Well I can quit for the year now. (Just wait we aint done yet). Today we have Ana with Westland. We chatted about it all Beginnings and 5 malts. The road there and back again. Can't wait for yall to watch/listen. Enjoy!!

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it begins with an idea

In whiskey itself, as a discipline, we do not see a fully explored, mature world, as most in our industry do. We see the opposite. For us, whiskey is not a feature of this world that is ours to protect, it is an extension of ourselves that is ours to advance when the opportunity presents itself. And the opportunities are vast, maybe incalculable. Each bottle of whiskey we fill at Westland represents one step forward in sharing the story of our place. Ten years have passed, and we have circled the topic of terroir again and again, each time sensing an opportunity to approach it from a new perspective. But always, we’re heading west.

Westland Whiskey started in 2011 with a great vision to create American Single Malt whiskey that reflects the true colors of the Pacific Northwest region. Over ten years later, we continue to fill casks with single malt whiskey that we distill in Seattle's SoDo neighborhood and age mindfully in Washington State's Skagit Valley region.
We are proud to be seen as one of America's premiere distillers with sustainable practices and award-winning spirits. We love hearing from you; contact us if you have any questions about Westland.

Whiskey

$59.99

Westland's signature American Single Malt Whiskey is a culmination of over 10 years pioneering a new category of whiskey that has put America on the global single malt map. This latest expression represents the possibilities to be explored in single malt and captures the essence of our house style in one flagship bottle.

Garryana 10th Edition - Aged 10 Years

A Decade of Pursuit

Our exploration of Garryana began with purpose and curiosity in November of 2011. It was with that first cask that we saw the massive potential of our native oak, not just for its incredible flavor profile, but for its ability to distinguish, in a palpable way, the unique character of our Pacific Northwest terroir.

Since 2011, we’ve been waiting for the opportunity to showcase the qualities of our native oak in a new way, and to honor Garryana with the reverence and patience it deserves. Westland is releasing, for the first time, an age-stated whiskey, Garryana, Aged 10 years. The result of years of dedicated effort and the beginning of a new chapter for Westland, as we continue to explore the unique qualities of our Pacific Northwest home.

We hope you enjoy the journey as much as we have.

Product Specs:

Maturation Time: 10 years

ABV: 50% ABV // 100 Proof

Grain Bill: Westland Signature Five Malt + Washington Pale Malts

Primary Casks: First & Second Fill Garry Oak

Secondary Casks: Pedro Ximenez Hogshead, Rum, and Ex-Bourbon

Nose: Mulled Wine, Clove, Walnut Fudge Brownie, and Lemon Danish Pastry

Palate: S’mores, Dehydrated Strawberry, Toasted Cumin, Blood Orange

So this is something new i thought I would try. I really hope you enjoy. A deep dive of Gold Finch, the in's and out's. We get into Canadian Whisky, Sauternes and Quadrants.

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At Found North, we make blended Canadian whisky for whisky enthusiasts. We work with Canadian distilleries to source well-aged, well-made distillates, which we further mature and blend in the U.S. We are extremely meticulous in our wood selection and aging process, our blending process and all of the important details that impact the quality of the whisky. Every Found North release is cask strength with no additives or chill filtration.
Each year, we release 1-2 Batches and 1-2 High Altitude Collection whiskies. We also release 1-2 whiskies exclusively for our mailing list. At present, all of our releases sell out immediately, so we use a lottery system. Like our whisky-making process, we try to be as thoughtful as possible about how we get our whisky to our supporters. If you participate consistently, you will get bottles of Found North.
We love what we do. We’re thankful to all of you for appreciating the way we make whisky so that we can keep exploring the boundaries of what Canadian whisky can be.

Each batch of Found North whisky is a careful selection of casks blended to bring out the best and most distinctive qualities of the chosen whiskies. Every release is unique, but each also builds on previous batches and fits into the unfolding saga of Found North. All our whiskies are non-chill filtered with no coloring or additives. Batch 001 and Batch 002 were released in April 2021 and both received Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Batch 003 was awarded Double Gold and Batch 004 won "Best Canadian Whisky" and was awarded Double Gold at the John Barleycorn Awards Spring 2022.

