Founded in 2010, Westland Distillery (located in SODO [SOuth of DOwntown], a neighborhood in Seattle's industrial district) is a leader in the American single malt whiskey scene. Its Garryana Edition 8 was ranked #3 in Whiskey Advocate's list of 'Most Exciting Whiskey's of 2023'. My wife and I had a chance to visit SODO on a gorgeous October day, and even though we couldn't take their sold-out distillery tour ($25 per adult), still had a wonderful time sampling their wares and enjoying the educational interaction with their whiskey enthusiasts/employees. Westland got acquired by Remy-Cointreau [French company; 3rd largest cognac distiller in the world; created as union between Remy-Martin (founded in 1724) and Cointreau (1849)]. It's MO is to use ingredients from the Pacific Northwest (barley, water, peat), and with its similar cool maritime climate, produce Scotch-like whiskeys (only whiskey from Scotland can be called Scotch, though Scotch doesn't have to be ONLY malted barley). American single malt is now an official US legal classification (since Jan 19, 2025). 'Single' refers to one distillery producing the bottle, and 'Malt' meaning it only uses malted barley as its grain. (The most popular American whiskey is bourbon, mostly made of corn and aged similarly). BG and Trista were our whiskey guides, both knowledgeable and friendly. The lounge had a variety of seating, designed for easy conversation and sipping. A whiskey flight ($13.60, $10 off with purchase) consists of 4 choices (out of 8 offered), so we shared two flights to get the full effect. Getting nibbling snacks [La Panzanella crackers ($5) with Beecher's cheese curds ($12)] that went well with the whiskeys, was a smart choice. Flagship (92 proof) Beer Cast (92) Wine Cast (92) Coleve 4 (100) Garryana 9 (100) Garryana 7 (100) 7862 (106.6) Solum 3 (100) To my pleasant surprise, my wife got really into it, sipping/tasting right along with me. We were able to get 4 (tasting) sips per UK dram. My favorite was the 7862, and my wife's was the Wine Cast (which was Trista's favorite as well). The Flagship is the most popular, and readily available at retail stores. The Solum (8 - 12 ppm) is their peated whiskey, and I couldn't discern the peat (as opposed to something like Laphroaig 10 which has 5 - 10 ppm). As it usually occurs (and supposed to happen), the really enjoyable experience got me to buy (and pay retail price) some of their product to take home. BG did mention that some of their product was sold in California (similar price but far lower tax), and did find their flagship product in liquor stores in Long Beach (also sold in Amazon Fresh stores). I ended up getting a 700ml of their available single cast program (No 7862), aged 9 years for $99, and a 375ml Flagship ($39.99) for my son-in-law. We had come right when the lounge opened, so there still wasn't anybody else there when we left about an hour later. I know that American distilleries are having a tougher time in this political climate while our friendly neighbors up North are shunning American spirits. Nice to support, especially when the product and service are this good. Notes: -- Taxes for retail sold spirits are very high in WA state. 20.5% sales tax and $3.77 per liter tax. -- Phenol parts per million (PPM) are used to measure 'peatiness' in whiskey. Peat (partially decayed plant matter) is used as fuel to roast the malted barley. -- Love the fact that Seattle's climate matches Scotland. When we took a tour of the Nikka distillery in Japan, we learned similar things. It's definitely about it's sense of place (water, type of wood barrel, maturation process). And it was cool that the founders (Nikka, Westland) lived in Scotland to get educated in the process. read more

See all

Westland Distillery, founded in 2010, has quickly become a trailblazer in the American single malt movement--a category that's still finding its footing in the U.S. On our tour, we learned how Westland leans hard into local character, especially when it comes to their barrels. They collaborate with nearby mills and coopers to craft casks from Quercus garryana--aka Oregon oak--which adds a bold, spicy, nutty twist to their Garryana series. Westland uses a Washington state peat bog for their peated whiskeys. Their specific peat bog is on land purchased by a retired deputy from Joint Base Lewis McChord. It's whiskey with a Pacific Northwest soul: distinctive, layered, and anything but ordinary. After the tour we enjoyed a guided tasting of four whiskeys. The tasting room is beautiful, reclaimed from its former life as a crane factory. While there is parking in a lot on the side of the building, it is clear marked as a high prowl area and there were two fresh car windows on the ground, as if to prove it. Street parking felt like a much safer option, with more visibility. Because Westland is located in a more industrial neighborhood, there was plenty available. Cheers. read more

