Last Chance Distillery’s Wine Spires whiskey has won a top award in regional competition.
‘Wine Spires’ distilled through partnership with Lost River Winery
A collaboration between Last Chance Distilling and Lost River Winery has resulted in a top award in the SIP Magazine Best of Northwest Spirits 14th Annual Competition.
The competition, which is “judged through a rigorous blind-tasting process by a panel of industry professionals,” SIP Magazine said, features entries from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska.
Last Chance Distilling’s Wine Spires Whiskey was selected for the Platinum Award — the highest honor — in the Specialty Whiskey category, ahead of two other Washington whiskeys and one from Idaho. SIP Magazine said that all medalists “showcase the depth, creativity, and quality defining Northwest spirits today.”
The Wine Spires Whiskey is part of the distillery’s Last Chance Cache Series — an idea that was conceived when Last Chance Distilling opened in May 2024, co-owner Brie Smith said, speaking on behalf of the Last Chance Distilling team of herself, Jeremy Idjadi, and Tom Kelley.
“We knew we wanted to have a barrel finishing program,” Smith said. “This would allow us to impart unique flavors on our blended straight whiskey, through different barrels like wine, rum, port, sherry and even potentially tequila. We look to highlight collaborations with different Washington state wineries, starting out as close to home as possible.”
The collaboration with Lost River Winery is the first release of Wine Spires Whiskey and focuses on different finishing in different wine barrels. Smith said, “In January 2025, we blended our Buck Mountain Bourbon and Raven Ridge Rye. We then reached out to Rick Coursey, co-owner of Lost River Winery, to secure a Merlot barrel and pumped our blend of bourbon and rye into that barrel. “Throughout the months we tasted to determine if the flavors of oak and wine imparted the richness, color, complexity and depth we were hoping for, finally bottling it in October 2025.”
Making more
Another batch of Wine Spires Whiskey is in process, currently being finished in a Vin du Lac barrel from Chelan, secured through Chad Honsinger of RYZO in Twisp.
Each bottle of the Cache Series has a serial number on the back of the label, so that consumers can check the Last Chance Distilling website and learn which barrel the bottle was finished in, for how long the whiskey was aged, how many bottles were bottled, and the tasting notes.
Named after the Wine Spires — five moderate five moderate alpine climbs situated between Washington Pass and Silver Star Mountain just northwest of the Methow Valley — the 350 bottles of Wine Spires Whiskey from Cache No. 1 are comprised of a 50/50 blend of rye and bourbon whiskies ranging from three to six years old. The tasting notes include a dark chestnut color; a smooth taste with dried fig and a touch of spice; dark cherry, vanilla, and light hazelnut aromas; and a long spicy finish, with a hint of oak and black currant.
“We look forward to continuing this wine barrel finishing program as well as other types of barrels in the future,” Last Chance Distilling co-owners said.
Visit www.lastchancedistilling.com for more information.
