Washington State is well known both for its winemaking and craft brewing traditions, so Westland focused on the two as part of its Cask Exploration Series in its continued commitment to bottling the Pacific Northwest “sense of place.”

Beer Cask Finish American Single Malt Whiskey Batch No. 2 is made with Westland’s signature five malt and Washington pale malt and matured 6-9 years in New American Oak
and ex-bourbon and ex-rye whiskey barrels. The 92 proof expression is finished in Stout/Porter, Brown Ale, Imperial Munich Lager and Foudre Ale barrels.

Wine Cask Finish American Single Malt Whiskey Batch No. 2 starts with Westland’s signature five malt mashbill and is matured for 5-9 years in first and second fill American Oak barrels. This 92 proof expression is finished in Tempranillo, WA Red Blend, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot barrels.

“Westland set out to express the place we live,” says Shane Armstrong, Westland’s Master Blender. “The Cask Exploration Series extends that through collaboration with brewers and winemakers of the PNW – notes woven with our whiskey are pieces to the puzzle of our region. The second batch incorporates new varietals/beer types made from trusted Washington producers, continuing the connection from a different vantage.”

Originally launched in 2024, Westland’s Cask Exploration Series delves into the vast possibilities of cask finishing.

Available via e-commerce this August and nationwide this September, Westland’s Beer Cask Finish American Single Malt Whiskey, Batch No. 2 (12,840 total bottles) and Westland’s Wine Cask Finish American Single Malt Whiskey, Batch No. 2 (9,048 total bottles) will be available for $74.99.

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The new collection, featuring a 10-year-old bourbon, two 10-year-old ryes, and a nearly 10-year-old American single malt, highlights distilleries that have invested in long-term aging. These are the oldest whiskies Lost Lantern has ever released, and in some cases, the oldest ever from these distilleries. Each release is presented at natural cask strength and is non-chill-filtered.

Westland Distillery’s latest Lost Lantern release is a Peated American Single Malt 9.99 Years Old Single Cask. This single cask, which yielded 185 bottles, was made from malted barley heavily peated with Scottish peat and aged for exactly 9.99 years in a new oak cask and is 109.8 proof.

Ohio’s Tom’s Foolery, a family-owned distillery in Chagrin Falls, uses traditional, labor-intensive methods, including wooden fermenters and pot still distillation. Their Ohio Straight Bourbon 10 Years Old Single Cask was aged for 10 years in a 53-gallon barrel, and was made from 63% corn from their family farm, 10% winter rye, and 27% malted barley–the end result was 82 bottles of 119.4 proof whiskey.

Spirit Works’ contribution to this release is its California Straight Rye 10 Years Old Single Cask. This 120 bottle release, made from 70% rye, 10% malted rye, and 20% malted barley, was aged for 10 years in a new American oak cask, making it one of the oldest whiskies ever to come from the distillery at 139.2 proof.

Lastly, New York Distilling Company debuts its Straight Rye 10 Years Old Single Cask. This 10-year-old release, made from 72% rye, 16% corn, and 12% malted barley, is among the oldest New York whiskies ever. The single cask yielded 125 bottles of 133.9 proof whiskey.

“As more American distilleries reach new milestones, whiskey lovers will see a greater variety of age statements, proving that age and quality come from intentional craftsmanship, not just tradition,” explains Lost Lantern Co-Founders Adam Polonski. “The whiskies in this collection honor distilleries that have demonstrated patience and dedication. After all, there’s only one way for a distillery to end up with a 10-year-old whiskey they made themselves: make it, and wait ten years.”

The Lost Lantern Fall 2024 10 Year Collection will be available starting November 7 for $150 each.

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Westland Distillery’s Solum Edition 1 completes the Outpost Range story of oak (Garryana), barley (Colere) and peat (Solum) unique to its Pacific Northwest homeland. With its unique and location-specific botanical mix, this Pacific Northwest peat imparts a distinct flavor profile to the resulting whiskey.

“The peat of the Pacific Northwest has a completely different organic makeup than that of Scotland, resulting in a totally different flavor profile,” says Westland Co-Founder Matt Hofmann. “Botanicals like Labrador Tea, an aromatic shrub, bring unique qualities to our regional peat.”

Harvested from a bog approximately two hours south of Seattle, Westland departed from traditional methods of peat harvest, retrieving it from below the bog’s waterline rather than first draining and excavating the bog. This harvesting process was specifically designed to not disrupt the bog’s ecosystem, preventing the release of greenhouse gasses and ensuring that the bog will be able to continue producing peat into the future – a testament to Westland’s devotion to sustainability.

The act of harvesting and smoking its own barley also required collaboration with longtime partner Skagit Valley Malting, which developed the technology to achieve the desired results.

The Outpost Range, which was first introduced in August 2020, features three limited-edition expressions that are released annually — Garryana, Colere, and Solum American Single Malt Whiskeys – each one emblematic of the Seattle distiller’s core mission to push beyond the old-world conventions of single malt. Garryana celebrated its seventh edition in February with 6,900 bottles, and the second edition of Colere was released in May 2022 with 3,000 prized bottles.

