Woodinville Whiskey Company was founded in 2010 in Woodinville, Washington — a town better known for wine tasting rooms than whiskey distilleries. The bourbon uses locally sourced corn, rye and malted barley, and is aged in new American oak in the company's Quincy, Washington, warehouse, where the dramatic temperature swings of the Columbia Basin drive an active maturation cycle.
The Washington State aging is the key. The hot, dry summers and cold winters of the Columbia Basin create temperature swings of 40°C or more annually, driving the bourbon in and out of the charred oak with aggressive efficiency. The result is a bourbon with more oak integration and flavour development than its relatively young age might suggest.
Woodinville Straight Bourbon has quietly become one of the most respected craft bourbons in America. Acquired by Moët Hennessy, the brand now has the resources to scale its production while maintaining the quality that earned its reputation. At its price, it competes directly with established Kentucky names and holds its own. The Pacific Northwest may be an unlikely bourbon address, but Woodinville has made a convincing and delicious case for it.
