Oola Distillery

Got here later on a Saturday afternoon, which I think may be the way to go. The 3p tour can be more full, and while we were then alone, we got 1on1 service and a personal tour. Free samples (4 pours), and we tried their homemade line of vodkas, gin (amazing!), and bourbon.
Had to leave w a purchase of a couple gift flight samplers and will now look for the brand wherever avail/​sold. No lie-​Their Gin might be best around.

I was lucky enough to be able to tour this distillery as part of a Unilocal tour. It blows me away the amount of great distilling that takes place in this area, and makes me very happy to have made the move here a while ago. But less about me, more about Oola.
Kirby the owner and distiller really is my hero. He decided, «Hey — I like booze. What I’d like to do is open up a distillery and make booze specially for my palate!» Seriously, how can you not love that?! And his passion shines through. He truly loves what he does, loves to experiment, and takes great pride in his product. Really, what is there not to love?
The distillery itself is located in the heart of Capitol Hill, but is a modest location. There’s not much to it. A small storefront, and a little warehouse where all the magic happens behind the scenes.
Ok, but what about the booze you’re thinking? Well, we got to try 5 different items. From the top:
Vodka: Ok, I must admit I’m not a vodka fan. A spirit whose goal is flavorless isn’t a spirit for me. However, as was explained, this wasn’t the original goal of vodka, but rather a byproduct of dealing with inconsistent ingredients — it was easier to make a tasteless product. This vodka has character. Tasty!
Lemon vodka: It wasn’t nearly as sweet as I was expecting. I could certainly see playing with this in a cocktail.
Gin: This is some tasty gin! It’s well balanced gin. Not overly junipery, nice citrus notes. And it makes a wonderful martini.
Barrel aged gin: This one, I must admit, didn’t grab me. But I give him full marks for experimenting with aging gin in bourbon barrels.
Bourbon: Dark color. Great mouth feel. Full bodied. This is the way bourbon should taste.
I’d certainly recommend the tour, and definitely picking up a bottle for yourself!

Nice hidden place. Didn’t know there was so many varieties of vodka, gin, and whiskey. Tour was informative. Was surprised to learn how much stuff is recycled and how little garbage is thrown out. Worth checking this place out

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.

Oola (la)!
It’s so funny, sometime the coolest places are right under your nose. How this distillery escaped my radar for so long, I’ll never know.
I had the wonderful opportunity to sample some of their spirits on Thursday. I was thoroughly impressed. The owner Kirby eloquently walked us through the differences between each of his spirits. The gin, vodka and whiskey I tasted there were top notch! Kirby knows his product and process intimately and detailed nuances of the barrel aging in a fun way.
I recommend highly!

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!

Seriously some of the best spirits I have ever had! Who knew there would be a distillery in heart of Capitol Hill!
I got to taste the vodka, citrus vodka, pepper vodka, gin, finished gin, whiskey. The pepper was spicy (like thai chilli pepper) but everything else was so smooth and easy to sip. None of that burn. I hate gin, but I actually like the gin Oola produced straight from the bottle.
If you have a chance go on a tour. Kirby, the master distiller, was super entertaining and gave us a great tour of the brewing processes. Learned so much and have a new fascination for spirits.

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 Unilocalers 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. =]

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 Unilocal 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!

Wow, what a cool place! I didn’t know Oola existed on Capitol Hill until a few days ago, and tonight I had the opportunity to tour the distillery and taste some of their spirits. It’s a neat little space – don’t go in expecting something on the scale of, say, Grey Goose, because this is a craft distillery after all – with a very classy sales room that you walk into from the front door. Right away, you notice that nearly all their products have won awards of some sort. Not a bad start!
The owner, Kirby, gave my group a great explanation of how the distilling process works for vodka, gin, and bourbon (the three spirits that Oola produces in various avatars). I definitely picked up some interesting tidbits for cocktail parties in the future! Of course, the explanation was followed by tastes of these three spirits. The vodka is easily among the best I’ve had, with refreshing notes of vanilla and even coriander. I’m not a gin person by any means, but I can actually see myself drinking this one! The barrel-​aged gin, which is almost like a crossover between gin and whiskey, was a great new type of spirit that I tried. And, as you would expect, the bourbon was totally solid as well.
Most of us in the group left with at least one bottle of Oola’s offerings. Yes, prices are a few dollars higher than what you’d pay for a mass-​produced brand at your neighbourhood liquor store. However, given the fact that Oola’s spirits taste WAY better and that you’re supporting a local business that sources all its grains from other local organic farms (and even gives back to these farms in other ways), I think it’s definitely worth it. The icing on the cake would be if Oola opened a little bar within the facility. I’d be there all the time!