See all

I was here for work but a few of us went to check it out and it was a solid place. We each did the whiskey flight (neat) and got to pick up to 5 pours from their selection. I'm not generally a whiskey drinker but the tasting was a fun experience! read more

Westland Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I happened to find this place, as I was walking to the ceramics store from the subway, and I'm so glad that I decided to stop in! They were closing in an hour, so it was pretty empty at that point, but I loved the space - lots of wood, and communal tables, as well as cozier low chairs. I ended up getting a flight and the server was super friendly and helpful in picking out a flight for me and then explaining the differences. Their whiskeys are delicious! Very smokey and smooth with the right amount of bite. As I was leaving, I wanted to buy a bottle. Unfortunately, they don't have many of their options available in the smaller size (I was visiting and didn't have space to bring an entire handle back in my suitcase). They mentioned that they would be willing to ship and it is also available on the west coast, so I'm excited to find it. read more

I saw an ad on Instagram for tasting tours of Westland and I'm so glad I did. It was $25 a person and you got to taste 5 whiskeys with a led tour through their facility. The tour guide explained their entire process from step 1 to the end. This was one of the best tours I have gone on in the Seattle area and would recommend it to others and visitors to the area. We even purchased a bottle of their flagship whiskey to take home to enjoy later. read more

See all

Are you looking for an amazing experience while in town for FIFA? Don't walk, Lime scoot/bike or rent a Lambo and hustle down to Westland Distillery in SODO. A fascinating building with Seattle historical stories for days. My family and I tasted through their line up and were impressed and overwhelmed by the craftsmanship. Such creativity went into each brand story and to boot they believe in sustainability for their community. One of their brands "Watchpost" gives back to local forestry and trail management. This inspired our family to head out today to enjoy one of the myriad of local hikes in the area. Kudos to our trail guide at the distillery that day. Phoebe was more than delightful. She weaved the stories of each brand like graceful switchbacks through groves of Garry Oak trees Her excitement for each brand was unbridled and contagious. We all left looking to spread the gospel of Westland Distillery. If you have a moment, head on down first ave and visit the team at Westland. Cheers. read more

Had a fun night at Westland they have a very interesting variety of whiskey. The staff is very friendly and extremely knowledgeable about their product. Special shoutout to Phoebe who led a great tour. read more

Westland Distillery - Barrel room - Distilleries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

What a stylish venue. They distill on site but also offer tours, tastings, and cocktails. Your was informative and very cool seeing the copper machinery. Service was friendly and personable. read more

See all

I purchased the distillery tour, it was very cool and informative. Prior to the tour we were served flagship while we waited. Our tour guide was super nice and you could tell she was passionate about the craft! I thoroughly enjoyed it. We got to snell the different types of barley and see the process of making whiskey. I loved listening to the story of how Westland was developed and the pride they place in their city, mindfully aspiring to supply 100% locally. We got to taste four different whiskeys, my personal favorite being a single cask. Wish I could have taken a bottle but I flew into the city. I will say tho, their merch is expensive or else I would have scooped up a hoodie. read more

See all

The value here is nuts. I went in for a distillery tour plus tasting. The tour kicks off with a taster of their flagship whiskey, already a great start. The tour itself is very informative, they let you take pictures of everything and take you through every part of the distillery. The tour guide lady was very kind, knowledgeable, and without even asking her, you can tell she lifts. Respect. The tasting at the end was amazing, all four pours were very tasty, and the single cast was the stand out. They're very informative without being snobby. The ambience is impressive. Everything is very clean and they just nail the aesthetic. I will say the merch is a little pricey. 90% of bars charge me well more than $25 for bottom shelf whiskey pours, so a distillery tour +5 whiskey pours for $25 is a steal. I could not recommend more. read more

