Whiskey goes into effect. If you’ve been following along around here or on The Whisky Type Instagram account, you know that we’ve been celebrating since Sunday, counting down to January 19 with Seven Days of American Single Malt Whiskeys.

Today is Day Three of the countdown. You can find Day One (Stryker American Single Malt Whiskey by Andalusia Whiskey Co.) and Day Two (Westland Beer Cask Finish American Single Malt Whiskey) in the archives.

Our chosen spirit this afternoon is a little bit different than the first two. It’s an American Single Malt, of course, but this particular distillery prefers the e-exclusionary spelling of whisky. Plus, it’s not just one bottle we’re opening. It’s four.

(Don’t worry, they’re all small.)

We’re cracking into a lovely four-pack of Courage & Conviction, the American Single Malt Whisky from Virginia Distillery Co.

As one of the founding members of the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission, Virginia Distillery has been making its 100% malted barley whiskies in the Blue Ridge Mountains since 2011. The name Courage & Conviction comes from their late founder, Dr. George G. Moore, and his oft-repeated expression, “Have the courage of your convictions.”

Courage & Conviction is not a singular whiskey. It’s a brand, a range, and a varied experience, all rooted in the same core values: malted barley and natural Blue Ridge spring water.

I first tried Courage & Conviction last February while attending the ASMWC’s convention in Denver. If memory (which is a little fuzzy after quite a bit of whiskey and time), I tried the single barrel Cuvée Cask expression—and loved it.

I wanted to know more, and particularly to experience the Courage & Conviction’s core range of whiskies. Back in July, I ordered the four pack featured here along with a full-sized bottle of the Signature Malt whisky. Thanks to a shipping issue, a quick email, and a follow-up phone call, I found myself attending the Bourbon Women Sip-osium as a guest of the distillery a month later.

And they say drinking whiskey won’t get you anywhere in life.

Virginia Distillery’s afternoon event during the Sip-osium took me and several other guests to Clayton & Crume, an artisan leather shop in Louisville. We drank, we snacked, and we made leather sleeves to fit on rocks glasses, each one embossed with the Courage & Conviction logo.

More importantly, we learned about the art of blending from Virginia Distillery’s Lead Blender, Amanda Beckwith.

The core range of Courage & Conviction consists of four whiskies, each 46% ABV and aged for a minimum of four years. The difference lies in their finishing. There’s the Bourbon Cask, the Cuvée Cask, and the Sherry Cask. The fourth core whisky, Signature Malt, is a blend of the other three.

You can buy each ready-made expression on its own, or pick up a 50 ml sampler like I did. And you could drink them as they come, sipping on each separately.

But Virginia Distillery has a unique approach to their consumer engagement strategy, which might change how you enjoy their whisky: this is a distillery that believes in audience participation.

The sampler pack of Courage & Conviction whiskies comes with a QR code. You can scan it to enjoy a virtual tasting experience with Amanda, deepening your experience of each sip.

Plus, with each of the three core component whiskies on hand, whisky enthusiasts can create their own blend of Courage & Conviction, selecting the specific amounts of each component whisky to include in their glass. Sometimes, whisky fans like me can even order a bottle of their own unique blend. This special offering, called The Draftsman, comes with a special label indicating the percentages of each whisky contained within. It also bears the name of the person who “drafted” it.

Let me just say from experience: it’s really cool to see your own name on a bottle of whisky.

My version of The Draftsman is 40% bourbon cask; 20% cuvée cask, and 40% sherry cask. I chose and ordered that particular blend in Louisville. After telling us about the distillery’s history and the basics of her trade, Amanda gave each of us small amounts of the three base whiskies along with pipettes, a place to take notes, and instructions to play.

As someone who was never really into science, it was the most fun I’ve ever had with a pipette. The fact that I was sampling my experimental blends along the way probably helped.

Unfortunately, I can’t find The Draftsman on the Courage & Conviction website right now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t blend your own at home if you have all the necessary parts. Plus, VA Distillery’s audience participation options don’t stop there. They also offer a free online education program to learn more about American Single Malt Whiskey, called the ASM Academy.

Oh, and how are the whiskies? Fantastic.

The Bourbon Cask is light and creamy, with hints of vanilla and malt a pinch of spice. The Cuvée Cask is comparatively dark and rich, digging deeper into the baking cabinet to pull out notes of brown sugar and even more spice. The Sherry Cask hits the tongue with a bold blend of fruit and leather. The Signature Malt pulls notes from all three, with a gentle layering of flavor that has earned it several 90+ point ratings.

The good news is this: for an amateur blender…you pretty much can’t go wrong drinking or mixing these whiskies.

Sláinte, y’all!

In My Glass(es)

Courage & Conviction American Single Malt Whiskies

Bourbon Cask, Cuvée Cask, Sherry Cask, and Signature Malt

Virginia Distillery Co. – Lovingston, Virginia

46% ABV; Min. 4 Years

On My Desk

A still-new-to-me Royal Quiet De Luxe in its dining room debut.