Reservoir Distillery

What Reservoir Distillery does

Reservoir Distillery is a privately held craft whiskey producer founded in 2008 by Dave Cuttino and headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, operating a single distillery and tasting room in the Scott's Addition neighborhood. Its product portfolio centers on a differentiated Single Grain Founding Series of 100% wheat, 100% corn, and 100% rye American whiskeys — an uncommon formulation in the U.S. craft segment — supplemented by the Hunter & Scott blended line, Bottled-in-Bond Grey Ghost small-cask expressions, and limited-release cask-finished products such as the Holland's Series (stout, rum, and milk stout barrel finishes), Maison de Cuivre (Burgundy Grand Cru finish), and a Cognac Cask Experience developed with François Voyer. The company applies proprietary alligator char small-barrel aging and has built the Virginia Heritage Grain Project with Virginia Tech, James B. Beam Institute, and USDA Germplasm to research heritage grains for spirits production.

The business operates a hybrid direct-to-consumer and wholesale model: DTC revenue flows through the Richmond tasting room (flights, cocktails, bottle sales), a Shopify e-commerce storefront (Virginia-only bottle sales plus merchandise and membership), the $500 Alligator Char Society annual subscription, and a three-tier custom program (bottle etching, custom mash bill, private barrel selection). Wholesale distribution is handled through named regional partners across approximately ten U.S. states and four international markets (UK, Australia, Canada, Germany). Customer segments are intentionally horizontal — craft whiskey enthusiasts, Richmond locals, whiskey tourists, collectors, and B2B partners — reducing concentration risk.

The company has accumulated notable industry recognition, including a Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, 1st Place at the DISCUS Innovation Showcase (2024) for the Virginia Heritage Grain Project, four consecutive Top Ten Whiskies of the Year from CigarsLover Magazine, Food & Wine's "28 American Whiskies Worth Splurging On," and Garden & Gun Made in the South. Operating with 1-10 employees and no disclosed external funding, Reservoir has pursued an organic growth path over 17 years, prioritizing R&D differentiation, limited-release premium positioning, and community-building over scale-driven expansion.

Name

Reservoir Distillery

Legal name

Reservoir Distillery

Website

https://reservoirdistillery.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Reservoir Distillery is a craft whiskey producer founded in 2008 in Richmond, Virginia, making single-grain 100% wheat, corn, and rye whiskeys plus limited cask-finished releases, serving enthusiasts through its tasting room, e-commerce, membership club, and multi-state wholesale.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Distilled Whiskey

NAICS

Distilleries (312140), Distilleries (31214), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (424820)

SIC

Beverages (2080), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Spirits Distilling & Brands (CRADAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Distilleries (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAG), Spirits Distillery Tours & Tastings (Whiskey, Rum, Gin, Vodka) (THAJAGAF), Spirits Retail & Whiskey Shops (Off-Premise) (CRANAAAD)

Keywords

• Craft whiskey distillery
• Single grain whiskey
• Barrel finished spirits
• Heritage grain whiskey
• Custom whiskey programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Tasting Room Sales: On-site sales of whiskey flights, cocktails, and bottle purchases at the Richmond tasting room. Serves as primary brand experience hub and direct revenue channel.
2. E-commerce Bottle Sales: Direct online sales of bottles, merchandise, gift cards, and memberships through Shopify storefronts. Virginia-only bottle sales with some limited releases.
3. Wholesale Distribution: Sales through distributors across multiple U.S. states (Virginia, D.C., Texas, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Maryland, Kentucky, Georgia, Delaware) and internationally (Australia, Canada, Germany, UK).
4. Custom Programs (Private Barrel & Etching): Three-tier bespoke whiskey program offering custom bottle etching, custom mash bill creation, and private barrel selections for individuals, clubs, and businesses.
5. Alligator Char Society Membership: $500 annual membership providing four exclusive quarterly releases, first access to limited bottles, and member-only tastings. Blended exclusively for members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Reservoir Distillery distills, ages, and sells craft American whiskeys from its Richmond, Virginia facility. The portfolio features three flagship single-grain 100% expressions (Wheat, Corn, Rye), the Hunter & Scott blended Bourbon and Rye line, and a series of limited barrel-finished whiskeys including the Holland's Series (rum, stout, and milk stout cask finishes), Maison de Cuivre (Burgundy Grand Cru cask-finished bourbon), and Grey Ghost Bottled-in-Bond expressions. The distillery operates an on-site tasting room, e-commerce storefront, custom bottle etching and private barrel programs for individuals and businesses, and the Alligator Char Society collector membership.

Product overview

Reservoir Distillery is a craft whiskey distillery in Richmond, Virginia, founded in 2008. Its product portfolio centers on grain-forward American whiskeys organized into tiers: the Founding Series (three 100% single-grain expressions: Wheat, Bourbon, and Rye), the Hunter & Scott blended line, and the limited-time Holland's Series featuring small-barrel and specialty barrel-finished releases. Key limited offerings include Maison de Cuivre (Burgundy Grand Cru-finished flagship), Grey Ghost Bottled-in-Bond expressions, and collaboration releases like Cognac Cask and Evil100. Services include custom bottle etching, mash bill creation, and private cask selection. The Alligator Char Society provides exclusive quarterly releases to members. The Virginia Heritage Grain Project conducts research on heritage grains for industry benefit.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hunter & Scott: A product line of blended bourbons and ryes combining Virginia whiskies with Kentucky and Indiana selections.
• Holland's Series
• Maison de Cuivre
• Grey Ghost
• Alligator Char Society

