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    OOLA Distillery

    4.7 (52 reviews)
    ModerateDistilleries
    Closed Closed
    Updated over 3 months ago

    OOLA Distillery Photos

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    Recommended Reviews - OOLA Distillery

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    James T.

    Through my Flaviar membership, My girlfriend and I were able to do a tasting at OOLA that was guided by a remarkably knowledgeable man named Alan. We arrived shortly after they opened on New Years Eve and were greeted enthusiastically by a gorgeous long haired German Shepard. (If you're not into dogs, don't worry! Apparently they don't really let her into the tasting area--since we were the only ones there, he let us give her a few pets ) Since the taste is more personal preference than anything, I thought I'd leave a note of praise for the folks working hard there. We had the chance to taste all that OOLA had to offer; it was clear that Alan's passion for the craft and longstanding history in the industry has awarded him an intimate knowledge and familiarity with every aspect of the process. I'm a curious fellow and he was happy to indulge my questions about the distilling process, distinctions between OOLA and big box distillers, creative marketing challenges, mixed drink recipes, and everything in-between. His warmth and gentle demeanor made him a comfortable confidant in asking potentially "stupid" questions without fear of a pretentious response. Alan was really the only person we interacted with, but in all of his stories or insight into their operation, everyone there pours their heart and soul into the liquor they make. From what I understand, Alan is not generally pouring the tastings as he's involved with other aspects of the business, but if you have the chance to sit with him for a couple hours on a slow day, you might also walk out with $300 of their bottles.

    tasting room waiting for the tour to start
    Bryan M.

    I met OOLA for the first time last month (March 2017) when the distillery was sampling at Downtown Spirits on a weekly Friday tasting. The guy was very friendly and told me the OOLA story. He also gave me a business card that had a double purpose: to get me to stop by AND enjoy a free tour and tasting. Um, of course I'll come by for a tasting! No joke, y'all, the spirits at OOLA are delicious. The vodka is smooth and amazing, my favourite. Because of the hints of vanilla and other flavours you have the option for OOLA's "well" vodka called ALOO. Learned all about it during the tour; great factoids and interesting insights from the owner. The citrus vodka is made with lemon verbena so we taste a smooth, rich lemon flavour, but no harsh acidic bite. The whiskeys are also delicious. Just go to OOLA and experience the goodness.

    It's obvious just how passionate Kirby, the owner of OOLA, is about his work. :)
    Michelle C.

    Kirby, the owner of OOLA Distillery, is nothing short of awesome in his pursuit of the perfect pour. :) I had the opportunity to tag along on a Yelp distillery tour and got a firsthand look (and taste) of OOLA's spirits. Located on Capitol Hill, OOLA is a five-year veteran of Seattle's distillery scene. Kirby and the staff at OOLA were engaging, friendly and really walked us through the entire distilling process. I had never been to a spirits tasting before this tour and walked away inspired and intrigued. We got to try a variety of their bottles, including their staple vodka, gin and whiskey. I'm a (sorta) gin kind-of girl and found OOLA's taste very clean. Would love to try it again in different cocktails! :) It was fun learning about the intricate process behind spirits making - timing is everything! It's also always a treat meeting folks who are pursuing their passion, and it's obvious just how enthusiastic Kirby is about OOLA. If you get the chance, I would definitely recommend coming by for a tour and taste of these local spirits!

    Yayyyy yummy Vodka. Oola's Gin & Whiskey is also a must try :D
    Mimi N.

    If you don't know what a distillery is or wonder about the quality of locally made spirits, I highly recommend checking out Oola Distillery. =] Went here last night with a group of fellow Yelpers for a tour and tasting and it was quite the treat! We had an opportunity to interact with the owner, Kirby, who gave us a very detailed explanation about the distillery and the process that went behind the scenes of making the different spirits. It was quite an eye opener to see how this local business contributes to helping out other local farms and overall, it was an enjoyable experience to learn about the distillery and to try out the different spirits at the tasting portion. VODKA. Oh my, if you are a fan of vodka, I really do recommend trying out Oola's vodka. I definitely enjoyed Oola's vodka, especially the citrus infusion one. The taste of the vodka is quite smooth, clean and crisp. You can really taste the light sweetness in the vodka without it being too overwhelming. Also tried the regular vodka and it was quite refreshing with its crisp taste and a nice aftertaste. Looks like I know where to pick up some yummy vodka the next time I'm in Capital Hill. =]

    Behold!  My YEAST!
    Brian L.

