Seattle's Westland Distillery serves whiskey with Northwest flair

Seattle's Westland Distillery has long produced some of the region's best whiskey.

• Given how long their spirits have been on my short list of go-to orders, I figured I was overdue for an in-person visit.

The setting: Westland's tasting room in SODO has plenty of space to spread out. But it's just as easy to plop down on one of the center couches and make some new friends as you sip.

Background: Although Rémy Cointreau bought Westland about five years ago, the distillery continues to use Pacific Northwest ingredients in its distilling process, giving Westland's whiskey a distinctly local flair.

The whiskey: I love Westland's classic single malts, especially the ones aged in American oak and sherry wood casks. You can't go wrong with their flagship, either.

• They also have more creative, limited-edition varieties, like the Garryana Edition 6, which has a spiciness that made it my husband's favorite.
• A $12 flight gets you a pour of four whiskeys.

The food: You can buy salami, Beecher's cheese, fruit preserves and other ingredients to build your own charcuterie tray (which I absolutely did).

Bonus: They have cocktail flights, too — but the whiskey is so complex, yet smooth, you may find (like me) that you prefer sipping it by itself.

Address: 2931 First Avenue S.

Of note: Closed Monday and Tuesday; no groups larger than six allowed.