Westslope Distillery
Short overview of the distillery
Westslope Distillery is located in Hamilton in the Bitterroot Valley and operates as both a small craft distillery and a local tasting room. The distillery works in small batches with ingredients from Montana and offers a place where locals and visitors can sample spirits, buy bottles, and enjoy seasonal cocktails in a relaxed atmosphere.
History
Local, community-oriented producer with a tasting room
Westslope Distillery identifies itself as a local player aiming to capture the Montana experience through spirits produced in small batches. The company runs a tasting room in Hamilton, where they combine bottle sales and tastings with a calendar of events. Will Young is listed as Owner and Head Distiller, and the team's work ties production to a social gathering place, where, among other things, food trucks, cigar nights, comedy, and quiz nights are hosted. The distillery's inspiration is drawn from Montana's mountains, rivers, forests, and fields, which are part of the story of the products.
Raw materials and production
Production is built around small-batch fabrication and a clear prioritization of ingredients from local farms and fields. Westslope produces a broad range of spirit types, from gin and vodka to honey spirits, brandy, and whiskey, and practically works closely with consumers through the tasting room. The technical setup of mash, fermentation, and distillation processes is not specified in the material, but small-batch processes and local sourcing are highlighted elements in the workflow, just as the team's role in both production and guest experience is evident.
Maturation and barrel types
The range includes both fresh, non-age-stated spirits and releases with age stated in the name, for example Aged Cutthroat and Golden Sting Aged. These product names show that the distillery works with aging and releases both immediate and aged variants. No details are provided about exact barrel types or aging times in the available information, but the presence of both 'Aged' and non-aged products points to a mixed approach to maturation.
Whiskies
Westslope offers a mix of clear and aged spirits: gin (Merchants Dry Gin, Bitterroot Gin), vodka (Lost Trail Rye Vodka), honey spirits (Sweet Sting, Golden Sting Aged), brandy (Mending Wall Apple Brandy) and whiskey names such as Timbercruiser Rye Whiskey and Timbercruiser Honey Blend Whiskey. The products are sold primarily directly in the tasting room, where the range is presented together with seasonal cocktails and ongoing events.
| Whisky | Type / Series | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Timbercruiser Rye Whiskey | Rye whiskey | Current; Core range; Tasting room and bottle sales |
| Timbercruiser Honey Blend Whiskey | Honey blend whiskey | Current; Core range; Tasting room and bottle sales |
Visit the distillery
The tasting room is open Tuesday to Saturday from 3 PM to 8 PM and offers tastings, bottle sales, and seasonal craft cocktails. The venue regularly hosts events such as food trucks, cigar nights, comedy hours, and trivia nights. For questions or updates you can call 406-375-5590 or email info@westslopedist.com. Address: 172 South 2nd Street, Hamilton, MT 59840.
The stated opening hours are Tuesday to Saturday 3 PM - 8 PM.
Philosophy and craft
Westslope works with a locally rooted, community-oriented approach. They emphasize small-batch production, the use of Montana-sourced ingredients, and inspiration from the wild landscapes as guiding elements in their production and guest experience. The tasting room plays a central role as both a sales venue and social gathering place.