Floral | Fresh baked bread | Honey | Strawberry & raspberry cream

Lavender | Toasted oak | Almond | Hint of white grape

Toast | Hay | Agave | Passion fruit | Lingering roasted malt

Bird Creek Whiskey was founded by Mark Stell in 2017, who is also behind Portland Coffee Roasters. The company’s name is based on Bird Creek Meadows Loop, a popular hiking trail about a 100 miles northeast at the foothills of Mount Adams. The Pacific Northwest has become a hotbed of single malt whiskey distillation thanks to its cool climate which is ideal for growing malted barley. Bird Creek uses an array of regional and heritage barley varieties. The company’s bespoke bottle includes a working compass bottle topper, and the base of the bottle is a three dimensional mold of Mount Adams, which is quite striking.

Bird Creek Francin Single Cask Single Malt uses Francin barley, which originated in the Czech Republic and, according to the company, was recently introduced in the “upper left” (aka Pacific Northwest). Based on how it tastes and spells compared to the company’s Baronesse release, which uses traditional malted barley, Francin is much more floral throughout. This works in its favor, as it fits nicely in the more delicate nature of a single malt.

The whiskey’s other flavors: honey, toasted oak, almond, white grape, toast, and passion fruit, all work together in tandem and create a unique tasting and elegant American made single malt. Though the whiskey doesn’t taste young, I’m interested in what more age does to it, possibly adding a bit more distinction and deepening its flavors. Even though the number of single malt distilleries is growing in the northwest, with Francin, Bird Creek is showing that they have something to add to the developing single malt scene.

The company states that this first-year release will only be available for sale at the festivals it debuted at and also in Bird Creek Whiskey’s tasting room in Portland, Oregon.