Welcome back! Spring has arrived in the Pacific Northwest, and it’s a perfect time to venture out and explore some new trail and whisky pairings! Here’s a brief refresher on my Spirit of the Trail series: I pair a trail experience (hike/run/race) with a whisky. It’s all about distilling an experience and whisky and sharing…
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2020 in Review (haha), 2021 in Preview
Read moreI almost didn’t write this post because… do we really want to review the dumpster fire of 2020?? But maintaining this small tradition is a tiny sense of normalcy that I needed to start off 2021 right, and there were some good things that happened. As always, let’s start with the numbers! Stats: 1,730 miles…
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Quarantine Cocktail Recipes
Read moreThe pandemic is still rampant, political divides are raging, and wildfires are sweeping the West Coast… I think it’s time for a drink (or two.) Wouldn’t you agree? I love sipping a neat whisky to really enjoy the nuances of flavor. However, I also enjoy a well-crafted cocktail that enhances and highlights the qualities of…
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Spirit of the Trail #5: Tolmie Peak Lookout & Compass Box Spice Tree
Read moreIt’s summer, and we all want an escape from the isolation of our homes, so what better time to (safely) explore some trails and whiskies? In my Spirit of the Trail series, I pair a trail experience (hike/run/race) with a whiskey. The pairing may be based on the physical trail itself or a specific situation…
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Spirit of the Trail #4: Javelina Jundred and Whiskey Del Bac Dorado
Read moreLast year I was so focused on training for my races that I temporarily set aside my Spirit of the Trail series. And now it’s back! So grab your trail shoes and an empty glass for number four in this playful series. (If you missed the previous installments, you can check them out here.) If…
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Spirit of the Trail #3: Mountain Lakes 100 & Mackmyra Brukswhisky
Read moreI really enjoyed sharing my first two Spirit of the Trail whisky and trail pairings, and am excited to present the third in the series! As a reminder, this series is about pairing a trail experience (hike/run/race) with a whisky. It might be based on the trail itself or a specific situation that occurred on…
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Westland Distillery’s Peat Week 2019: The Peat Symposium
Read moreThe delicate scent of brown sugar, peach, oak, and a puff of savory smoke tickled my nose as I swirled the whiskey in the rounded glass. It was inviting, and not at all like a rough, peaty brick to the face like other single malts I’ve tasted. This is the sort of peaty whisky I…
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Banff Whisky Experience 2018
Read moreWhisky and mountains? Yes, please. The Banff Whisky Experience gave us the perfect excuse to visit Banff and enjoy amazing landscapes while sipping (and learning about) my favorite beverage. In addition to two nights of tastings, the Banff Whisky Experience offered two days of masterclasses that featured coopering, chocolate pairings, single casks, ryes, bourbons, and…
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Copperworks Single Malt Whiskey Blending Workshop
Read moreAs many of my friends can attest, I am a hardcore whiskey nerd. Not only do I love the “water of life” for it’s delicious flavor, I adore learning about the nuances of its creation: the barley, fermentation, distillation, maturation, and blending. Anytime I find an opportunity to learn something new, like a tasting event…
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Spirit of the Trail #2: Harry’s Ridge Trail & Kilchoman Machir Bay
Read moreI really enjoyed sharing the first Spirit of the Trail whisky and trail pairing, and am thrilled to present the second in the series! As a little refresher, 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…
