Drink the Bottles

Woodinville Whiskey: From Washington Startup to American Whiskey Standout Let's get one thing out of the way right from the start: Woodinville Whiskey isn't trying to be Kentucky bourbon.   That's probably one of the biggest reasons it has become one of the most respected craft whiskey producers in America. For decades, bourbon drinkers have been conditioned to believe that the best whiskey comes from Kentucky. While there's certainly plenty of truth behind that reputation, distilleries like Woodinville have shown that exceptional bourbon can come from places most enthusiasts never expected. In this case, the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 2010 by longtime friends Brett Carlile and Orlin Sorensen, Woodinville Whiskey began with a simple but ambitious goal: create world-class whiskey using local ingredients and traditional methods without taking shortcuts. Rather than sourcing whiskey from elsewhere and putting their name on it, they committed themselves to building somet...

The easiest way to explain what founders James Estrada and Chad Civetti do at Two Souls Spirits is they take already very tasty bourbon, sprinkle some magic on it, and make it better.  Ok, we know it's not that easy, but that's the Cliff's notes version of what this Florida whiskey house is doing with distinct and some of the finest whiskey barrels from distilleries across the US. What we have today is the Two Souls Spirits Double Barrel Bourbon Whiskey , coming in a a whopping 128.58 proof!  The base of this palate pleaser is a bourbon from Watershed Distillery out of Columbus, Ohio.  We were already fans of Watershed and this double barrel bourbon shares the same mash bill as their 4 year offering:  72% corn, 21% rye and 7% malted barley.  A #4 heavy char barrel was used for this offering and this bourbon (tasted neat and from a sample bottle) immediately grabs your attention. Medium hazelnut color, we were surprised that this was as light as it was.  But...

  We're going to tell you right up front that everything  we have tasted from Barrell Craft Spirits so far has been delicious.  The Mizunara Oak Cask Finish Series we are tasting today is no exception to our expectations.  It is the color of pure, unrefinded honey and the 100 mL sample bottle proves that good things come in small packages. Barrell Craft Spirits are the leaders in blended whiskeys, producing winner after winner, often using unique mash bills and differing aged whiskey to create something that is definitely palate pleasing.  The mash bill on this bottle is 76% corn, 20% rye and 4% malted barley.  This "Edition 001" release is comprised of the following bourbons:  Indiana - 6, 7 and 9 years old, Tennessee - 8 and 14 years old and 8 year old Kentucky bourbon.  The final blend is then matured further in Mizunara (Japanese Oak) barrels, further adding to the flavors and memorable drinking experience.  Mizunara Oak must be a minimu...

Tim Young and former Special Mission Unit Member (MSG RET) Norm Hooten were chatting around a fire, sipping whiskey and dragging on cigars with friends.  That's how all great whiskey brands are started, aren't they?  These two guys wanted to honor military service and provide a quality whiskey to the market that had meaning behind their brand.  Hooten Young was born. This is the first product of Hooten Young we have tasted, and that's a shame since we have seen it locally many times on shelves.  Now that we have tasted this 6 year rye, we will be on the hunt for more of their limited-release whiskey to taste and share.  This is the  Hooten Young Operation Gothic Serpent Rye Whiskey  honoring the 30 year anniversary of Operation Gothic Serpent.  OGS is the real life story that inspired the wildly popular movie Black Hawk Down .   Coming in at 93 proof, this MGP-distilled whiskey has a mash bill of 95% rye and 5% barley.  The color is...