Virginia Distillery Company Empowers Women in Distilling with $100k Scholarship and Limited Edition Whisky Release

by Daniel Galyean

As a woman-owned and women-made business, Virginia Distillery Company (VDC) is proud to celebrate Women’s History Month by announcing the ‘Angela H. Moore – Women in Distilling Scholarship’. This generous $100,000 scholarship will provide financial aid to Appalachian State University students pursuing a career in distillation and whisky production.

This five-year renewable scholarship will support fermentation sciences majors over the age of 21 with annual financial assistance. Furthermore, half of VDC’s investment will be allocated to funding student-led research projects on distillation. This partnership allows students to develop and execute research ideas under the guidance of the fermentation sciences faculty.

In addition to the scholarship, Virginia Distillery Co. is offering paid internship opportunities for recipients. These internships will give students hands-on, real-world experience within a whisky distillery, covering all aspects of whisky production, including distilling, cask house operations, and packaging.

Angela H. Moore, Board Chair at Virginia Distillery Company, expressed her enthusiasm for the program, stating, “I’m incredibly proud to launch this program and hope it encourages those who are interested in a career in distilling to pursue their passions. As a minority in a male-dominated industry, my goal is to grow representation and create opportunities for women in the production of world-class whiskies.”

Appalachian State University made history in 2012 as the first university on the East Coast to offer a bachelor’s degree in fermentation sciences. Dr. Brett Taubman, professor and director of the fermentation sciences program in App State’s A.R. Smith Department of Chemistry and Fermentation, noted the importance of the scholarship and research funding for attracting and retaining women in the program and the distillation industry. “Women are currently underrepresented in the distillation industry, and this investment represents a great start in changing that.”

To support the scholarship initiative, Virginia Distillery Company is introducing a new limited edition release: Scholar’s Craft Coffee Cask American Single Malt Whisky (SRP: $59.99), with all proceeds going towards the scholarship fund. The Scholar’s Craft Coffee Cask is made from 100% malted barley, aged in ex-bourbon casks, and finished in barrels that previously held ethically sourced small-batch coffee – a nod to the essential role that coffee plays in the lives of college students.

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