See all

Local pride that this Seattle, WA company placed third in the world for their Garryana Edition 8. Kudos to Westland Distillery! I decided to purchase it directly from the source and to be picked up in person (12/16/23). It was an exceptional splurge at $183.53. I appreciated the two brochures given to me. It allowed me to learn more about their product line. I was scheduled for a 12/23/23 pickup, but given the opportunity to pick it up earlier. The response was so great, they had to suspend onsite tastings to focus on retail sales and order pickups. Thankful for the adjacent parking lot and the efficient retail line. I am glad to have completed this on 12/21/23. I will have to return someday for a distillery production tour and/or a tasting flight. read more

See all

My favorite west coast whiskey. A must try. Nice tasting room with knowledgeable staff.

A must visit for any whisky/whiskey lover when visiting Seattle. Plenty of parking and the internal space is nice and chill. I went for a tasting and it was fantastic! The distillery exclusives are incredible. Obviously, if you space out your visits, the exclusives will always be different. High recommend! read more

I wanted to see if they still had their #3 in the country whiskey of 2023. I was in luck only a few bottles left. They have a quiet room next to the tasting bar where you can sit and reflect. The staff is very knowledgeable and helpful with purchases. I had a good time talking and making my purchases. Just be aware of the extra on your bill. New Year, new tax and fees. read more

Love visiting this distillery. The tour was cool and interactive with tastes and smells. Grabbing a few cocktails or flights never disappoint either! Everyone that works there seems happy and are always fun to chat with. read more

Westland Distillery - Barrels with info on maturing process very cool to see - Distilleries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Great tasting whiskey and very good ambience. Service was good, wide assortment of Westland accessories. I took the whiskey tour and learned so much about the history, science, and one man's tribute to the Pacific Northwest. I learned about the rare Garryana wood. I will be back for sure. I love the single malt and you cannot go wrong with the Flagship bottle of whiskey. read more

The bartend was so insightful and gave great suggestions! I loved the cocktail flight she suggested. I tried their old fashioned, highball, Seattle spice, and the cold brew cocktails. The portions sizes were pretty generous. My fiancé got their 10 year anniversary limited whiskey- holy cow was it amazing!! If you're a whiskey lover, or even just want to try it out- I reccomended making a visit read more

Westland Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I called to make a reservation for a tour. The young woman who answered the phone was curt and it felt like she had better things to do than help a potential customer. This was on a Friday afternoon and perhaps they were busy. Nonetheless, her attitude was unprofessional and unhelpful. I'm a whiskey drinker but will not be drinking their whiskey. There are lots of other good whiskey's out there. read more

Westland Distillery hosts special tasting events on a regular basis. I haven't stopped by for a few years, however the attraction of a special whiskey tasting was too tempting to resist. 1) There is a City of Seattle parking lot next to the distillery. The machine was broken and wouldn't read credit cards. Not to worry! One hour street parking is available. In addition, free street parking is available on side streets in the surrounding neighborhood. 2) The staff are knowledgeable and friendly. 3) They have a very comfortable area to hang out and taste away. 4) Free Wi-Fi for guests. 5) Want to get an education in the art and science of whiskey-making? Come on by! read more

See all

Great tasting whiskey and very good ambience. Service was good, wide assortment of Westland goodies to.buy. read more

Westland Distillery - Whiskey flight - Distilleries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Landing in Seattle mid morning meant we needed to spend a few hours before our hotel room was ready. Fortunately the Westland Distillery is just a few minutes from the airport and great place to hang out and have some whiskey! Unlike most American Whiskey which uses Corn or Rye as their base grain, Westland uses a wide variety of malted barley in the style of Scotch to create their nectors. Located in an industrial area a few blocks south of T-Mobile Field and CenturyLink Field, Westland sits on a major road and is easy to find with lots of parking in the area. I describe it as a whiskey oasis in an unexpected place, step through the glass doors and you are greeted by a nice bar and sitting area which lets you look into their distilling and barrel room. Cocktails, flights, and small bites make it a great place to visit or meet friends. We opted for their flight which included their American Oak, Sherry Wood, Peated, and one of their special releases. All wonderful but what's even better is chatting with the staff as you sip and discuss what makes Westland so good. You can clearly hear the passion in their voices as discuss their process, the grains they use, the wood, etc. When one visits a distillery one must always look for distillery exclusives..and lucky me Westland not only has an exclusive but they let you fill, sign, and seal your own bottle. Cool factor +9! On the day I was visiting I filled my bottle (#111) from cask 2549 coming in at a full flavored cask strength of 120.2 proof. Doesn't get much better than that! Next time you are in Seattle and you have a taste for Single Malt Whiskey I would very much encourage you pay the fine folks at Westland a visit! read more

