SEATTLE, February 10, 2024 – Leading the American single malt category, Westland Distillery continues its exploration of American peat with the release of the second edition of Solum American Single Malt Whiskey (50%ABV, 700ml, $149.99 SRP), which arrives in its home state of Washington today and later this month throughout the U.S.

In its mission to showcase “a sense of place,” Westland Distillery’s Solum is the third expression in the Outpost Range, annual releases of limited-edition expressions that showcase oak (Garryana), grain (Colere) and peat (Solum), each unique to its Pacific Northwest homeland. Solum Edition 2 features 100% Washington Peated malt, matured in a combination of new and used oak casks to create a robust glass while still showcasing the smoke undertones. The exploration and exhibition of Pacific Northwest Peat in application to Washington-grown barley presents itself in the glass with notes of herbs and savory spice thanks to its unique organic composition and flavor.

“Solum is a nod to tradition with an eye to the future,” says Shane Armstrong, Westland’s Master Blender. “Edition 2 has a very similar structure to the inaugural release except for maturation time. This will be the case for the next few years, which is an interesting way to experience the impact of age. For this lap around the sun, the fresh fruit notes have been supplanted by a complex array of herbs.

“Solum contains the most obvious connection to our Pacific Northwest region, while drawing a direct line to the lineage of single malt whiskey making,” Armstrong continues. “So far, the flavors trend toward the earthier end of peat, moss and sage, with lighter charred wood notes.  This character contrasts the medicinal and overt wood smoke found in other peated whiskies.”

Harvested from a bog approximately two hours south of Seattle, Westland departed from traditional methods of peat harvest, retrieving the peat from below the bog’s waterline rather than first draining and excavating the bog. This harvesting process was specifically designed to preserve the bog’s ecosystem, preventing the release of greenhouse gasses and ensuring that the bog will be able to continue producing peat into the future – a testament to Westland’s devotion to sustainability.

‍Solum Edition 2 Tasting Notes
(50%ABV, 700ml, $149.99 SRP; 5,212 bottles released globally)

NOSE: Rosemary bagel, dry tobacco, jasmine, sage
PALATE: Brioche, vanilla graze, fresh dill, green tea, burnt marshmallow
GRAIN BILL: Skagit Valley Malting Peated Malt, 8-12 ppm

CASK TYPES: 20 Casks: 4 years 165 days - (5) Casks 6 years, (15) Casks 4 years

• 4 yr. 1st Fill Bourbon 43%
• 6 yr. 1st Fill New American Oak: Cooper’s Reserve 24%
• 4 yr. 1st Fill New American Oak: Cooper’s Reserve 19%
• 4 yr. 1st Fill New American Oak: Cooper’s Select 14%

YEAST: Belgian Saison Brewer’s Yeast
FERMENTATION TIME: 96-144 Hours

In comparison to the first edition of Solum, which was released in 2023 and was named the Best American Single Malt by Maxim and one of the Most Exciting New Whiskeys by Men’s Journal, Solum Edition 2 is aged a year longer in cask.

The Outpost Range, which was first introduced in August 2020, features three limited-edition American Single Malt Whiskeys that are released annually — Garryana, Colere, and Solum — each one emblematic of the Seattle distiller’s core mission to push beyond the old-world conventions of single malt. Garryana celebrated its eighth edition in November 2023 and was named the third top whiskey of the year by Whisky Advocate; the third edition of Colere was released in June 2023.

For information about Westland, please visit www.westlanddistillery.com. High-resolution images and limited-quantity samples are available upon request.

About Westland Distillery
Founded in 2010 and acquired by Remy-Cointreau in 2017, Seattle’s Westland Distillery brings a new and uniquely American voice to the world of single malt whiskey by exploring possibilities that have been ignored for generations. Along the way, Westland has been recognized as the country’s leading producer of American Single Malt Whiskey and founded the formal establishment of the emerging American Single Malt Whiskey category by starting the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission. While the distillery uses the same basic ingredients and processes used for centuries by traditional Old World single malt producers, it does not simply seek to replicate the results of its Scottish predecessors. Instead, Westland works to create whiskeys that reflect the distinct qualities of its time, place, and culture in the Pacific Northwest. All of Westland’s expressions are distilled at the Seattle distillery from 100% malted barley and fermented with a unique Belgian Saison brewer’s yeast before maturing in one of a variety of cask types, including new American oak, ex-Bourbon, ex-Sherry, and Garry Oak, to name a few.