“Innovation is required of products entering a market,” says Kyle Akin, owner of Eugene, Oregon's Crescendo Organic Spirits. Akin, who co-founded Crescendo in 2013, began with the idea of handcrafting Italian-style traditional liqueurs, but soon started to wonder...
The long-awaited (try nearly six years) release of Woodinville Whiskey Co.’s flagship Straight Bourbon Whiskey marks an historic event not just for Pacific Northwest craft spirits, but for the world of craft whiskey as a whole. “This has always been our plan,” says...
Ginger is an undeniably bold flavor, and yet Seattle's Sound Spirits has somehow managed to make it delicate and nuanced in their Depth Ginger Liqueur. The Seattle-based distillery’s Depth series captures and explores unique liqueur flavors, each one powerful yet...
When in Idaho, one makes vodka of potatoes. Using Idaho’s original potato, along with Idaho wheat when needed, Boise’s 44° North Vodka is true to their roots, giving back to the community that helps fuel their cause. Also relying on the bounty of the region, 44°...
The production of craft beverage has skyrocketed in popularity as of late. Especially in the Northwest, where it is hard to walk 10 feet without seeing a new craft brewery or an original craft distiller pop up out of nowhere. This is not a bad thing by any means....
In collaboration with Expedia Canada to spread the good word of Northwest beverage and tourism, Mark Stock digs deep into Oregon’s spirits scene, from Portland’s Distillery Row and beyond. In a year that commemorates the state’s first vineyard rows 50 years ago,...
Spiritopia in Corvalis, Oregon believes that the secret to a good artisan liqueur is in the balance of their three part trinity: essence, spirit and sweetness. You can taste the layers of hard work that went into creating Spiritopia Apple Liqueur. First, the apples...
Located just 30 minutes west of Portland, SakéOne has been changing the public’s perception of saké for nearly 20 years. What began as a venture for importing saké from Japan in the 1990s, grew into a saké-making business and kura (saké brewery) with a tasting...
“We prefer to think of Thirteen Corners as the number of corners you get when you don’t cut any.” So says Wishkah River Distillery of their Thirteen Corners American Malt Whiskey, crafted in Aberdeen, Washington from a mash bill of malted barley, wheat and malted...
If you read my write-up of the TOAST 2015 event, you know I'm excited about the potential of Portland's Thomas & Sons Distillery, the new project from the people behind the locally famous Townshend's Tea. Thomas & Sons, which started with three tea...
