Tequila and Bourbon, together— a pairing Woodinville Whiskey co-founder and head distiller Brett Carlile could not wrap his mind around. “It’s something I always wanted to try but was afraid to take a stab at. Eventually, curiosity got the best of me. So, I went for it and was blown away by how well Tequila and Bourbon play together,” says Carlile.
Brett’s experimentation landed on what he and co-founder Orlin Sorensen see as a real winner: Woodinville Straight Bourbon Finished in Tequila Barrels (MSRP $69.99, 100 proof).
Less than 2,000 bottles are available. Limited releases like these launch with a party of first-in-line folks, who’ve made friendships at these events over the last 15 years. The first 500 bottles will be released at the distillery Saturday, May 3 at 10:00am (14509 Woodinville Redmond Rd. NE | Woodinville, WA 98072). There will be a limit of 1 bottle per person at that time.
Additional bottles will be released online at woodinvillewhiskeyco.com on May 5, 2025.
More Information about Woodinville Straight Bourbon Finished in Tequila Barrels:
This is a Bourbon that’s made quite the trek. It started with grains grown in Quincy, WA where the Omlin family has farmed for four generations. Then those grains headed across the Cascade mountains to our distillery in Woodinville, WA, to be distilled in this Western Washington town where nearby wineries and breweries launch their wild yeasts into the air— lending a distinct terroir to the whiskey. That new-make whiskey heads back across the mountain pass, again, where it’s placed in new American Oak barrels built from wood that seasoned in the elements for 18-24 months.
Brett tasted that Bourbon, and once it reached nearly 6 years, he deemed it ready for a fun project in the top-secret Warehouse 1. (It’s an original barrelhouse on the farm that’s home to numerous experiments.) Brett sourced some Extra Anejo Tequila barrels, and the team filled those emptied barrels with Woodinville Bourbon. And there it sat. Orlin and Brett revisited it, during the sweltering summers and frigid winters of Central Washington. And, a few months back, they tasted it and knew it was ready to release.
