OOLA was founded in 2010 by owner and master distiller Kirby Kallas-Lewis in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. They remain small but have won several awards for their various gins and vodkas. They also produce whiskey and their Whiskey Discourse series is designed to combine different whiskies to see how they interact under different influences. Other entries experiment with smoke and cask finishes. OOLA Three Shores is included in our All-Canada World Whisky Day by reason that it is made up of one part OOLA Waitsburg Bourbon, one part unknown scotch from the Highland region, and one part Canadian rye. So part of it’s still Canadian! They are sourced separately but aged together for at least a year in American Oak.
Whisky Wisdom: Interview with Kirby Kallas-Lewis, Part 2
If you missed it, be sure to check out Part 1 of our visit to OOLA Distillery in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle and our interview with master distiller and owner Kirby Kallas-Lewis. Situated down the street from a Pony and not that far from a Unicorn, with some Chop Suey (and hot dog stand!) in the back, OOLA distillery is housed in a short building of brown stone sandwiched between two high rises. It seems unassuming, until you step through the doors. The inside is small, smaller than you think a working distillery might have any right to be.
Whisky Wisdom: Interview with Kirby Kallas-Lewis, Part 1
Whisky Wisdom continues the exploration of interesting people in the whisky world. This entry was born from a sojourn to Seattle and a targeted visit to OOLA Distillery. While the main focus is the interview, we will also intersperse our own observations throughout.
Interview with Kirby Kallas-Lewis, owner of OOLA Distillery.
Seattle, WA. March 20, 2017.