Westland Distillery - Great flight - Distilleries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

Great whiskey but their decision to move to 700ml bottles from the US standard of 750ml is insulting as it is nothing more than a money grab. Bad enough they jacked their prices through the roof, reducing the bottle size was too much. I asked them about this, their response is that this was a trend with US bottlers and they were just following the trend. I have yet to find a single other US distiller that is reducing their bottle size. Poor form, letting the accountants run the business. read more

FEEL THE BURN This places is super cute and quaint. Feels like a very homey place to enjoy whiskey. All they are missing is a big ass Cracker Barrel fireplace roaring (iykyk). Colton came over and gave us the lay of the land. After discussing what I like in my pour, I went with the bartenders choice for a flight. He did very well with his selection and I felt like he listened to what I liked. I also ordered a cocktail...which was an intense idea once I started sipping . All of the whiskey I tried definitely caught me by surprise and I think I left with a couple chest hairs. My favorite was "Gerryann" (I can't really understand the writing to make sure it's spelled correctly). It had some really sweet notes and a yummy pecan smell. The pricing for flights and cocktails are beyond reasonable. I had a flight + a cocktail and only spent $26. That's a win for me. Make sure you stop in. You'll be glad you did. read more

Westland Distillery - a sample flight of whisky - Distilleries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

Another Amazing Amercan Single Malt! Sweet almost honey-vanilla aroma with slight hints of smoke. Rich malt with almost a custard-caramel-vanilla flavor with dried fruit hints, and maybe a little pepper. This Single Malt has a long intense finish with notes of sweetness. Love it! That's what is going on when I sip this amazing spirit. This is my goto yearly release with American Single Malts. I get excited every year for the new release. Great job Westland! Phenomenal! read more

Westland Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

So impressed by all of their spirits. The Garryana is award winning and really special. I also really like the solam. It feels me with pride to have a distillery in Washington putting out such great spirits. Highly recommend coming to the tasting room and buying a bottle. You get $10 off a flight which is a great deal. read more

8/30/18. Still as good as I recall it. Just tried the Sherrywood whiskey and it was caramel-y with a hint of vanilla. Yum The barrel room is where I had a 75-person sit down presentation. I am considering doing a sit down dinner / whiskey pairing for 15 next. This is a cool venue, great product, and super cool peeps! read more

See all

Husband & I had a great tour and tasting. There were only 4 of us on the tour, so it was personal as well as informative. Our guide was very knowledgeable, and it's clear they're all passionate as well as very proud about their product. Highly recommend this tour and tasting. read more

Had a great tasting experience here! Great options for multiple tastes, but as someone who likes pleated whiskeys, there were a lot of really delicious options. If you don't like super sweet cocktails, I wouldn't recommend the cocktail flight. However, it's nice that they have that available if you want to do a tasting with people who aren't huge whiskey fans. read more

See all

Love going here every time I visit Seattle. Super friendly staff, cool open barrel room, and the two offered flights are killer (and a steal price wise!). A few small cocktail offerings, too, and the chance to buy some really nice drams in house. read more

My friend and I were in a group of around 12 people for a whiskey tour on the weekend. We were walked around the distillery for over 1.5 hrs with a very knowledgeable tour guide before being seated at a long, family-style table with whiskey samples. They had a whole whiskey "senses" chart, where we could all try our hand at identifying the "notes" that we could taste/smell. There were quite a variety of whiskey samples, and they were ample! The only warning I have is to eat some food before you visit here because the whiskey is strong! Parking: There is a lot next to the distillery for free parking Location/Ambiance: I would describe this place as "glamorous warehouse". They have a rustic/industrial vibe going on here, which makes tasting the whiskey feel like a hip and classy experience. read more

