Apr 1, 2026 - Food and Drink

Richmond's Belle Isle rolls out dill pickle moonshine

Karri Peifer

Hand holding a tall bottle of Belle Isle Dill Pickle Moonshine. White label with gold embossed text reading "BELLE ISLE" and "DILL PICKLE"; blurred indoor background. — Looks like pee, tastes like pickles. Photo: Karri Peifer/Axios

Richmond-based Belle Isle Moonshine just dropped its newest flavor: Dill pickle.

Why it matters: The team shared a bottle with Axios to demonstrate that the concoction is not an April Fools' joke, despite its April 1 release date.

Driving the news: The new blend is made in RVA, combining the distiller's premium moonshine (aka, unaged white whiskey) with real dill pickle juice.

The result: A tangy, briny, smooth sip that's perfect in a bloody mary, a pickled martini or as a straight shot (basically an all-in-one pickleback).

What they're saying: "We've had it on our product roadmap for a while but just never pulled the trigger. April Fools' felt like the perfect time," Belle Isle co-owner Vince Riggi tells Axios.

Pro tip: He says to add it and Belle Isle Honey Habanero to a bloody mary "to really start the party off right."

Try it: Belle Isle Dill Pickle is available now at over 100 Virginia ABC stores and the moonshine-maker's Manchester tasting room for $21.99.

🥒 Karri's thought bubble: It tastes like pickles.

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Richmond's Belle Isle rolls out dill pickle moonshine

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