Walter A. Crawley is tapping his roots in Charles City County in seeking to create a better whiskey.

The 53-year-old food industry veteran believes the harsh taste of corn-based alcohol can turn people off, particularly people who are trying their first drink.

“Whiskey has always been an acquired taste,” Mr. Crawley said. “Most people who take that first drink of whiskey at age 21 are not going to like it. It can take years before people begin to enjoy it.”

His big idea: Create “a whiskey that new consumers would enjoy the first time they take a sip.”

Teaming with Charles Bertalan, a retired Jim Beam executive, Mr. Crawley has spent the past five years developing the whiskey and started production in time for New Year’s celebrations.

The Charles City County native calls it RYCO, which he said is based on a family saying.

“We had a close-knit family. And when there was a party, we would leave notes on doors asking, ‘Are you coming?’ Over time, that got reduced to RYCO.”

His first customer has been the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, which has been offering it in a few stores in Richmond, Petersburg, Hopewell, New Kent and West Point and through special orders.

“We launched the brand in Virginia,” Mr. Crawley said, “because the concept is from Charles City County.”

He said he was inspired by the fruit-blended whiskey drinks an uncle, Hugo Charity, provided at family cookouts.

That’s why the first RYCO whiskey is infused with citrus flavor, which he said has won rave reviews in consumer testing.

He said he also has made some changes to the distilling process to create the kind of smoother whiskey that usually takes 10 years or more of aging at traditional distilleries.

Still, he knows he faces a big challenge in trying to gain a foothold in an industry whose producers have been around for more than 100 years.

And he knows it is unusual for an African-American to be involved in creating spirits for consumers. He said he’s usually the lone person of color in the room when he meets with people about his creation.

However, the chemical engineering graduate of Howard University is unfazed. He brings substantial experience in the food industry to his venture.

Since 1988, he has worked for a range of companies, including Kraft Foods, where he helped develop a new roasting process for the coffee used in Maxwell House.

He later served as manager for the coffee brand, where he asaid he learned “to develop the business from production to marketing. I got a well-rounded education.”

Mr. Crawley later moved into product development in companies involved in creating flavors and fragrances for major food companies.

He came up with his idea for whiskey while learning about distilling as he worked on various beer and vodka products for various companies.

RYCO, he said, is largely funded by his retirement savings that he has poured into the niche business, although he has received investments from some family members intrigued by his vision and determination.

He currently has the product distilled in Indiana and bottled in New York, though he dreams of the day he can open his own plant in Charles City County.

Mr. Crawley said his plan is to boost sales into Maryland, North Carolina and West Virginia next year as he moves to expand sales.

Still, he’s thrilled to take a product from conversation to actual development.

“It’s all been worth it,” he said.