Not only does Halifax County have two wineries, it now has a distillery producing corn whiskey, bourbon, and rum.

Springfield Distillery, along River Road, produces corn whiskey, bourbon, and rum for sale by the bottle, and it provides tours and sample drinks in its tasting room Thursday through Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Besides the alcohol, the distillery has outdoor concerts and special events in a beautiful setting overlooking the Piedmont scenery of Southern Virginia.

Unlike local moonshiners of long ago, Springfield Distillery produces liquor on the up and up. "The people who sold us the house told us there were stills in the area and at least two on the property itself," says James Gordon, who moved with his wife Kelly from northern Virginia in 2013. Gordon learned the trade from his father, who made liquor in his boyhood home of South Africa, and his work later took him to Northern Virginia.

"Kelly and I were looking for a place with at least 20 acres and some historical significance and Southern charm," says Gordon. "Springfield and Halifax County were the perfect place." The farm was established in 1799, and the antebellum house was built in 1842. It contains some of the architectural elements made by well-known craftsman Thomas Day.

The Gordons bought the distilling equipment from a company in Maine and began service in 2016. The distillery uses grain from local farms, and the spent mash is returned to the same field to be eaten by local cows.

On a night we visited in July, there was a concert with a guitarist and singer in the outdoor arena, a food truck selling hamburgers nearby, and tastings taking place in a restored log cabin. Guests could try out tasty mixed drinks like honey scratch and ginger, bloody scratch and honey scratch and lemon.

More details at www.springfielddistillery.com.

August 24, 2017 | Updated May 21, 2020