Food & Culture

New Gin from Wildwood Spirits and More Distillery News

A bounty of updates from our local distilleries

By AJ Rathbun August 11, 2016

wildwood-laka_0

We’re heading into the tail-end of summer, and the temperature and sunshine (most of the time) means that gardens are delivering produce at a fairly rapid pace. But that’s not the only thing growing. Our local distillers have also been releasing bunches of new spirits and liqueurs, making for a tasty time in glasses, as well as on plates. Check out the below for more specifics

Wildwood Spirits Läka Gin: Adding a new sibling to its family of award-winning spirits (including the rightly lauded Kur gin), Bothell’s Wildwood has just released Läka, which is a Swedish word meaning heal. Made using the same local produce and botanicals as Kur, Läka then uses a different, more traditional, method of infusion. The end result is a lovely assertive aromatic nose and flavor, one that resembles a bold London Dry in style, with a solid juniper setting on top of which citrus and spice interplay in a very memorable manner. You’ll have to hit the distillery to get it – and don’t wait around, as this is a limited release. Also, you can now register for the much-anticipated Dark Door wheated bourbon from Wildwood, out in spring, 2018.

2bar Rye and Corn Whiskey: Sadly, it’s too late to get the first rye made in Seattle’s city limits – it was released earlier this summer, and is already sold out. You may still be able to snag a bottle of 2bar’s Corn Whiskey, a spicy smooth whiskey that runs at 100 proof and is made from 80 percent corn and 20 percent malted barley and aged for 2-1/2 years in used 2bar bourbon barrels. But, it’s a limited release as well, so don’t dawdle (and it may already be gone, sadly). Really, to keep up on the exciting whiskey experiments at 2bar, you need to sign up for the 2bar Whiskey Club, which will let you know the instant a new release is coming.

Westland Garryana Single Malt Whiskey: Another limited-edition release (which hopefully you can still wrangle a bottle of at the distillery), this is its first single malt featuring a component whiskey aged in Quercos Garryana, an oak species native to the Pacific Northwest. What does it mean when tasting? Master Distiller Mat Hoffmann, when talking of this oak, says “The whiskies are dark. We get molasses instead of caramel, heavy clove in place of generic baking spices, and in the place of coconut and vanilla, we have smoke, coffee grounds and a meaty savoriness.” It’s the first in their Native Oak Series, so keep an eye out for more.

Copperworks American Single Malt Whiskey Nearly Out: The first whiskey release from this Pioneer Square distiller, Copperworks‘ single malt has been crafted from 100 percent pale malted barley, fermented with brewer’s yeast, and distilled in its two Scottish-built copper stills. After that, it’s been aged for at least 30 months (which is why we’ve had to wait – luckily, we’ve had Copperworks’ gins) in new 53-gallon American Oak barrels. They’ve said to expect a very rich, malty, and flavorful whiskey. To be sure you don’t miss out, you should reserve your bottle (or bottles) now.

Chambers Bay Greenhorn Receives Belated Gold: This boathouse-aged bourbon has been receiving some rave reviews, but didn’t realize until recently about perhaps the highest praise. Here’s the story: It entered the Greenhorn into the prestigious 2016 San Francisco World Spirit Competition, way back in March. But due to some system glitches, it wasn’t notified, until a gold medal showed up in the mail last week! Pretty amazing stuff considering that the 17-month aged Greenhorn was competing against whiskies aged much longer, and was the only Washington whiskey this year to win gold.

Meet Letterpress Distilling at Hotel Sorrento: As part of the hotel’s new Meet the Maker Series (I am sadly too late to tell you about the first installment last month, featuring the awesome Seattle Distilling Company), you can get up close with the fine folks behind Letterpress Distilling on August 22 at 6:30 p.m. in the Fireside Room. Entry is free to everyone over 21, and there will be a special cocktail using Letterpress products, light snacks, and more find sippers for purchase. But the best part is being able to chat with Letterpress about their lemoncello, vodka, and other products, as well as sampling. To stay on top of upcoming Meet the Maker makers, check hotelsorrento.com.

Follow Us

What’s All the Fuss About? 

What’s All the Fuss About? 

Let these Seattle-area restaurants take the Thanksgiving cooking reins

The countdown kicks off earlier each year. Turkey window decals peck at the heels of the skeletons. Soggy brown leaves lay scattered across roads, sidewalks, and yards. From misty blue mornings to frigid evenings, we hear you, nature. It’s time to eat, drink, and be merry. If you’re looking to remove the stress from your…

Five Things to Eat in November

Five Things to Eat in November

No need to wait for the holiday spread. Make every meal as comforting and celebratory as the feast ahead.

So often around this time of year, our attention turns to the holiday feast — the giant bird, abundant sides, and numerous pies — such that we forget how everyday meals can be regular opportunities to treat ourselves. Family-owned restaurants are returning to classic recipes and bringing a sense of comfort and ease to our…

Eat Your Vegetables

Eat Your Vegetables

Make the most of seasonal produce with these recipes

The parking garage is under a vitamin shop, across the street from an apartment complex. It’s trash pickup day so the garbage cans are stinky and overflowing. A few crows bounce through puddles in the alley, waiting for me to pass so they can get back to doing whatever it is crows do when no…

Westfield Southcenter launches Restaurant Row

Westfield Southcenter launches Restaurant Row

The mall is in the midst of a culinary upgrade

Get ready for Restaurant Row at Westfield Southcenter. The entire north side of the Tukwila shopping center has established a new dining district. Dubbed “Restaurant Row,” the emerging culinary hub is introducing several new concepts, beginning with Mr. Dim sum this winter. Gen Korean and another new concept will open later next year. Each restaurant…