There is a number Whiskey Trails, in a number of countries, and a new one has been launched in the USA. Spanning a number of states, the Whiskey Rebellion Trail has been launched. The Whiskey Rebellion Trail is made up of four cities, including Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington, and Baltimore, in addition to towns and rural areas in-between.
The Whiskey Rebellion Trail was created by a group of craft distillers and visitors’ organisations throughout the region to highlight the contributions of the region to the history of American spirits and the exciting rise of award-winning craft distilleries in the area over the last several years.
The Whiskey Rebellion insurrection in Pennsylvania in 1794
The trail was developed as a collaborative effort among a dozen destination marketing organisations (DMOs), as well as dozens of craft distilleries and cultural institutions throughout the Mid-Atlantic. The trail is governed by an Advisory Committee of funding DMOs and participating distilleries. The three-year development effort was envisioned and led by Meredith Meyer Grelli, co-founder of Wigle Whiskey in Pittsburgh, with early leadership and support from Craig Davis, CEO of VisitPITTSBURGH, as well as partners at Visit Philadelphia, Destination D.C., and the Washington County Chamber of Commerce.
The Whiskey Rebellion Trail spans District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia and is broken down into four regions; The Rebellion, The March, The Finale and The Order.
The Rebellion
In 1794 the grumblings about The Whiskey Rebellion became an outright coup to overthrow the tax using force. You won’t find whiskey neat here — this region serves up the spirit with an edge of non-conformity. A wild streak passed down from generation to generation beginning with One Terrible Night and rebels rounded up for treason. This is the region where the rebellion was put down, but it hasn’t been forgotten….
The March
13,000 troops left boot prints across lush crop fields and rolling hills as they marched towards the heart of the conflict to restore order and put an end to the Whiskey Rebellion. Washington’s famous march made him the only president to march troops on his own people. Find yourself in the midst of a historic and controversial trek that spanned Philadelphia to Pittsburgh.
The Finale
In December 1794 the rebellion was all but over; after last stands in modern day Baltimore 20 men awaited justice for their crimes of treason against the newly formed government. The Rebellion was put down but the region’s contribution to American whiskey survives in the region’s museums and craft distilleries.
The Order
Clink! went the wine glasses along the eastern seaboard, toasting a new nation and the first seat of government. Comfortable in Philadelphia, George Washington and Alexander Hamilton orchestrate the first excise tax in American history from this historic destination and watch as anger spreads throughout…
Full details on the new Whiskey Rebellion Trail can be found on their website.