It's a cool vibe. Free (for now) Street parking available. The whiskey is flavorful and they they serve cocktails as well as flights. The food is all prepackage like a brick of beechers cheese and a pack of rosemary crackers but definitely not overpriced. They leave that to the whiskey. I enjoyed the flagship and American oak but hated the peat read more

Westland Distillery - Bar - Distilleries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Westland Distillery is a single malt whiskey distillery located in the SoDo (South of Downtown) neighborhood of Seattle's Industrial District. Our group stopped by this distillery to take a tour and participate in a whiskey tasting. It was arranged by our tour operator, Seattle Wine Tours. Westland Distillery offers tours four times a day, Wednesday through Saturday. We went on a Friday afternoon tour at 2pm. The tour and tasting lasted over an hour. This looks to be a relatively young distillery. I can't recall if the tour guide told us when Westland was founded, but I believe the owner(s) are young (in their 20s). The business' lobby and tasting room look industrial, yet stylish and modern, like they've been lifted from the pages of a magazine. The distillery itself feels small (though I don't have much to compare it to) at 13,000 square feet. Tours of the distillery take place while staff is on the floor working, so you really get an up-close and personal view of the production facility in action. The first thing that hit our group upon entering the facility was the smell. One of the guys on our tour had to sit out of the Westland stop because the smell was too much for him to bear. He waited outside over an hour. I'm not sure if the distillery is supposed to smell like that or if they were having ventilation problems. The aroma coming from the factory was heavy and thick. We were told it was extremely dangerous to light a match inside due to the flammability and possibility of explosion -- I wonder if it had to do with the gas/fumes we were smelling. I forget the name of our tour guide, but he seemed to be in his 20s and sported short hair, a beard, and glasses. I'm not sure that description helps much because I saw multiple male employees sporting beards. He seemed very enthusiastic about his job, whiskey, and Westland Distillery. He told us more than we ever wanted to know and encouraged questions and engagement. The tour did seem a bit longwinded and I know our Seattle Wine Tours was having a challenging time trying to keep us on schedule. I know next to nothing about whiskey so I found the tour to be educating, though I must admit I zoned out on several occasions especially when our guide got overly scientific. I wasn't interested in hearing chemistry lessons. In total, our Westland tour group consisted of about 15 folks. We started off in the cask room and worked our way to the mash processing area, fermentation vessels, and stills. Between the cask room and the malt area, we got to taste five different kinds of malted barley grains. I thought it was neat how those grains combined with water in the mashing process to eventually become whiskey. We got to look inside one of the active mash tuns with the mash rake still spinning. I thought that was cool. Our guide told us that Westland plans to make a whiskey in which every ingredient including the wood the cask is made from originates from the state of Washington. I think it would become the first ever whiskey 100% sourced and produced in the state. The final stop on our tour was the still room where the wash still (7,560 liters) and the spirit still (5,670 liters) were located. Our guide compared the apparatuses to the worlds of Jules Verne and steampunk and he wasn't wrong. The temperature inside the still room was uncomfortably hot. Several of us had to step off the elevated platform before the guide was done talking. After our tour concluded, we took seats at a long communal table in the tasting area. Our guide poured us samples from various bottles of Westland whiskies. There was a glass jar with peat on the table so we could see and smell firsthand the peat that goes into their peated malt whiskey. In addition to buying bottles of whiskey at the store, we had the option to hand-fill our own bottles of whiskey which were then corked, numbered, and labeled individually. You can only do this at the distillery. In the end, I thought the folks were nice and I enjoyed my visit. read more

See all

This is one of the best distillery tours I've been on. This is for serious whisky drinkers and those interested in good whisky. The tour is very informative and comprehensive. You get a great history of whisky and an explanation of how it is made. The tasting is about three of the main whiskies plus a possible fourth single cask tasting if you're nice. The establishment is gorgeous. Everyone working is very nice and helpful. I highly recommend stopping if in Seattle. read more

See all

This is a Seattle gem! The store is beautiful and clean. You walk in and can see the barrels aging. They offer a really good tasting flight for a reasonable price. The staff is very knowable and friendly. If you are there ask for Pat. He is so knowledgeable and passionate about whiskey. I could not say enough good things about him. read more

