Loudoun is best known for wine and beer, but its cideries and pioneering distillery are worth a detour. These are the standouts for something a little different.
Updated July 2026
Our take: Rankings are our editorial opinion from research and reviews — not paid placements. Policies and hours change, so confirm before visiting.
The ranking
Catoctin Creek Distilling Company
Loudoun County's first licensed distillery since before Prohibition, turning out organic, award-winning Virginia rye whisky alongside gin and brandy from its Purcellville home.
Mt. Defiance Cider & Distillery
A rare cidery-and-distillery pairing in Middleburg, pouring handcrafted ciders next to rum, brandy, botanical gin, and even absinthe made from Virginia-grown ingredients.
Wild Hare Hard Cider
Hard cider poured in a circa-1840 log 'Cider Cabin' in the heart of walkable Old Town Leesburg.
Corcoran Vineyards & Cider
A small family winery-and-cidery tucked beside the historic Quaker village of Waterford — one of the county's few combined operations.
Henway Hard Cider
The Zurschmeide family's pond-side cider barn completes the Bluemont mountainside trifecta with Bluemont Vineyard and Dirt Farm Brewing.
Loudoun Cider House
Small-batch Virginia cider poured from a Lucketts wedding barn — check the calendar first; hours bend around events.
Blue Wall Cider & Wine
Heirloom-apple ciders off a working regenerative farm in Paeonian Springs, minutes up Route 9 from Leesburg.
Keep exploring
Browse our ranked best-of lists or line up a safe, chauffeured way to tour the county.