    OOLA LA! This place is amazing! Such a tiny little spot basically in the epicenter of Capitol Hill. It's easy to miss, and you may feel underwhelmed just walking by but you definitely should stop in for a tour.. you'll definitely want to purchase some of their product afterwards. Mad scientist and master distiller Kirby is likely to give you a plethora of information on how OOLA distills and what goes into each of their liquors. Their vodka has such an amazing smooth taste to it, and if you try the citrus it actually tastes of REAL lemon. Really nice subtle hints with their liquors. They pride themselves on minimal waste, and they really are experts on distilling. They even get to experiment once in a while for new diabolical creations! This stuff is way better than some of the big boys that everyone is used to hearing about. Support these local guys as more and more area businesses are stocking their product and definitely rightly so.

    Whiskey flight
    Jennifer G.

    Such an unexpected find while out looking for a place for lunch. Brandon was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic when talking about their spirits. We came back later for a relaxing evening enjoying a great cocktail and sampling of some delicious whiskey. We will definitely come back for more on our next trip to Seattle.

    Zoe A.

    Fun place to do a tour. The owner seems so into it and throws a lot of facts at you, it's a bummer with all the noise around it's hard to hear, maybe he'll get a microphone. Friendly staff, cute location, and interesting flavors. Would go back, it's in a great location!

    Yolanda S.

    We received a special invite along with other patrons of Oola distillery to celebrate their 10th year anniversary. We were wined and dined so to speak with special concoctions made with vodka, gin and whiskey. There were also appetizers to enjoy served by the staff. Live a spirited life is the distilleries motto and we sure did. The bartenders mixed excellent drinks and we were able to mingle with other patrons. There was music playing in the background for our enjoyment. What a wonderful event, we were also able to meet the owner Kirby who is so personable and loves to speak about his craft. Come on by their normal operating hours and discover for yourself what delicious spirits you can buy for your own cocktails.

    Katy H.

    You gotta be kiddin' me! I'm ashamed that I've walked past OOLA and always thought, "I need to go in there for a tour one day" and that it took nearly 5 years for me to finally do it. Not only is this distillery located near a ton of other awesome places (stop in here, then get dinner at Zoe or Skillet Diner), but there's ample parking within a few block radius and it's in walking distance to the core of Capitol Hill's nightlife. There are three things about this distillery that impressed me most: 1) The spirits are really, REALLY good. Like really. Just try them! 2) They recycle, re-use and repurpose almost everything here. Minimum waste! 3) They're local and in 5 short years they've become one of WAs oldest distilleries. 5 years is NOT a long time but thanks to changes in WA state liquor/distilling laws, OOLA is one of the first WA distillers. So there's a lot to be said about that! They're (legal) booze PNW pioneers! So back to how good the spirits are. Like most all living adults, spirits taste good in my mouth. And most of my exposure to liquor has been with huge, multi million (even billion) dollar brands. So to try small batch, locally distilled products means that some things might taste different than what I am familiar with, but where the success in that lies is whether the products taste as good or better. And especially in the case of the white spirits here, the vodka and gin are so crazy good! In fact, you can't go wrong with any product here. Come get gifts for friends and family, take a tour, or look for bottles of OOLA product on bar shelves at local bars. You won't regret it!

    Entrance of the distillery
    Alane G.

    This distillery was great! My cousin booked this place for a tour and a tasting for his birthday. You can bring your own appetizers for your guests and hang out before your tour. I really like how the environment is and the explanation of their making the alcohol. The flavors and variety was yummy. The spicy chili one was cool, I believe it was a whiskey. The other vodka and gin was cool too. The owner was great, he reminded me of Alton Brown from the Food Network and he's hospitable. I would come here again for sure!

