Woodinville Whiskey Straight Bourbon 750ML

Woodinville Whiskey Straight Bourbon 750ML is a 90-proof (45% ABV) Washington State bourbon aged in the extreme climate east of the Cascade Mountains. Named "Best Straight Bourbon Whiskey" at the 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, where it also earned a Double Gold Medal, this craft bourbon has built a serious reputation that extends well beyond the Pacific Northwest. Jim Murray's Whisky Bible awarded it 93 points in its 2020 edition.

Quick Facts: ABV: 45% (90 Proof)  |  Origin: Washington State, USA  |  Straight Bourbon Whiskey  |  Distillery: Woodinville Whiskey Company

Production & Heritage

Woodinville Whiskey Company operates out of its namesake town in Washington's wine country, where mashing, distilling, and barreling all take place on site. The mashbill — 72% corn, 22% rye, and 6% malted barley — tilts toward a higher rye content than many traditional bourbons, adding spice and complexity. What truly separates this bourbon is a two-stage process: barrel staves are first seasoned outdoors for a full eighteen months in Pacific Northwest rain, sun, wind, and snow to soften harsh tannins, then the barrels receive both a slow toast and a heavy char — a dual treatment that draws out deep caramel and vanilla compounds from the wood. After filling, barrels are trucked over the Cascade Mountains to private rickhouses in Central Washington, where dramatic day-to-night temperature swings force the whiskey in and out of the oak far more aggressively than temperate climates allow.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Crème brûlée and brown sugar rise immediately, followed by vanilla and a gentle layer of oak spice. A light herbaceous quality sits underneath, hinting at the rye component in the grain bill.

Taste: The entry is lush with rich caramel and dark chocolate, moving quickly into vanilla bean sweetness at the mid-palate. As it develops, mild herbal and mint accents appear alongside a subtle warmth, giving the bourbon real structural depth without overwhelming the sweeter core.

Finish: Medium-long and warming, with cinnamon, white pepper, and toasted oak holding steady. Faint tropical fruit emerges at the tail end, leaving a dry but inviting close.

How to Drink Woodinville Bourbon

Neat or with a few drops of water is the most rewarding approach — water opens up the crème brûlée and chocolate notes without diluting the 90-proof body. On the rocks, it holds its structure well. For cocktails, try it in an Old Fashioned, where the dark chocolate and caramel core pairs naturally with bitters and orange peel; a Boulevardier, where the rye spice and vanilla stand up to Campari's bitterness; or a Maple Whiskey Sour, where the brown sugar aromatics amplify maple syrup's sweetness without becoming cloying.

Best For

• Gifting a bourbon enthusiast who appreciates craft distilling with award-winning credentials
• Side-by-side tastings comparing Pacific Northwest bourbon against Kentucky benchmarks
• After-dinner sipping alongside dark chocolate or dessert
• Building a home bar with versatile, cocktail-friendly straight bourbon

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Woodinville Bourbon taste like? Woodinville Bourbon leads with rich caramel and dark chocolate, supported by vanilla bean sweetness and mild herbal-mint accents from its higher-rye mashbill. The finish is warming with cinnamon, white pepper, and toasted oak.

How does Woodinville Bourbon compare to Michter's bourbons? Both share a sweet, approachable core with herbal and fruit undertones, but Woodinville's extreme-climate aging and 22% rye mashbill tend to produce bolder oak influence and more pronounced spice than Michter's generally softer, more rounded house style.

Is Woodinville Bourbon good for sipping neat? At 90 proof it sits in an ideal range for neat drinking — enough body to carry its flavors without the burn of barrel-proof whiskey, making it approachable while still rewarding careful attention.

Where is Woodinville Bourbon made? It is distilled and barreled at the Woodinville Whiskey Company in Woodinville, Washington, then aged in private rickhouses in Central Washington, east of the Cascade Mountains, where extreme seasonal temperature swings drive barrel interaction.

What foods pair well with Woodinville Bourbon? Dark chocolate truffles complement the cocoa and caramel notes; smoked brisket or pulled pork matches the oak-driven warmth; sharp aged cheddar balances the sweetness; pecan pie echoes the brown sugar and vanilla; and grilled stone fruit like peaches highlights the subtle tropical undercurrent in the finish.

What sizes does Woodinville Bourbon come in? The standard offering is a 750ml bottle, which is the most widely distributed size for this expression.

Is Woodinville Bourbon worth the price? Woodinville positions in the mid-premium tier for straight bourbon, and its Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, 93-point Jim Murray score, and American Distilling Institute's 2016 Whiskey of the Year recognition suggest it competes with — and frequently outperforms — bourbons at similar or higher price points.

Why Woodinville Bourbon?

Few craft bourbons outside Kentucky have accumulated accolades at this rate: Double Gold and Best Straight Bourbon at the 2020 SFWSC, 93 points in Jim Murray's Whisky Bible, and the American Distilling Institute's 2016 Whiskey of the Year. The production method is genuinely unusual — eighteen-month open-air stave seasoning, a dual toast-and-char barrel treatment, and high-altitude aging in Central Washington's punishing temperature extremes are not marketing gimmicks but measurable variables that shape the whiskey's dense caramel-and-chocolate profile. The 72/22/6 mashbill delivers more rye kick than most standard bourbons, giving it versatility from neat pours to cocktails. For drinkers looking to explore American whiskey beyond the established Kentucky corridor, Woodinville makes a compelling and well-documented case.