A. Smith Bowman Distillery
Abram Smith Bowman and his sons had a tradition of distilling bourbon whiskey. They brought their recipes to Virginia. The original distillery was located on the Bowman family homestead in Fairfax County, Virginia called Sunset Hills Farm. The distillery’s hallmark bourbon called Virginia Gentleman was first created in small-batches to ensure meticulous control over the quality of each bottle. In 1988 the distillery was moved to Fredericksburg.
Author: Caroline Porsiel
Caroline Porsiel is a master distiller and liqueurist based in East Ellijay, Georgia. She founded House of Applejay, a fine spirits and liqueur distillery, in 2022 with her mother, Sabine, crafting award-winning products like Applejay from Ellijay, Mt. Frozen Knob Vodka, and Winter Cherry Mountain Liqueur. The distillery won a 2024 Best of Georgia Award and a 2025 Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition for its Winter Cherry Mountain Liqueur. As a founding member of the AMBRU Campaign, launched in 2020, Porsiel advocates for the global recognition of American Brandy and Rum. She continues to drive innovation in the craft spirits industry from her active distillery in the heart of Georgia’s apple country.
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