Woodinville Whiskey Co.: Washington State Bourbon from Woodinville and Quincy

Woodinville Whiskey Co. is a Washington State craft distillery founded by friends Orlin Sorensen and Brett Carlile. It distils in Woodinville and matures its whiskey in barrel houses in Quincy, in the high desert of eastern Washington.

At a glance

• Location: Woodinville, Washington, United States, with ageing in Quincy, Washington

• Founded: 2010 by Orlin Sorensen and Brett Carlile (the business plan started in 2009 per one profile)

• Mentor: the late Dave Pickerell, per the Scotch Malt Whisky Society

• Stills: 1,320 gallon German copper stills with an eight tray column

• Minimum age: at least five years, per the official site

The story

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society profile says the distillery was founded in 2010 by friends Orlin Sorensen and Brett Carlile and mentored by US distilling figure Dave Pickerell. Other profiles say the pair began working on the idea in 2009, and describe them as best friends raised in a valley filled with wineries.

The official Our Story page frames the business around three beliefs: craft, place and possibility. It says Woodinville's Cascade water and wild yeasts suit distilling, while Quincy's hot summers and cold winters push the whiskey in and out of the barrel. It quotes Forbes naming the distillery Quite Possibly the Best Craft Distillery in the US.

The people

• Orlin Sorensen: co-founder

• Brett Carlile: co-founder and head distiller, per the official page

• Dave Pickerell: mentor, per the Scotch Malt Whisky Society

The range

The official page describes the process rather than listing the range.

• Mashing: two and a half tons of locally grown non GMO corn and rye daily from Omlin Family Farm in Quincy

• Fermentation: eight 9,000 gallon fermenters, four days, a mash running at about 20% sugar

• Distillation: 1,320 gallon German copper stills and an eight tray column

• Proofing: 55% ABV with purified Cascade water before ageing

• Maturation: at least five years in Central Washington barrel houses, with barrel wood seasoned 18 months in open air

• Bottling: typically every two weeks

Visiting

• The official site has a Visit the Woodinville Distillery page.

• Hours, tour prices and tasting room details were not read.

Founders and ownership

Patch reported in July 2017 that Woodinville Whiskey Company, founded in 2010 by Orlin Sorensen and Brett Carlile, was being bought by Moet Hennessy, whose parent is LVMH. Sorensen said he and Carlile would continue leading the business.

• Site: a distillery and tasting room on Redmond-Woodinville Road in Woodinville, Washington, in the town's wine, beer and spirits district

• Grain: sourced from a farm in Quincy, south of Wenatchee

• Founders: described as best friends who set out to make barrel-aged whiskey

Frequently asked questions

Who founded Woodinville Whiskey Co.?

Friends Orlin Sorensen and Brett Carlile, in 2010.

Where is the whiskey aged?

In private barrel houses in Quincy, Washington, which the official site says have hot summers and cold winters.

What is the minimum age?

The official site says all its whiskey ages at least five years.

Who mentored the founders?

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society names Dave Pickerell.

How Woodinville makes its whiskey

The official Woodinville story page describes mashing around two and a half tons of locally grown corn and rye each day from the Omlin Family Farm in Quincy, Washington, milled to flour and mixed with purified Cascade water. Fermentation takes four days in one of eight 9,000 gallon fermenters, and the company says its mash runs about 20 percent sugar.

Distillation uses custom 1,320 gallon German stills made of copper from just outside the Black Forest, with a column of eight superaromator trays. Only the hearts are collected. The spirit is proofed to 55 percent ABV and filled at the aging facility in Quincy, in the high desert of eastern Washington. The page says barrel wood is seasoned for 18 months outdoors, and all whiskey is aged for at least five years in Central Washington barrel houses. These are the company's own statements.

Place and people

The company talks about a dual terroir: Woodinville, near Seattle, and Quincy. The page introduces Brett, head distiller and co-founder. Forbes is quoted as naming it quite possibly the best craft distillery in the US. The page also announces a new bottle design arriving at select retailers.

Visiting

The site has a Visit the Woodinville Distillery page. Check it for tour times and booking.

Sources and gaps

Gaps: founding year and the full names of the co-founders were not stated on the page read. Ownership changes, range and ABVs, and tour details were not read. The production figures are company statements.

Whisky Clan does not publish tasting notes in its distillery profiles.

Further source read on 21 October 2026: Patch report of 14 July 2017 on Moet Hennessy buying Woodinville Whiskey Company.