Highside Distilling is a small family-owned and operated craft distillery located in the heart of the Pacific Northwest on Bainbridge Island, WA. They produce handmade Gin, Amaro, Fernet, and Single Malt Whiskey using 100% Washington-grown ingredients, with all mashing, fermentation, distillation, and aging done fully on-site.
80 proof (40% ABV) Amaro produced from Highside Gin base, macerated with five bitter herbs and aromatics in a once-used Bourbon barrel for up to 6 weeks, finished with raw Washington-harvested honey. ‘Mele’ means ‘apples’ in Italian, reflecting the apple-based spirit and Helen’s maiden name. Nose: rich smoke, tobacco leaf. Palate: dark coffee, bitter chocolate, rhubarb root. Finish: drying bitterness, candied orange, and light honey sweetness.
70 proof (35% ABV) Aperitivo style amaro, distilled from 100% Washington grown apples and macerated with 6 different traditional and local botanicals for up to six weeks. Named after Helen’s grandmother Rosina Oliveto Mele and inspired by the Italian word ‘rossa’ (red), reflecting the spirit’s beautiful red color from natural cochineal dye. Nose: fresh citrus, hop resin, rose petal. Palate: candied orange, savory baking spice. Finish: lightly sweet, followed by dry and bitter.
100 proof (50% ABV) Release 008 is a big whiskey packed with notes of dark chocolate, candied orange, butterscotch and sweet cherries. A combination of three American oak barrels aging the flagship four malt Scotch Ale recipe (barrels 012, 017, and 025), each new heavily-charred American Oak with air-seasoned staves of 24 and 36 months, aged just over 6 years. High char levels give the boldest finish while drinking remarkably smooth. Mash bill: 100% PNW Malted barley (Pale, Munich, C40, C120). Nose: vanilla, fresh sawn oak, honey. Palate: caramel, toasted barley, slight heat. Finish: dark chocolate, coating mouthfeel.
Seasonal release - a unique expression of Highside Gin barrel rested in American Oak whiskey casks. Batch 01 was a blending of two separate Gins - one rested in an ex-Bourbon cask for over 18 months, and one in a freshly-charred new oak barrel for over 10 months, then married in stainless steel for just under a year. Heavy on vanilla and caramel with an amber hue that appeals to whiskey lovers. Proof/ABV varies.
80 proof (40% ABV) Fernet made from Highside Gin base, macerated with six different herbs and aromatics in a once-used Rye Whiskey barrel for up to 10 weeks, finished with raw Washington mint honey. Named after the mythical Lariosauro of Italy’s Lake Como. Nose: mint leaf, pine, smoke. Palate: peppermint, earthy bitterness. Finish: cooling menthol, and mint honey sweetness.
88 proof (44% ABV) Washington-grown apple cider-based gin, vapor-infused with 10 traditional botanicals including juniper, orange peel, rose petal, bay leaf, cubeb berry, and vanilla. Rated one of Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100 Spirits of 2020 with 94 points. Nose: citrus, vanilla, clove, and freshly sliced apple. Palate: juniper-forward, black pepper, and savory baking spice. Finish: cooked apple and vanilla with rich mouthfeel.
Seasonal release - a unique expression of Highside Gin that has been barrel rested and macerated with fresh, locally foraged ingredients. Batch 01 spent over 15 months in a French Oak barrel (previously Petite Sirah wine) and was macerated with Aronia Berries from Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. Batch 02 was rested in an ex-Tequila barrel and infused with smoked Washington Vans cherries. Batch 03 rested in Petite Sirah barrels and infused with locally foraged blueberries and blackberries. Proof/ABV varies by batch.
100 proof (50% ABV) Unaged Apple Eau de Vie (brandy) distilled to present the house-made base spirit on its own - clean, structured, and intentionally transparent. This is where the Gins and Amari get their start. 100% Washington-grown apples are fermented and distilled with conservative cuts to preserve bright apple crispness and coating mouthfeel. A true expression of the PNW that stands on its own and makes a great base for cocktails where you’d typically reach for vodka or white rum, plus an excellent candidate for home infusions. Nose: crisp green apple. Palate: vanilla, bright fruit, light sweetness. Finish: coating mouthfeel.
64 proof (32% ABV) Traditional Italian walnut liqueur made by infusing green (un-ripened) walnuts in Apple eau-de-vie distilled from local Washington Apples. Green walnuts harvested right here on Bainbridge Island are macerated for just over three months along with warming winter spices. Nearly black in color with toasted nuts and rich molasses on the nose. Palate: full of baking spice, licorice root, raisins, and candied fruit. Finished with demerara sugar, layered sweetness with syrup-like viscosity. Perfect to sip after a meal or in winter cocktails.
76 proof (38% ABV) Collaboration amaro crafted with Baker’s restaurant in Seattle, inspired by traditional alpine styles but leveraging botanicals native to the Pacific Northwest. A ‘Cascadian’ style of amaro encapsulating the PNW in a bottle. Local botanicals hand-picked over a year and infused into house-made apple eau de vie, macerated for over 2 months before finishing with demerara sugar. Nose: evergreen, spruce tip, caramel. Palate: dark cherry, rooty, herbal, umami. Finish: savory baking spice, cherry cola.