Review: Woodinville Bourbon 9 Years Old

Woodinville Whiskey Co., founded in 2010 by Brett Carlile and Orlin Sorensen just 20 miles from downtown Seattle, has steadily built a reputation for crafting quality American whiskey. In 2024, the distillery unveiled the Woodinville Straight Bourbon 8 Years Old. But by August 2025, Woodinville raised the bar once again with the release of its oldest whiskey to date: Woodinville Straight Bourbon 9 Years Old.

This new expression began as an ambitious experiment to identify the ideal barrel specifications for aging Woodinville’s bourbon. The team sourced eight distinct barrel types from Independent Stave Co., each varying in stave seasoning, char level, and toast, and allowed the bourbon to mature for 4.5 years before conducting detailed comparisons.

The barrels tested included standard kiln-dried staves charred at levels #1 through #4; staves open-air seasoned for 18 months with char #3 and #5; staves open-air seasoned for 24 months with a heavy toast and light char; and thinner staves. While the industry standard for bourbon barrels is kiln-dried with a #3 or #4 char, Woodinville explored less common options, including rarely used char levels #1 and #2, and the more costly, labor-intensive open-air seasoning, which exposes the wood to natural elements like rain, sun, and wind.

After 4.5 years, the bourbons were analyzed via gas chromatography at Independent Stave Co. The heavily toasted, lightly charred barrels made from 24-month open-air seasoned staves stood out, showing significantly higher concentrations of flavor compounds such as furfural, vanillin, and phenols like guaiacol and 4-methyl guaiacol. Despite these promising results, Sorensen and Carlile noted a slight graininess in the whiskey attributed to the light char level, prompting them to continue aging the barrels beyond nine years.

What sets Woodinville Straight Bourbon 9 Years Old apart is not just its impressive age statement but also its unique mashbill—comprising 55% corn, 35% rye, and 10% malted barley—differentiating it from the distillery’s flagship bourbon.

Drinkhacker reviewed the Woodinville Straight Bourbon 8 Years Old in January 2025. Now, with an additional year of maturation, how does this new release hold up? Let’s find out.

Woodinville Bourbon 9 Years Old Review

The nose opens with smoked paprika and ripe pomegranate, immediately drawing attention. After the initial intensity, almond cookies and chai tea develop, broadening the aroma. With an additional year in the barrel, the spiciness remains strong, while the red fruit notes become more distinct.

On the palate, the bourbon begins with gingerbread and stewed apples before shifting to milk chocolate and maple syrup. While apple and ginger flavors persist from the slightly younger version, the longer maturation allows sweeter tones to come forward more noticeably.

The finish carries prunes and dark chocolate, ending with French vanilla coffee and a eucalyptus note also found in the 8 year old expression. The extra year of aging enhances this bourbon’s character. Woodinville Straight Bourbon 9 Years Old is a clear improvement, with the added sweetness balancing the spice for a more complete experience.

100 proof.

A- / $130

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