Took the Saturday tour and was able to taste almost all of the kinds of liquor that they sell. They have excellent flavored vodkas (rosemary, pepper, citrus), whiskey and gin! Loved this place, you can tell they really have a passion for this business… can’t wait to see it in more stores/​bars/​restaurants.

Cool space and tasty spirits

FYI they no longer do free sampling /​tasting. According to the woman in the tasting room, they changed their classification recently and only do tastings by appointment (not sure how you make an appt though? Their website doesn’t mention anything about this).
Everything else about them is great. As many have said, their gin is really good.
Their vodka is the best I’ve ever tasted and I don’t really even like vodka.

I’m working my way through their line and happy to do so.
The hub went to Oola shortly after they introduced their Gin. I don’t like Gin… much. But I liked theirs quite a bit. He let me know they were making a Whiskey some months later and I looooove Whiskey. So I kept them in mind.
Went there a few weekends ago. They are no longer providing tastes, but they had a good track record with me. I picked up their Whiskey and a small lemon Vodka (there was also a Rosemary, for next time). Their prices were reasonable, considering they are a small batch operation.
We ripped into the Whiskey when we got home. Nice, warm, smooth, good, strong flavor. Very happy. For me, it’s better if you drop one ice cube in your glass. The Lemon Vodka was good, it’s good straight or mixed.
I’ll be going back for their spicy Vodka in a few months! Sounds amazing!

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.

My favorite micro distillery ever!!! Seriously you have to try their gin and their vodka!!! Make you want to become alcoholic ! ;-)
Noooo !! That would be a crime ! Their liquors must be tasted and enjoyed sip by sip…
The only problem … you will not be able to buy Gin or Vodka at your liquor store ever again after tasting those :-)
So don’t go to Seattle without paying them a visit: it would be a crime !

Have you been to the Oola Distillery complimentary vodka tasting in Seattle’s Capitol Hill? Not me… until now. My homies and I were strolling down the street after brunch at Skillet and ran into the Oola Distillilery. I’ve always been curious of the local premium vodko and I’m not going to turn down complimentary. We were able to sample the regular and rosemary vodka, as well as the gin. Pretty nice, crisp, and the Rosemary had a subtle hint.
So you should drop by Oola for a sampling, hang out, and mini tour. The space is very beautiful with the industrial modern vibe. Another great activity on Capitol Hill.

Plan your visit to Oola during the day or early evening. The mistake my friends and I made the last time we came was that we showed up 15 minutes before closing so naturally the space was packed with peeps getting their last minute free sample drink on.
Basically you walk in and the distiller guy tells you what they’re serving up and then pours you a couple of samples. We went in at around 4pm and it was totally empty. We had the vodka, the gin, a chili vodka and a rosemary vodka.
I’ll tell you what everyone else says is true — their gin is amazing. I’m not a gin drinker by far but I left the place with a bottle under my arm.
I can’t wait until they have bourbon.

Best vodka I’ve ever tasted and I tasted it straight up no ice. Gin is also excellent. Staff was super friendly and enthusiastic and I met the owner at the Century Ballroom 15^th anniversary dinner — really nice guy!
Really hope they do well. You can get their stuff at PoCo Wine Room up on 14^th @ Pine.

Thirty seconds away + best vodka I’ve let through my lips = thank God there’s no bar here… Yet.
Although my favorite gin is still Aviation (love the lavender and citrus), Oola’s is so far my second favorite and, since I love what’s local, will be my house gin for visitors (and me). It carries a bit more of the earthy juniper profile, but still keeps the sip vibrant despite the greater depth of flavor. A little more grown-​up gin, without losing liveliness. Plus, it’s award-​winning: a triple gold medalist in last year’s MicroLiquor Spirit Awards. Distiller Kallas-​Lewis trained as an apprentice through a program run by Spokane’s Dry Fly Distilling, so it’s exciting to see the student learn from and (in this case) even exceed the master.
Moving on, did I mention the vodka? I did… but not the chile-​infused version. I love spice and heat, and sipping a shot that carries both (and not from the alcohol) is a novel experience that will likely become familiar. Those who know me know I love spice in the kitchen, so a creative libation that can echo that will find much success in my kitchen. I look forward to experimenting!
Whiskey (Irish-​style) is coming in the spring, and sometime a pisco-​style brandy from re-​purposed Washington grapes will also appear. As will I, frequently. I know what I’ll be asking for in my cocktails around town…