Craft spirits in Washington have really taken off in recent years, and leading the charge is Woodinville’s J.P. Trodden.
After taking home a silver medal in last year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition, J.P. Trodden’s Small Batch Bourbon was awarded a double gold medal in this year’s competition, putting it in the same class as some of the best bourbons, whiskeys and Scotches in the world.
“For us, winning these awards has made all the difference,” said J.P. Trodden founder and head distiller Mark Neishem at Thursday’s Seattle stop of the World Spirits tour. “We like to say our sales have been like a hockey stick. They’ve gone up that fast.”
J.P. Trodden’s Small Batch Bourbon sat on the same bar as some of the best spirits in the world on Thursday at Frolik Kitchen + Cocktails in Seattle, and more than held its own. Blessed with notes of caramel, oak, vanilla and cola, it’s a bourbon that is smooth but not too mellow.
“This award shows that some of the best bourbon in the world can come from right here in Woodinville,” said Neishem, who has been making bourbon for five years.
Nine judges unanimously selected J.P. Trodden as one of two Double Gold winners in the category of Small Batch Bourbon Aged Less Than 5 Years. The World Spirits Competition is considered to be the rite of passage for top quality spirits, with 41 of the world’s top professional palates serving as judges.
According to J.P. Trodden’s website, the bourbon’s grains — 70 percent corn and 30 percent winter wheat — are sourced from a family farm in the central Washington town of Quincy.
Distilling is a family affair for Nesheim. His grandfather and the distillery’s namesake, J.P. Trodden, was a mail carrier who traveled between Washington and Canada during Prohibition. Trodden was known to “pick up a few bottles of whiskey on the ‘wet’ side of the border and stash them in his mailbag to share with friends,” according to the website.
J.P. Trodden’s Small Batch Bourbon retails for approximately $50, and can be found at Total Wine and More, Haggen and Trader Joe’s.
Here’s a few other double gold winners that really stood out at the tasting:
Tepoz Silver Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico: Started by Stephen A. Morocco, of Connecticut, only a year ago, this tequila is made from 100 percent blue agave harvested by hand in Mexico and triple distilled. This is a sipping tequila that has complex fruit flavors. Unfortunatley, Tepoz isn’t available in Washington, but Morocco said he’s looking for a distributor.
Master’s Dry Gin, Barcelona, Spain: When thinking of London dry gin, Spain isn’t the first country that comes to mind. But this gin is heavenly. Made with three separate macerations of sweet oranges, Master’s has a slight citrus nose and flavor to go with notes of juniper, coriander and cardamom.
Buchanan’s Master Blended Scotch, Scotland: Notes of peat and raisin, this is a very smokey but smooth Scotch that would be amazing to sip while enjoying a tobacco pipe. There is a slight tobacco scent in the nose as well. Great stuff.
Aaron Swaney: 425-339-3430; aswaney@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @swaney_aaron79. Follow the Hops and Sips blog at www.heraldnet.com/hopsandsips.
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