Three Crosses Distilling Co., the venue for our Gentlemen’s profiles in this issue, is the first legal distillery in Powhatan County.
Truly a hobby that got out of hand, Three Crosses’ current 150- and 250-gallon stills are hand-built. “We proudly hand-craft spirits to our exacting standards,” said John Davenport, who along with wife Michelle Davenport founded the company in 2018.
Whatever you order at Three Crosses, you know many ingredients are locally sourced. “Powhatan and the nearby communities have been incredibly supportive, so we try to use locally sourced ingredients whenever possible,” Michelle said.
For example: The corn and rye in the Route 13 Moonshine and Three Crosses American Whiskey are grown at nearby Engle Family Farms.
“While we’d love to get sugar and molasses for our Crossed Rifles Rums from Virginia, they simply aren’t grown here commercially anymore,” Michelle said. “We sourced them from a seventh-generation sugar consortium in Louisiana. Those factories date to the late 1800s. As we develop new spirits, we’ll continue to source as many ingredients as possible from local growers and suppliers.”
And the name? The meaning is threefold. “The shield comes from our family crest and symbolizes our devotion to family,” John said. The “fiched” crosses were warrior symbols carried into battle during the Crusades and represent John's service in the U.S. Army, as well as a symbol of the Davenports’ faith.
“It seems fitting that these symbols that represent faith, family, and service to country, have now become our family motto and the heart of our business,” Michelle said.