Quantifiable outcome

• Double Gold Medal at San Francisco World Spirits Competition for Holland's Blade Rummer
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• Virginia TechcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Research partnership for the Virginia Heritage Grain Project. Virginia Tech researchers plant, harvest, and collect data on heritage grain varieties across multiple research sites. Promising varieties are evaluated for distillation and barreling potential.
• James B. Beam Institute at University of KentuckycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Research partner for the Virginia Heritage Grain Project. Conducts small-batch distillations of heritage grain varieties and presents results to sensory panels of international industry experts.
• USDA GermplasmsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partner in heritage grain identification efforts. Provides access to germplasm collections to help systematically identify and locate heritage grains for the Virginia Heritage Grain Project.
• Monticello (Heritage Organizations)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Heritage organization partner aiding in the identification and sourcing of heritage grain varieties for the Virginia Heritage Grain Project.
• François VoyercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Artisanal Cognac house with five generations of history. Provided 100-gallon Limousin barrel previously holding 2016 cognac for Reservoir's Cask Experience program, creating unique whiskey finished in cognac casks.
• Jens PulverminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021UFC Lightweight Champion collaborated with Reservoir to create Evil100 whiskey - a blend of Reservoir's Virginia whiskeys with hand-picked Kentucky barrels, named after the fighter.
• Hardywood Park Craft BrewerysupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Local Richmond craft brewery collaborated on Gingerbread Stout whiskey - took their popular Gingerbread Stout and aged it using bourbon techniques to create unique spirit described as 'Christmas in a glass.'
• Vintage Boxing GymsupportingOthers · 1 January 2021Charity partnership for Guardian of the Gloves program. For each bottle sold, funding goes to Vintage's 501(c)(3) supporting young fighters through training.
• Ed TraskminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Richmond-based artist collaborated on custom etched bottle art featuring his murals. Created limited edition sets with proceeds benefiting Holli Fund for food service industry workers.
• Ardent Craft AlessupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Local brewery in Scott's Addition, Richmond. First collaboration created whiskey from distilled IPA grain finished in bourbon barrels. Also provides milk stout barrels for Holland's Milkman expression.
• Michael ShapscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Award-winning vintner in America and France. Partnership for Maison de Cuivre - Reservoir's 100% corn bourbon finished in Burgundy Grand Cru casks for 18 months.
• Opici Family DistributingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional distributor covering Washington D.C., Maryland, and Delaware markets. Part of wholesale distribution network.
• Amathus DrinkscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK-based distributor for Reservoir's international presence in the United Kingdom market.
• The Whisky ListcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAustralian distributor representing Reservoir in the Australia market.
• Craft Maltsters GuildsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry organization featured in Field To Bench article series. Works with Reservoir on Virginia Heirloom Project using heritage grains for distilled spirits.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• WhistlePig Whiskey: Vermont rye whiskey brand with extensive limited-edition cask-finishing program, farm-to-bottle positioning and strong international presence. Comparable in rye expertise, cask experimentation and premium pricing, though at much larger scale and broader reach.
• Bardstown Bourbon Company: Kentucky-based "destination" craft distillery with a large hospitality operation, custom collaboration whiskey programs and broad distribution. Larger but comparable as a premium craft producer layering custom barrels, on-site experience and multi-channel distribution.

Direct peers

• Castle & Key Distillery: Kentucky craft distillery operating an experiential tasting room and producing small-batch bourbons and gins. Comparable on DTC experience-led craft whiskey business with tourism and hospitality at the center.
• New Riff Distilling: Kentucky craft distillery producing bourbon, rye and other whiskies with a tasting room, club membership and broad U.S. distribution. Directly comparable craft whiskey business model with DTC, club and wholesale arms of similar shape and premium positioning.
• Virginia Distillery Co. Virginia-based craft distillery producing American single malt and other whiskies with on-site tasting room and DTC channels. Closest geographic and category peer to Reservoir, sharing Virginia heritage branding, tourism traffic and limited wholesale footprint.
• Smooth Ambler Spirits: West Virginia craft distillery offering bourbon and rye, including limited-age and single-cask releases. Comparable small U.S. craft whiskey producer with similar premium and limited-edition play.
• A. Smith Bowman Distillery: Virginia craft distillery producing bourbon, rye and other spirits with national distribution. Comparable same-state Virginia craft distiller with broader distribution but overlapping craft American whiskey focus.
• Balcones Distilling: Texas craft distillery known for innovative single-grain and small-batch American whiskeys (including malted corn expressions). Comparable as a craft producer experimenting with non-traditional mash bills and limited cask-finished releases.
• Wilderness Trail Distillery: Kentucky craft bourbon and rye producer founded around 2012 with focus on grain selection and small-batch production. Comparable age cohort and craft American whiskey positioning with multi-state distribution.
• Catoctin Creek Distillery: Purcellville, Virginia craft distillery producing rye and bourbon whiskies using locally sourced grain. Directly comparable as a same-state, grain-forward Virginia craft whiskey producer competing for the same distributor slots and tourist dollars.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ReservoirDist
• Facebookfacebook.com/reservoirdistilleryrva
• Instagraminstagram.com/reservoirdistillery

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Reservoir Distillery