    On the left is "The Wonka" and on the right the "Violet Beauregarde"

    Had an AMAZING time here with my husband on our honeymoon. They treated us so well and absolutely exceeded my expectations! My husband did the flight of their products and loved them all whereas I decided to try the unique Willy Wonka themed cocktails. There are no words to describe how good these cocktails were. We had "The Wonka" and the "Violet Beauregarde" and both blew my mind!!! Unfortunately we don't live in Seattle but from now on, anytime we're in the area, this is where we will be. Thank you so much Brandon and everyone else at Oola, you all do AMAZING work!

    1st batch!! Hints of caramel and a sweet note. Goes perfect with a manhattan on the rocks
    Aaron H.

    Waitsburg bourbon is stiff on the lips, pleasant to the nose, mixed with hints of caramel and a slight sweet note to finish. Puts a smile on your face doesn't it. The whiskey is lighter in color when you pour it but don't let that fool you on it's bold flavor profiles. After mixing my first manhattan on the rocks with my new bottle of whiskey I took my first sip and then exhaled with that refreshing noise you hear on commercials.....the "ahhhhhhhh!!!" sound. I was assured that the whiskey would be in stores soon and I even saw the boxes getting prepped for delivery, but why not come to the source to get a bottle and live the experience. I can't wait for my next manhattan, which will probably be tonight. Better go get another bottle.

    Wedding photos taken at Oola Disterillery www.chelseyshawphotography.com
    Chelsey S.

    I had the pleasure of shooting a wedding here and it was absolutely perfect! It is such a quaint wedding venue that really sets off a beautiful ambiance to set the one for a beautiful wedding. The venue has a great indoor rustic feel as a distillery, but also holds charm with the mini garden in the front that is perfect for adding another looks for wedding photos. I loved shooting a wedding here as a photographer and highly recommend it. www.chelseyshawphotography.com

    Makes my mouth water!

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    Didn't try a tasting but bought the gin, citrus vodka and bourbon to take home. Love having small batch local spirits to try

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    Great spot and very friendly owner - highly recommend checking it out if you're looking for high quality local craft spirits

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    Ask the Community - OOLA Distillery

    Review Highlights - OOLA Distillery

    :-) I love gin, and I have to say this is some of the smoothest tasting gin that I have had in a long time.

    Mentioned in 29 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    If you enjoy whiskey or even if you're just whiskey-curious, Copperworks is an experience, not just…read morea tasting room. We stopped in for a visit and Paul took care of us, and I've got to say, he made the whole thing feel like we were getting a private tour from someone who lives and breathes the craft. He was friendly, incredibly knowledgeable, and answered every question we tossed his way without ever making it feel like a lecture. We ordered a couple of flights, and the best part was being able to mix and blend different whiskey styles ourselves. It wasn't just "sip and move on", we actually got to play with flavor, compare notes, and build our own combinations. That alone made the visit memorable, but the whiskey itself sealed the deal. Rich and full of character, every pour had something interesting to say. What we appreciated most was that we never felt rushed. We were given time to explore, talk through the flavors, enjoy the moment, and just be there. It's rare to find a place where the experience feels personal and unrushed, and Copperworks nailed it. If you're in Seattle and want something unique, educational, and delicious, visit here. Sit down, take your time, and let the whiskey do the talking.

    Cute, cozy place to stop for some whiskey or gin flights. They had a handful of cocktails as well,…read moreI had the vodka mule and it was delicious... I just wished it came in the classic copper mug, but it was just as tasty either way. Not many options for those who don't drink hard liquor, so be aware of that and come ready to try some locally distilled drinks.

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    Founded in 2010, Westland Distillery (located in SODO [SOuth of DOwntown], a neighborhood in…read moreSeattle'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.

    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…read morewhiskey 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!

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    Can I start by saying that I am not a whiskey drinker yet I am giving them 5 stars. that says…read moresomething. My friend was staying nearby and brought us here. It was a nice place. We each decided to do a tasting. I had a few that I past on to the husband but there was one that I actually enjoyed. The person was explaining the differences between each and was really trying to find something that I would like. I appreciated that extra step. It was a good experience. Definitely better whiskey than you get at bars. Hmmm, maybe that's why I don't like whiskey? Next time I need to write down the whiskey I like so that I can just order that and not the rest. :) ....... .. ......... .. ....

    OOLA Distillery - distilleries - Updated May 2026

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