My first visit focused on their cider and vermouth offerings in their large barn structure – which is handsome, provides scenic views, and is a welcoming place to spend time.  Mt. Defiance focuses on traditional ciders and had, on this visit, four ciders on draft.  I tasted through a flight of ciders and added one ounce pours of their Pommeau, an apple cider port, and their Sweet Vermouth. 

Cidery tasting notes:

Farmhouse Cider:  Dry and crisp, with gentle acidity, and soft straw color.  Using champagne yeast, this cider is their lightest and the most popular of those the distillery produces year round.  There are definite champagne notes and it drinks like a light, artisanal golden ale for those who prefer this easy going style.

Old Volstead Cider:  Also dry and crisp, using an ale yeast and a bit deeper in color than the Farmhouse, it is the most beer like of the flight.  Fuller bodied, but still light and crisp, the OV has got an ale profile along with understandable notes of apple and a bit of spice mid-palate.

General’s Reserve Cider:  Their Farmhouse Cider aged in retired bourbon barrels, this cider has the deepest color of the four on tap – almost amber.  Soft, rich bourbon notes, with the fullest mouth feel of the flight.

Hoppiness Cider:  Their Farmhouse Cider combined with Citra hops and slightly sweetened.  Dry hopped, with a light straw color, there are some sour notes mid-palate to offset for the initial sweetness on the finish. 

Pommeau:  An apple port, it’s a combination of sweet cider and their own brandy aged for 12 months in barrel.  The barrel fermentation adds creaminess and there is a lengthy finish.  They recommend it as an aperitif and I would agree.  With its residual sweetness, the Pommeau would also make a nice post meal drink, after a light meal.

On my second visit, in town at their original location with some lovely wood accents, I had a flight of their Dark Rum, Cassis, Absinthe, and Vermouth.  Virginia ABC laws permit four 3oz pours of distilled spirits, which is sensible.  The taste buds get quite a workout too, so it’s smart from a palate perspective as well.

Spirits tasting notes:

Dark Rum:  Aged in older rye whiskey barrels using only natural ingredients and a small amount of cane sugar, there are pine and honey notes on the nose, spices and vanilla on the palate, and oak and pine on the finish. 

Cassis:  Nicely balanced between tart and sweet, deep layers of fresh black currant flavors.  Black currants (sourced from upstate New York), beet sugar and alcohol, the purity of fruit really shines through as does the natural beet sugar. 

Absinthe:  Lemon yellow and slightly cloudy post water, with licorice aromas and flavors.  A bit bitter and astringent, but light and crisp with a long clean finish.  Aniseeds are sourced from Andalucia in Spain, fennel from Provence, and lemon balm and hyssop from Virginia.  Mt. Defiance makes their sugar cubes by hand to ensure they dissolve evenly when serving their Absinthe.

Sweet Vermouth:  Infused with their own brandy, spices and local herbs and sweetened with local honey, it’s on the darker side and slightly sweet when tasted on its own.  Its herbal nature shines through as a spirit to enjoy before dinner. 

From my first visit at the cidery, I came home with an Old Volstead, Lemonade Shandy and a bottle of their Pommeau.  I’ve been enjoying the Pommeau as an after work and/or dinner drink.  After my second visit I came home with a bottle of the Cassis to enjoy on it’s own, mixed with sparkling wine or champagne, and poured over ice cream. 

Criticisms – I have two.  First, the option to purchase single bottle servings of all their year round ciders doesn’t exist.  Outside of the Old Volstead, the only options with the other ciders are growlers or larger bottles.  Second, there are no mixed or single cider six packs available.  As a single household I’d enjoy the being able to have a “regular” serving of their Farmhouse or General’s Reserve Cider.

The staffs on both visits were very knowledgeable about their ciders and distilled spirits and happy to provide recommendations on mixing options and food pairings.  Food – charcuterie and cheese – can be purchased at the Cidery to enjoy on-site.

So, if the mood strikes for a distillery or cider experience Mt. Defiance would make a very nice destination in the lovely town of Middleburg, VA with it’s good restaurant scene, brick sidewalks, and country setting.

Mt. Defiance Distillery
207 W. Washington Street
Middleburg, VA  20117
(540) 687-8100
https://www.mtdefiance.com/
https://goo.gl/maps/kwmG66SLxSTp172F8

Distillery Notes: 

1. There are a few parking spaces in front of the distillery, but plenty elsewhere in town.
2. They are closed on Mondays.

Mt. Defiance Cider Barn
495 E. Washington Street
Middleburg, VA  20117
(540) 883-3176

Cider Barn Notes:

1. The stone driveway transition from/to Route 50 can get washed out.  So, watch the nose on your sportscar and even some sports sedans.
2. They are closed on Mondays.

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