Westland Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

We stumbled upon this Westland Distillery twice in a year because we were early for events in the neighborhood. Beautiful designs interior unlike a typical distillery. Spacious, open, welcoming and amazingly clean distillery. We ended up experiencing their seasonal and signature flights. Smooth, peaty as they say it, robust and flavorful flight. read more

See all

The service was excellent! Great pours in the whiskey. We didn't get any food. It gets crowded, recommend get here when it opens for a tasting spot. read more

I originally wanted to organize a private tasting experience with some customers / prospects / business associates at Westland Distillery. With Covid-19 Shelter-in-place restrictions, we were able to coordinate a virtual event. Huge props to the Westland Distillery team for coming through. The team of Jenna, Chris and Phoebe are phenomenal and I cannot recommend them or the whiskey highly enough. read more

After having spent Thanksgiving weekend with the in-laws up in Port Angeles/Sequim, I needed a stiff drink... Ok, not really (Thanksgiving was great, and the Seahawks beat the Steelers, so all was good). But, we knew we were going to have time to kill before our flight back home, so what to do that was new and different for us in Seattle? As it happens, we are on quite the whiskey kick lately, so hubby perused Yelp Seattle and found Westland Distillery that dealt in JUST whiskey. Plenty of other distilleries (who knew SEA had so many distilleries?), but many had gin and vodka, which was not up our alley. Anyway, hubby zero'd in on Weslland, which we found quite easily. Street parking was a breeze, but then again we were there on a Tuesday at 4pm. When we walked in, we were warmly greeted by all the staff there. We didn't ask for a tour, knowing we hadn't booked one, but we did get walked around back where the huge distilling machines and barrel room was located and got to walk through with the accompanying history being relayed to us by Jim. Cool! Then we sat down at the tasting bar and settled in for our whiskey tastings, four in all, and all excellent. First was their award-winning single malt, which we just saw was rated as one of the best whiskeys this year in Wine Spectator. Smooth and delicious. Second was a take on the first whiskey, but these were held and aged longer by the brewers. Hubby loved it, as did I, but I had to add a little water to it to smoothe it out for my palette. Still, great stuff. Third was both our fave...the sherrywood. Damn, that stuff was GOOD! So smoothe and flavorful. Yum! Last but not least was the peated whiskey. Now, apparently, this is a "love it or hate it" whiskey, due to the unique flavor and aroma you get from using the peating process. We got to smell the peated malt, and it seriously smelled like a campfire. Then, when you get that whiskey in your glass, you can smell the smokiness, which follows right through being able to taste the smokey whiskey. Now, I don't really like smoked turkey or smoked ham, so I thought I wouldn't like it. But, one sip and I was hooked. Great stuff! Sadly, since we were heading to the airport and couldn't pack and whiskey, we had to leave without buying a bottle or two. And, being down in CA, we can't have Westland ship to us. However, we did find the single malt (first one we tasted) and the peated whiskey here in SacTown at Total Wine & More. We were told, however, by our awesome whiskey wizard Jim, that there are distributors in the Bay Area who would also have the sherrywood whiskey, which is really what we want. So I see a trip to the Bay Area (K&L?) in our future. Oh, and next year, when we head up to WA for the in-law's trip, we will stop at Westland Distillery FIRST and pick up our bottle of single malt, which will no doubt help to make the season bright :) read more

See all

If you like Islay Single Malt, then Westland Distillery will knock your socks off. I first visited when they opened a few years ago and purchased from the special pour caskets. The price has since increased but makes a nice gift if you are looking for something special for a scotch loving friend. Now, my friends and I make an afternoon of visiting Westland and order appetizers while sampling the scotches. read more

Most importantly- this place has great whiskey. The Sherrywood is totally my jam! It's just kind of a bonus that everything else here kind a rocked, too! My friends and I had been fans of Westland for a while, but we hadn't done the tour. The tour was a perfect balancing of sight, narrative, and drinking! As Westland has some limited edition batches that happen, we come back regularly, and each time, we've had great service. Kudos to Westland Distillery! read more