Only 4,044 bottles of Westland Solum Edition 1 will be released globally for $149.99.

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Part of the Seattle distillery’s Outpost Range collection of limited editions showcasing the provenance of the Pacific Northwest, Edition 7 was finished in a combination of Washington State Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon casks and is a 100 proof.

“Garryana Edition 7’s rich and savory Garry Oak interacts with sturdy Washington wine casks, resulting in a mix of spice and savory fruit,” says Westland Distillery Co-Founder Matt Hofmann.

Since 2010, Westland’s connection with the Pacific Northwest produced its Outpost Range, exploring the unknown possibilities left to be pursued in single malt. With Garryana, Westland explores a native species of Pacific Northwest oak in single malt whiskey. In addition to expressing provenance in whiskey, Garryana is an entirely new species of oak to the world of whiskey, where only a handful of oak species over the course of hundreds of years have been used for aging.

The Outpost Range features three limited-edition expressions that are released annually —Garryana, Colere, and Solum American Single Malt Whiskies. The first edition of the highly anticipated Solum is expected to arrive in 2023.

With only 6,900 bottles will be released globally, Westland Distillery Garryana Edition 7 is available for at www.westlanddistillery.com/shopfront and where fine whiskeys are sold nationwide for$149.99.

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With a first edition launched in 2021, Colere American Single Malt Whiskey reflects Westland’s mission to push beyond conventions and explore new varieties of barley bred outside the commodity system.

Edition 2 is made from Talisman, a 2-row winter variety descended from the irrepressible Marris Otter and matured in only used casks to relegate the oak influence to a supporting role and focus the attention on the grain itself. The grains are intentionally matured in only used casks – 42% 2nd Fill ISC Cooper’s Reserve and 58% 1st Fill Ex-Bourbon – to relegate the oak influence to a supporting role and focus the attention on the grain itself.

“Our second edition of Colere is another example of the possibilities a single malt has, especially when stepping out of the whiskey landscape we’ve inherited and are accustomed to,” says Westland Distillery Co-Founder Matt Hofmann. “Already, only two releases in, we are seeing new frontiers opened as the exploration of new and ancient barley varieties continues. With this year’s release it’s not just theoretical, you can taste the impact that barley has on the final flavor.”

Westland has worked for years with Washington State University’s Bread Lab, located in the Skagit Valley, local maltsters, and local farmers to develop new varieties of barley.

The Seattle-based distillery works with these partners prioritizes flavor in breeding barley varieties and more sustainable agricultural methods. To date, Westland have distilled over 20 different varieties of barley in just ten years and has committed nearly 40% of their annual production to these unique barleys.

Only 3,000 bottles of Westland Distillery’s Colere Edition 2 American Single Malt Whiskey are available for purchase either at westlanddistillery.com or at retail for $149.99.

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Colere Edition 1 is made from a new variety of barley called Alba, bred and grown outside the commodity system in Washington State’s Skagit Valley which lies an hour north of Westland’s distillery in Seattle. Colere, from a Latin verb meaning “to cultivate,” represents Westland’s vision to leave behind the well-trod territory of ubiquitous grains and venture into the thousands of uncharted barley varietals whose flavor has yet to be considered.

“Colere has been years in the making and we’re thrilled to present this first edition,” says Westland Co-Founder Matt Hofmann. “The project celebrates terroir in whiskey and takes a big step towards reconnecting our industry with agriculture, something that has been unfortunately lost over the past several decades.”

Westland has worked for years with Washington State University’s Bread Lab, located in the Skagit Valley, local maltsters, and local farmers to develop new varieties of barley that prove otherwise. The distillery’s work with these partners prioritizes flavor in breeding barley varieties and more sustainable agricultural methods. In doing so, Westland positions itself as a thought leader in not only global single malt but also the future of agriculture more broadly. To date, they have distilled over 20 different varieties of barley in just ten years (which is more than the entire Scotch whisky industry in hundreds) and has committed nearly 40% of their annual production to these unique barleys.

First introduced August 2020, Westland’s Outpost Range reflects the Seattle distiller’s core mission to push beyond the old-world conventions to pursue new possibilities in single malt.

Only 2,893 bottles of Westland Colere Edition 1 is available worldwide now for $149.99.

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With the launch, the Seattle-based distillery will release three expressions annually: the aforementioned Garryana (this November), Colere American Single Malt (Spring 2021), and Solum American Single Malt (2023). Each whiskey explores a central raw ingredient in single malt whiskey with each name inspired by terroir.

“We’ve been working on these projects, exploring the Pacific Northwest and its bounty, for years,” says Westland Co-Founder Matt Hofmann. “We’re thrilled to be finally introducing the Outpost Range to the world. With all three of these whiskies we step beyond what is known in single malt to pursue new possibilities. What we’re finding is beyond exciting and these whiskies stand as outposts on the edge of the unknown.”

Garryana (see below), now in its 5th edition, explores Westland’s native species of Pacific Northwest oak in single malt whiskey. In addition to expressing provenance in whiskey, Garryana is an entirely new species of oak to the world of whiskey, where only a handful of oak species over the course of hundreds of years have been used for aging. To create this whiskey, Westland built an entire economy for sourcing this rare and protected raw material.

