1839 Collection Bourbon Whiskey

The Longwood spirit is about to get tastier.

The university has partnered with nearby Sandy River Distillery to create a unique single barrel bourbon that will be available in time for Longwood’s first Homecoming and Alumni Weekend celebration Nov. 10-12.

1839 Collection is a single barrel bourbon aged and bottled in Prince Edward County, the home of the Lancers for nearly two centuries. This first year, fewer than 400 bottles are available for sale, making the 2023 Reserve an extremely limited edition bourbon.

We think this will be a sought-after bottle for years to come and another way for Longwood alumni, parents and friends to show their pride in our university.

David Hooper ’00, associate vice president for marketing and engagement Tweet This

“We are always looking for innovative ways of engaging with various audiences,” said David Hooper ’00, associate vice president for marketing and engagement. “The idea to partner with a local distillery to create a premier bourbon for the greater Longwood family took root very quickly, and was a project the team was very excited about from the start. We think this will be a sought-after bottle for years to come and another way for Longwood alumni, parents and friends to show their pride in our university.”

Sandy River Distillery will sell the bottles later this month through their online store. Purchasers will be able to pick up their bottles Nov. 11 on campus or at the distillery anytime. Bottles can also be shipped within Virginia, but currently not outside the state.

Longwood shares the same goals and was looking for a unique way to strengthen our community. I think this is going to be a popular bourbon among Lancers near and far.”

Mark Smith, Sandy River Distillery owner Tweet This

“This was a really natural partnership,” said Mark Smith, Sandy River Distillery owner. “We are a local, Prince Edward County business that is always looking for area partners to share our products and bring attention to this area. Longwood shares the same goals and was looking for a unique way to strengthen our community. I think this is going to be a popular bourbon among Lancers near and far.”

The name 1839 Collection evokes the history of Longwood, founded in 1839, and the special place these bottles will find on the shelves of Lancers across the country. Yearly reserves are planned to be released for sale each fall.

“A fine bourbon is meant to be shared with others,” said Hooper. “That’s what this fall’s Homecoming and Alumni Weekend is all about—shared experiences with friends old and new. Purchased bottles will be available for pickup at the pre-game tailgate event before the first basketball game in the Joan Perry Brock Center on Nov. 11.”

Anyone who is interested in purchasing one of the limited 2023 Reserve bottles of 1839 Collection Single Barrel Bourbon can sign up to receive an email alert when the sale goes live at go.longwood.edu/1839collection. Bottles are expected to sell out quickly, so make sure to be among the first to know when they are on sale.

The 1839 Collection label was designed by David Whaley.

Photo GalleryBourbon Bottling Process

Mark Smith launched Sandy River Distillery in 2019 just five miles down the road from Longwood’s campus. 1839 Collection single barrel bourbon whiskey is aged and bottled at the distillery in Prince Edward County, where Mark and his wife Candice serve up the finest Central Virginia bourbon available.
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Mark Smith of Sandy River Distillery built a custom rig so that every label applied by hand to a 1839 Collection bottle is straight and square.
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1839 Collection bourbon whiskey that has been aging in charred oak barrels is pumped out of the 50-gallon vessel, through two filtration systems, and into a machine, which can fill six 750ml bottles in a matter of seconds.
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Each bottle of 1839 Collection is corked by hand before it is sealed with Longwood blue wax.
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It’s a trickier process than it looks—in order to form a good seal and be ready for a Rotunda stamp, the wax needs to be at a certain temperature so it drips down the bottle and makes each one unique.
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At the perfect moment when the wax is still liquid but just starting to harden, Mark Smith of Sandy River Distillery stamps a Rotunda seal on the top of each bottle.
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Once the wax cools and drips its unique shape down the neck of each bottle of 1839 Collection, it is ready to join others to be sold later in October.
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The Longwood spirit comes alive in each bottle of 1839 Collection single barrel bourbon whiskey.
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