In 1799, George Washington's distillery produced nearly 11,000 gallons, making it one of the largest whiskey distilleries in America.
Visit the Distillery
Today, a faithfully reconstructed working distillery produces small batch spirits on-site and is open to visitors on weekends in April - October.
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Buy George Washington's Whiskey
Distilled spirits produced at Mount Vernon are available for purchase at the distillery, at the Shops at Mount Vernon and online.
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Distillery Virtual Tour
You can now see the main floor of George Washington's Distillery® via our Mount Vernon Virtual Tour.
Virtual Tour![Making Whiskey at George Washington's Distillery®](https://mtv-drupal-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/files/styles/image_video_block_image/s3/pages/distillery-gristmill-nov2013-shenk-5566-3.jpg.webp?VersionId=qxoe9wGv005msUk5d4KqYE23q92.jeqG&itok=fZEzcdnq)
Making Whiskey at George Washington's Distillery®
Learn more about George Washington's Mount Vernon distillery and the 18th-century process used to make whiskey.
Watch the VideoThe original recipe for Washington’s whiskey was discovered by researchers examining the Distillery ledgers from 1798 and 1799. His whiskey consisted of 60% rye, 35% corn, and 5% malted barley.
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Ten Facts About George Washington's Distillery®
Washington's distilling operation was one of the most profitable enterprises at Mount Vernon.
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Archaeology at The Distillery
Mount Vernon began a long-term program of archaeological and documentary research in 1999 with the ultimate goal of reconstructing and interpreting George Washington's Distillery®.
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A History of Whiskey Production
Learn more about the production of whiskey at George Washington’s Distillery at Mount Vernon—one of the largest distilleries in America at its time.
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Distillers
Enslaved distillers Hanson, Peter, Nat, Daniel, James, and Timothy performed the hot and tiring work of making whiskey.
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James Anderson, Washington's Distiller
Farm Manager James Anderson persuaded George Washington to build a distillery on his Mount Vernon plantation.
Learn moreExplore the Distillery
Take a look into George Washington's Distillery® through our Virtual Tour
See videos from our working distillery at Mount Vernon
The Distillery
Photos of George Washington's reconstructed Distillery
The reconstruction of George Washington's Distillery® was made possible through the generosity of The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States and their member companies.
American Whiskey Trail
We are proud to be featured on the American Whiskey Trail, an educational journey into the cultural heritage and history of spirits in America.