Bourbon lovers of Northern Virginia, it’s time to check out a new option in the heart of Middleburg’s horse country.
Last month, the newly opened Middleburg Barrel Company unveiled its flagship bourbon brand, 1787 Provenance Bourbon. The brand encompasses two bourbons: 1787 Provenance Straight Bourbon Whiskey, aged seven years, and its 14-year premium expression. The bourbons are sourced from Kentucky distilleries, and casks are handpicked by the company’s principal whiskey maker, Jay West.
Founded earlier this year, Middleburg Barrel Company recently opened the doors to its whiskey operation site, the Provenance Estate. The 21-acre property is home to two newly constructed rickhouses aging over 2,000 casks of bourbon.
Founder Viyas Sundaram chose to keep the property and bourbon-tasting experience open only by reservation and invitation. He wanted guests to have an intimate, multisensory bourbon-tasting experience.
“Provenance is about honoring the past while shaping bourbon’s future. We built this brand to showcase how exceptional barrels and thoughtful blending can create whiskeys that stand with the very best,” said Sundaram.
“Today’s consumers are more thoughtful about what they choose to drink, and Provenance is designed for that mindset. It’s an invitation to experience bourbon in a way that’s immersive, personal, and meant to be savored with intention,” Sundaram continued.
Visitors can begin the experience by greeting and feeding Martha and George, the two donkeys that have been on the property for far longer than Sundaram has owned it. Next, guests can tour the rickhouses and peek inside a converted horse rehab barn that stores the company’s rarest barrels. The hands-on experience includes a “thieving” process, where visitors can sample bourbon straight from the barrel with an expert guide.
The estate also offers a barrel pick experience, where guests can taste, select, and purchase an entire cask of bourbon. The barrel pick is then bottled with a custom label and shipped directly to the purchaser. According to Sundaram, several DC restaurants are already serving 1787 Provenance Bourbon barrel picks behind their bars.
The idea for Middleburg Barrel Company sparked from another business Sundaram co-founded. The Bourbon Concierge is a DC-based and online rare whiskey retailer. Sundaram felt that after collecting rare bottles of bourbon, the next step was to curate and collect rare barrels to age bourbon.
After seeing the community support, grow, and rally around Loudoun County wine country since he moved here in 2003, he felt inspired to contribute to the emerging bourbon industry in Northern Virginia. Sundaram said learning and collecting barrels from experienced whiskey makers who have spent decades perfecting a product and process felt like the best way to give Northern Virginia customers an amazing product.
While Sundaram intends to keep Provenance Estate an intimate, reservation- and invite-only experience, he has partnered with The Fountain Inn to open a Provenance tasting room inside their DC location. The bourbon is already on the shelves of local DC retailers like Georgetown Spirits and Verified Wines. The Provenance team is also working towards getting the bourbon into ABC stores across the DMV.
Feature image courtesy 1787 Provenance Bourbon
