Spirit of the Trail #1: Chuckanut 50K and Westland American Oak

Will Run for Whisky has been in existence for three years now, but I hadn’t yet figured out a way to connect whisky and trail running into my blog posts. In case you’re wondering, I don’t actually run with a hydration pack filled with whisky. I just want to sometimes. 😉

My goal with this blog has always been to share my experiences (both in running and whisky) so that everyone from a newbie trail runner to an experienced whisky enthusiast finds something useful or interesting in a post. I want to encourage exploration out on the trails and in your glass! A few friends have suggested that I pair my favorite trails and whisky, and that idea fermented in my mind for awhile. I fell in love with the idea of distilling both a trail experience and whisky down to their character and sharing it with you. (Horrible puns intended…sorrynotsorry.) What a great opportunity to illustrate how fun and approachable both trails and whisky can be!

Without further ado, welcome to my new ongoing series called Spirit of the Trail! In this series, I will pair a trail experience (hike/run/race) with a whisky. It might be based on the trail itself or a specific situation that occurred on that adventure. The goal to capture the essence of both the trail and whisky, and I hope you enjoy this debut pairing.

The Trail:

For this inaugural post, I had to highlight some local Pacific Northwest favorites that are close to my heart. The Chuckanut 50K (Bellingham, WA) is a classic race that shows off many highlights of the Pacific Northwest. It features fern and moss-filled forests, mountain vistas (umm, if it’s not cloudy that is), and a view of the Puget Sound. I’ve run the race in 2016, 2017, and 2018, and feel like I’ve seen it in every mood and weather condition. It’s a well-balanced course with dynamic challenges – fast flats, both smooth and rough uphills (hello Chinscraper), and a technical ridgeline trail. There’s also a very high likelihood of getting very wet and muddy, and you could absolutely use a dram after that. This race is also very well-supported by the community, and like a good whisky, is best enjoyed in good company.

Fun trail fact: If it’s a clear day, you can see Canada from the Cyrus Gates Overlook (after Chinscraper, and heading back down Cleator Road.)

The Whiskey:

With a focus on featuring the Pacific Northwest, the Westland American Oak (Seattle, WA) is an ideal pairing for Chuckanut. It’s an American single malt whiskey* that also reflects Pacific Northwest terroir perfectly! It has a roasted aroma and sweetness very reminiscent of the delicious coffee and chocolate in the area. Like Chuckanut, this dram is well-balanced. It has dynamic flavors of dark fruits, sweet grains, with some spiciness (like the Ridgeline Trail) to keep you interested. It has a warming finish that’s perfect following a (likely) muddy and rainy day, and will hold you through until the sun returns…in July.

Fun whiskey fact: The coffee and chocolate flavor in Westland’s whiskey is due to their unique mash bill of five different types of malted barley. Some are roasted (and are typically used in dark beers), which lend a dark and rich flavor to their whiskey. It adds a complexity to the whiskey that is unmatched!

Here’s to more adventures out on the trail and in your glass. Sláinte!

*A note on whisk(e)y spelling: You might be wondering why in a single post, I used both spellings. Both “whisky” and “whiskey” are technically correct, but tend to align with spellings in the whisky’s country of origin. Generally Ireland and the United States use “whiskey,” while Scotland, Japan, Canada, and other countries tend to use “whisky.” While geography isn’t a foolproof method, it’s a good guide to figuring out the “correct” spelling. With the goal of respecting each distillery, I will use their spelling for the whisk(e)y under discussion. (Really, though, don’t fret about the spelling.) 🙂