This Washington-Distilled Rye Has Flavor Well Beyond Its Age
Among American whiskey fans, Woodinville Whiskey Co. has gradually made a name for itself with reliable bourbon and rye. Perhaps even more standout are the brand's forays into cask finishing. While other producers often use secondary maturation to differentiate sourced whiskey, Woodinville has shown a penchant for experimenting with its own distillate, utilizing port, tequila, and a variety of other casks to push flavors.
But Woodinville's most noteworthy whiskey this year—at least so far—doesn't lean into cask finishing at all. Instead, it's the brand's oldest-ver rye whiskey, and eight year-old that, depending on personal flavor preferences, might just border on stunner.
On June 7th, the Moët Hennessy-owned distillery officially released Woodinville 100% Rye Aged 8 Years. The grain for this 100% rye recipe—meaning it contains no other grains, a relatively uncommon practice for American rye whiskey—comes from a family farm in Quincy, Washington. The train is transported to Woodinville for mashing, fermentation, and distillation. It's then trucked back to Quincy for maturation.
That aging environment has done a number on this rye, and even proofed to a relatively normal 50% ABV, the color is incredibly dark, like a deep, unfiltered molasses. The nose is big on fruitcake, brandy-soaked raisins, dark molasses, sweet mint gum, cured tobacco, and birch bark. That's all underpinned by a hint of rosemary, which builds in intensity with time in the glass. A first sip once again brings lots of dark fruit like black raisins and plums, along with a pleasant interplay between hefty oak and (surprisingly) agave syrup. Clove, rye spice, cedar, spiced cherry, leather, and funky brown sugar BBQ sauce round out the palate.
The finish leans further into sweet, funky molasses before sticking the landing with a bit of sherry and (though I wouldn't have minded a touch more viscosity here). If you're into oak, enjoy, because there's lots of it at the end. It's a somewhat dry final act, which could be a positive or slight negative, depending on the drinker's personal preference.
Ultimately, Woodinville has produced one of the most fascinating American rye whiskeys thus far in 2025, with bold flavors that don't pull punches. It's not the most classically 'elegant' pour, instead unabashedly showcasing aged rye grain for all its sweet, herbal, and fruity notes. To some, it may sound like sacrilege to experiment with dilution for a 100 proof rye, but there's lots more a little water can unlock here.
Woodinville 100% Rye Aged 8 Years retails for a suggested $129.99.
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