We may live in a fast-paced Tik-Tok world, but one taste of Woodinville Whiskey Co. limited edition 8-year Straight Bourbon Whiskey will demonstrate the blessings of patience. While it aged eight years (actually, eight and a half years), the process from start to finish took a bit more than a decade to complete. The result is a flavorful, multi-award winning bourbon.
With its prestigious awards and flattering reviews, Seattle-area Woodinville Whiskey Co. confirms that high-quality Bourbon is no longer just a Kentucky-area game; around thirty whiskey producers operate in Washington. The area’s unique terroir offers whiskey fans a unique spin on the classic spirit. That’s not to say the distillery doesn’t enjoy a bit of Kentucky inspiration. When founders Orlin Sorensen and Brett Carlile opened Woodinville Whiskey Co. in 2010, they received mentorship from the late David Pickerell, who served as Master Distiller at Maker’s Mark.
Fourteen years after opening (2010) and plenty of acclaim later, the distillery will release on August 17 (and nationally on September 1) its special, limited edition 8-Year-Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey, adding to its lineup of the flagship Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Straight Rye, Port Finished, and exclusive Cask Strength Straight Bourbon. Woodinville first had to wait five years for its flagship Straight Bourbon Whiskey to be ready in 2010, but it took more than a decade to finish this special 8 Year edition.
Was it worth the wait? Well, the 8 Year won the coveted double gold at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition (their highest honor), and The American Spirits Council of Tasters (ASCOT) by Fred Minnick granted the 8 Year double platinum status.
The mash bill comprises 55% corn, 35% rye, and 10% malted barley, all exuding Pacific Northwest terroir. The 8 Year differs slightly from its flagship 5-Year Straight Bourbon Whiskey, which has a mash of 72% corn, 22% rye, and 6% malted barley. (And, for those bourbon fans who have yet to take their taste buds on a journey outside of classical, traditional whiskey-making regions, the bill is reminiscent of Four Roses “B” recipe–60/35/5.) But, the mash bill is only a small part of the 8 Year’s story.
The distillery’s dedication is demonstrated by its meticulous mission to find the perfect barrels. Carlile and Sorenson “saw this quest as an investment. Since it’s generally accepted that over 70% of the flavor and character of a bourbon comes from its barrel, it seemed to them they’d need the best barrel in the world if they wanted to make the best bourbon in the world.” Carlile and Sorensen did not worry about rushing the process, maintaining a budget, or worrying about any familiar methodology. Woodinville’s partners at Independent Stave Company, a renowned American cooper, suggested they test eight different barrel types:
- Char Standard Kiln-Dried barrels: #1, #2, #3, and #4
- Char 18-Month Open-Air Seasoned barrels: #3 and #5
- Heavy Toast/Light Char 24-Month Open-Air Seasoned barrels
- Thin-Stave barrel
The costs of open-air seasoned barrels greatly exceed those of kiln-dried barrels because of the added time required for open-air seasoning, making them less popular among whiskey producers. Open-air seasoning involves exposing the barrel planks (staves) to diverse weather conditions, allowing the wood and all its flavor-inducing goodies to be more easily transformed during the charring and toasting process. When completed, the talented coopers assemble the barrels.
But, developing the 8 Year had nothing to do with cost or timelines. For Sorenson and Carlile, the goal was to produce a spectacular bourbon. While the open-air seasoning processes seemed promising, Sorensen and Carlile could only wait for their new whiskey to age in the eight test barrels before deciding. So, they waited—four and a half years.
After the waiting game finally ended, the ISC crew analyzed the whiskey by gas chromatography. “The heavily toasted, lightly charred barrel made from 24-month open-air seasoned staves was found to have significantly higher amounts of whiskey’s favorite core compounds: furfural (sweetness, almond, baked bread), vanillin (vanilla, creaminess), and phenols, namely guaiacol (smoky, spicy) and 4-methyl guaiacol (sweet, candy, clove, leather),” explained Woodinville.
Still, they realized it could have been better, but only if they waited even longer. During the initial tasting, they noted slight graininess from the char. However, they knew that further aging would allow the grain character to soften and convert into desirable flavor compounds, so they aged it for an additional four years.
In other words, the 8-Year-Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey truthfully aged for 8 1/2 years, and that was after two years of aging the staves and exposing them to the environment.
While many would consider both its flagship and 8 Year “high rye” bourbons, the limited 8-Year with its 35% Rye offers a delightful extra kiss of earthy spice. Couple that with the above-mentioned barrelling process, and one gets exceptional flavor depth. At the aforementioned ASCOT awards, the judges commented: “mint and aloe on the nose turns to a floral and soft palate featuring caramel, cinnamon sugar, and apple notes.” They added the 8 Year was “unique and pleasing.”
Agreed.
Then again, for those who don’t care about terroir, mash bills, or barrel charring and instead care about one thing—taste—Woodinville’s new 8-Year-Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey is simply a fantastic beverage. It’s enjoyable straight, with a cube, or as part of a good old fashioned, well, Old Fashioned!
Get the Bourbon at woodinvillewhiskeyco.com/pages/product-locator.
A Pint of Chicago 