Colere (see below), from a Latin verb meaning “to cultivate,” represents leaving behind the traditional grains and venturing into uncharted barley varietals. According to Westland, this expression represents a reconnection to agriculture for the whiskey industry. Westland has worked for years with Washington State University’s Bread Lab, local maltsters and local farmers to develop new varieties of barley. Westland’s work with these partners prioritize flavor in breeding barley varieties and more sustainable agricultural methods. To date, they have distilled over 18 different varieties of barley (which is more than the entire Scotch whisky industry combined), and has committed nearly 40% of their annual production to these unique barleys.

Latin for “soil,” Solum (see at top) explores local peat in whiskey. Peated whiskey has long been a tradition in single malt, always relying on peat sourced in the U.K. As longtime fans of peated whiskey, Westland has pursued a vision for locally grown barley malted with locally harvested peat for nearly a decade. Since the supply chain for peated malt has never existed in this country, once again Westland built the economy from the ground up. Westland has been sourcing peat from a bog 90 minutes away from the distillery in Seattle and using it to malt barley in Skagit Valley, allowing them to distill a peated whiskey with true provenance.

Each expression in the Westland Outpost Range will retail for $149.99.

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An homage to the 1800s’ Klondike Gold Rush, the collaboration invokes the spirit of the Pacific Northwest, which makes sense as both brands are based in Seattle. Back then, the city served as the starting and ending point for a harrowing journey north and back. The vast majority of prospectors took the well-trodden path to the boomtown of Dawson, Alaska. However, a small group of prospectors followed a different path that headed even further north, into even more rugged territory to a camp called Coldfoot. Of the 2,000 that set out on the stampede, only 200 stuck it out to stake a claim there. The rest got “cold feet.”

“Westland and Filson are cut from the same cloth,” says Matt Hofmann, Co-Founder and Master Distiller at Westland. “Both brands make real things in time-honored ways with an integrity that comes from understanding the essence of the Pacific Northwest at an elemental level. We’ve been long-time friends and partners and it’s great to finally collaborate to create something as exciting as Coldfoot.”

“The story of the stampede to remote Coldfoot is a perfect symbol of the grit, perseverance, and ambition this region has imprinted onto both our brands,” adds Alex Carleton, Filson’s Chief Creative Officer. “While Filson and Westland are each dedicated to our own paths, we share that common spirit. Our brands are rooted in the opening of the West and the sensibilities it takes to not only survive here, but thrive in what are the outer edges of the known world.”

Filson Coldfoot Collection includes co-branded t-shirts, caps, stickers, a pullover hoodie, and a stoneware shot glass, each with custom graphics inspired by the struggle and solitude of the trail to Coldfoot. The characters illustrated represent folklore and tall tales emanating from the storied mining camp.

Westland and Filson will host a launch party for Coldfoot at the Westland Distillery in Seattle on Friday (Feb. 21). Additionally, three more events will take place at Filson stores in Portland (February 27), Boston (March 12), and New York (March 19), featuring samples of Coldfoot Whiskey, music, make-your-own Filson coasters, and keynote presentations on arctic expeditions by Christine Dennison of Atlas Obscura’s Explorer Club.

The limited-edition Coldfoot Edition 1 will retail for $99.99, with only be 978 bottles available.

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The week culminates with the release of the distillery’s annual festival bottling of its American Single Malt Whiskey, available exclusively at the distillery. Matured in a French Oak puncheon (a first for Westland), this year’s release boasts a single vision, a single cask, and a single opportunity to bask in the smoke.

“Cask 3369 marks our first foray into French Oak with its precise tannins and herbal spice,” explains Westland Distillery’s blender Shane Armstrong. “The cask was constructed to wine industry specifications; its medium toast and absence of char layer gives the spirit a distinctly weighty mouthfeel.”

The festivities began today (Jan. 21) with a symposium on the role of smoke in food. Panelists including Chef Edouardo Jordan of Salare and June Baby, Chef Kris Kim of Willows Inn, and Chef Mike Kramer and Pit Boss Matt David of Woodshop BBQ joined Westland’s Master Distiller Matt Hofmann for a discussion and tasting of various smoked foods and peated whiskies.

On Thursday (Jan. 23), the winners of Westland’s neighborhood-to-neighborhood Peated Cocktail Competition will compete at Cursed Oak to determine the best and most delicious Peated American Single Malt Cocktail in Seattle.

Only 590 bottles of this year’s Peat Week American Single Malt Release will be released for $99.99.

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While this release includes some casks traditionally used in whiskey-making, such as first-fill ex-rye and bourbon casks, the spotlight is squarely on the marriage of Garry oak and Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks. For the fourth installment of Garryana, Master Distiller Matt Hofmann and Blender Shane Armstrong wanted to explore whether these two rich and assertive flavors could live together in a single whiskey.

“This year’s release continues our inquiry and plants yet another marker in unchartered territory that still seems to have no horizon,” says Hofmann. “We sought to find out what happens when two of the deepest wells of flavor combine in one bottle.”

Just 3,750 bottles of Garryana 4|1 will be available in limited distribution globally.

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