History

3 Howls Distillery was founded in 2013 and is located in Battle Ground, Washington. The company describes itself as dedicated to handcrafted spirits from exceptional ingredients, strict quality control, and fearless creativity as the cornerstones of the art of distillation. They follow historically proven methods and challenge the boundaries of sensory experience in everything they do. The ingredients are sourced from the Pacific Northwest as well as around the world, including Madagascar vanilla, Ceylon cinnamon, Tasmanian mountain pepper, and saffron, underscoring a broad and ambitious approach to flavor and quality.

Production/Manufacturing

The distillery produces spirits in a craft manner and uses large and advanced facilities. Their most notable still is Cu-Sìth, a 1,300-gallon (approximately 4.9 kiloliters) 3-chamber still, which they describe as one of the few operational 3-chamber stills in the world. Cu-Sìth is used for large malt-forward spirits as well as 100% molasses-based rums, which are distilled and blended. They also have La Lupa, a Carl-pot still equipped with a gin basket and a 26-plate column, primarily used for products like gin and specialty vodka, and for limited-release 12-year-old sweet, mellow bourbon. Their bourbon is a blend of pot- and column-distillation and aged in new American oak barrels for 4–12 years. JINN GIN is described as a three-stage infusion, producing a dry and complex gin.

Products / Whisky Series

• Remedy Herbal Liqueur: an herbal liqueur with notes of clove and star anise, tempered by earthy warmth from gentian and bitter orange peel.
• Navy Strength Gin: a robust gin with a concise botanical complexity and a slight salty note from Oregon dulse seaweed, along with sarsaparilla, Madagascar vanilla, Tasmanian long pepper, and citrus.
• Backbeat Bourbon: an award-winning bourbon that reflects rhythm and a balance between power and smoothness, aged in new American oak barrels.
• JINN GIN: a gin with a distinctive dryness and a three-stage infusion that combines aging and modern innovation.
• Spiced Rum: rum made from 100% molasses, pot-distilled and with spices that give a warm and complex flavor profile.
• Bananas Foster Vodka: vodka with notes of caramelized bananas and warm spices.
• Blood Orange Vodka: vodka distilled with fully ripe blood oranges and added flowers and honey for a fruity, sparkling profile.
• Special releases: hand-numbered limited bottles, released quarterly and available to Wolf Den Members and the public on a first-come, first-served basis.

In addition, seasonal Danish rum favorites and other rum varieties (Gold Rum, Madeira Rum, Gilded Rum) as well as other spirit types are mentioned as part of their range.

Visits / Experiences

• Special releases are issued quarterly and are available to Wolf Den Members as well as the public on a first-come, first-served basis.
• The distillery highlights two notable stills: Cu-Sìth and La Lupa, with Cu-Sìth regarded as a 3-chamber unit for malt-forward spirits and rum, and La Lupa as the Carl-pot still for gins and specialty vodkas.
• The founders and key people include Brandon Rush (with a background in music, sailing, and farming) and Wes Rhoe (Head Distiller), whose training and experience contribute to the craft-focused approach and quality control.

Philosophy

3 Howls emphasizes exceptional ingredients, strict quality control, and fearless creativity as the cornerstones of the art of distillation. They blend historically established methods with a boundary-pushing approach to sensory experience in all they make. Their approach to ingredients includes not only local sources in the Pacific Northwest but also global and highly aromatic ingredients such as Madagascar vanilla, saffron, and exotic spices, to achieve high quality and complexity in their spirits.