Double Gold (San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2021)

Batch 001 is a 3-whisky blend that started with an herbaceous, feisty and deeply flavorful 16 year old rye aged in Hungarian oak. We blended in fruit-forward, 17 year old rye aged in ex-Speyside scotch casks. The combination revealed a smoldering symphony of spice. Last, we lengthened the finish and increased the viscosity by adding double-distilled corn whisky aged for 20 years in refill and level-2-char virgin oak.

Batch 001 is defined by its spice profile. The first impression is hot cinnamon and cayenne mixed with earthy jalapeno, black pepper and peppermint. The second pass presents lively and herbaceous spices of green tea, basil and bay leaves. While the initial profile is all spice, there are layers of fruit and butterscotch lying in wait, especially in the mid-palate, including red fruits, blackberry, apple and sweet melon. The finish walks an endless tightrope with dry spice on one side and chewy tannins on the other.

We created Batch 001 in order to demonstrate the dynamism of aged rye and shatter the misconception that rye shows its best spice profile when bottled young. That said, rye spice is a double-edged sword. The deeper we cut into the flavor opportunities, the spicier the palate. You can try to smooth the spice out with new oak or water it down through proofing. Batch 001 exemplifies the third option -- forget about making it “smooth” and instead make the whisky as robust and multifaceted as possible while finding the careful balance between astringency and tannin.

We are headed back to a familiar place. Pennsylvania, it calls me back again. Jim over at Liberty Pole is producing some great stuff. And it shows not only in flavor but also in passion. I really hope you enjoy.

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About the Houghs

Liberty Pole Spirits is a family owned and operated craft whiskey distillery started by Jim, Ellen, Rob and Kevin Hough in July 2016. The Houghs, longtime residents of Washington County, Pennsylvania got the distilling bug in the early 2000's when Jim bought a 10 gallon still off the interwebs to learn the art of distilling. As Jim was contemplating retirement he began to think about what he could do for a second act. After visiting numerous craft distilleries and having developed some pretty solid whiskey mash bills, Jim was able to convince Ellen that opening a craft whiskey distillery just might be a fun retirement activity. Rob and Kevin, both mechanical engineering graduates who were on their own promising career paths, decided they didn't want their parents to have all the fun and joined the family business. With Rob and Kevin running production, Ellen creating the best craft cocktail and whiskey experience this side of Kentucky, and Jim greeting customers and talking whiskey in the tasting room, Liberty Pole Spirits was born.

The distillery started as a 300 gallon operation and expanded to a 600 gallon operation in 2019 and moved to a distillery campus in July of 2023 where we were able to triple our production.

Our Story

In 1791, Washington County, Pennsylvania, was a heavily wooded wilderness at the headwaters of the Ohio River. Many Scotch-Irish veterans of the Revolutionary War had returned to the area and the rocky farms that they had established before the War. They struggled against the weather and disease, and being far from the East Coast, enjoyed few luxuries.

But through the rugged ingenuity of the brave Colonists, one of the first American Industries was born. Whiskey. For years, the grain that wasn't consumed was preserved in the form of distilled spirits. It was safer to drink than contaminated water, eased pain and suffering, and improved the spirits of friends and neighbors. It was easy to ship over the mountains in barrels on backs of mules or down the Ohio River to the Mississippi and up the coast to Boston.

It was then that the government of our new nation saw the opportunity, through the imposition of an excise tax on whiskey, to pay off the debts owed to the allies who had helped to win independence from tyranny. Yet, the farmers of Washington County were struggling mightily to keep their land and grow crops. Having no cash, they used their whiskey to barter for goods and supplies that they needed for daily life. Whiskey-making provided their best chance to survive. This is why they saw the tax as an imposition of an arrogant, out-of-touch, new government.

So they gathered together secretly in a meetinghouse near Mingo Creek and vowed not to pay the tax. They were the first men to oppose an act of the new government, and they vowed to stick together. They called themselves the Mingo Creek Society.

As a symbol of their unity, they planted Liberty Poles throughout the county.

Years later, the stories of their defiance are preserved in museums, churches and cemeteries around the county.

Now, heritage grain once again grows in the same soil they so dearly loved, travels down the paved paths upon which they drove the whiskey-laden mule trains, and arrives at the new Mingo Creek Meetinghouse where it is distilled and enjoyed by the next generation of the Mingo Creek Society.

And this time, the Liberty Pole is displayed on the label of each whiskey bottle and symbolizes the loving appreciation for a craft that once again is bringing livelihood to a proud community.