Rum Cask Finish: Why We Went to Barbados for Our Next Cask Exploration

At Westland, every cask tells a story. The pores of the wood hold space for the whiskey to breathe in and out of the staves. The wood and oak variety itself holds compounds that impact flavor. Beyond the wood, the climate and the history of the cask can also leave an imprint on the whiskey inside. When we set out to create our latest release, we wanted to expand what we’ve done before. Our wine and beer casks hold a dear place in our forever lineup, but we wanted to bring in something entirely different. Thus began our search for a place, a tradition, and a flavor that could bring something entirely new to our whiskey.

That search led us to Barbados. Known for its vibrant culture, lush landscapes, and generations of rum-making expertise, Barbados offered the perfect foundation for our next cask finish. We traveled there in pursuit of barrels that had spent years aging rum in a tropical climate; a place where warmth, humidity, and time work together to create rich, complex flavors. The casks started their path of aging spirits at the Mount Gay Distillery. Once emptied, they traveled all the way to Seattle and were filled with our whiskey. So the mingling commenced: these rum casks became a bridge between two traditions, the grain-forward character of Westland and the tropical influence of Barbados rum.

The result is a whiskey layered with unexpected depth, notes shaped by the sweetness of rum, the richness of the cask, and the distinctive character of our American single malt. The flavor speaks volumes but the unsung hero is the multinational relationship between our distillery and our friends at Mount Gay. Great whiskey is about connection; to the people who make it, the places that inspire it, and the moments shared around a glass.

Our Rum Cask Finish is a celebration of that spirit, a journey from Seattle to Barbados and back again, captured in every sip. Rum Cask Finish is now available as a Washington Exclusive.