**Raise Your Glasses to Arthur St. Clair: A Toast to Westmoreland County’s Founding Official**

It’s time to celebrate! Westmoreland County’s historic Fort Ligonier is partnering with West Overton Distilling to bring you a limited-edition whiskey in honor of one of the county’s founding officials. As we commemorate the county’s 250th anniversary and pay homage to the influential Arthur St. Clair, the fort will be hosting a special tasting and sale event on August 12th. Get ready to experience St. Clair’s Spirits, a meticulously crafted white rye whiskey distilled from rye grown at West Overton Village in East Huntingdon.

Join us on August 12th from 7 to 9 p.m. for an outdoor extravaganza at the reconstructed 18th-century British frontier outpost, conveniently located at routes 30 and 711 in Ligonier Borough. Beyond the exclusive tasting opportunity, the event will feature a delightful Whiskey Sour cocktail made with St. Clair’s Spirits, delectable food provided by the locally revered caterer Simply Good, and toe-tapping live music by the dynamic Pittsburgh-area duo Common Ground in the Lower Fort. Trust us; this is an occasion you won’t want to miss!

Mary Manges, the fort’s executive director, enthusiastically shares, “Fort Ligonier wanted to commemorate the county’s 250th anniversary with a very special project and event.” She further explains that the whiskey and tasting are intended to highlight St. Clair’s remarkable journey as an early political and military leader—an “immigrant success story,” as she calls it. Born on March 23, 1737, in Caithness, Scotland, St. Clair’s impressive resume includes serving as an officer with the British Army during the French and Indian War and taking on the role of caretaker for Fort Ligonier after its decommissioning. In 1764, St. Clair settled in the Ligonier Valley, where he dedicated himself to serving Westmoreland County as prothonotary, clerk, register, and recorder. He even sat as a justice of the first English court west of the Allegheny Mountains, located at Hanna’s Town, which is now part of today’s Hempfield Township.

But St. Clair’s contributions didn’t stop there. Applying his military expertise to support his adopted homeland, he became an aide-de-camp to none other than George Washington during the American Revolution. St. Clair rose to the rank of major general and went on to serve as the president of the Continental Congress in 1787, as well as the governor of the Northwest Territory from 1788 to 1802. Today, you can find the parlor from one of his homes—The Hermitage, originally situated along Route 711 north of Ligonier—on display in Fort Ligonier’s museum.

In line with the county’s significant milestone, St. Clair’s Spirits will be a truly exclusive treat. Only 250 bottles of this extraordinary whiskey will be produced at West Overton’s educational distillery. This venture marks the first time since the 1800s that a whiskey has been distilled from rye grown at West Overton Village for an outside entity. The birthplace of Old Overholt, often regarded as the oldest continuously maintained brand of American Rye Whiskey, West Overton certainly knows a thing or two about distilling excellence. Patrick Bochy, West Overton’s co-executive director, notes, “There are not many products as uniquely tied to American history as whiskey. Whiskey has endured rebellions and wars, temperance movements, and even Prohibition, all while remaining a driving force in America’s growth.”

Don’t let the opportunity to raise your glass to Arthur St. Clair pass you by. Be sure to register for the St. Clair’s Spirits tasting by August 7th. You can visit fortligonier.org or call 724-238-9701 to secure your spot. The cost to attend is $25 for members of Fort Ligonier or West Overton Village and $35 for non-members. Additionally, a 375 ml bottle of St. Clair’s Spirits will be available for purchase during the tasting event, as well as on Saturdays at West Overton and on select dates at Fort Ligonier.

Let’s come together to celebrate history, honor the remarkable achievements of our founding officials, and savor the taste of St. Clair’s Spirits—a whiskey that captures the spirit of Westmoreland County like no other. Cheers!