Historie

Deception Distilling is a family-owned distillery located in an area that was previously used by moonshiners during Prohibition in Anacortes. Founded in 2013 by Harold and Ronelle Christenson. Ronelle has always been interested in spirits, possibly inherited from relatives who worked as bootleggers during Prohibition. After an intensive distilling course, they built on their existing business, Creative Surfaces, and ordered a distillery. The 500-liter, custom-made Arnold Holstein still arrived from Germany in parts, and the couple began assembling the copper equipment. According to Amanda Van Deuren, the distillery's sales representative, the project was like following Ikea instructions.

In the past five years they have refined their distillation process. They use locally grown grain and some of the purest water they can find. The spirits are filtered through activated charcoal made from coconut shells. The result is a smooth, five-times-distilled vodka, a gin made with lavender and wild oranges, and Apples Pie Moonshine, which has gained great popularity. During a tasting visit, one apparently smells aging bourbon in barrels, as a forthcoming addition to the lineup.

Deception Distilling distributes across Skagit and San Juan counties, and they are known for their gin at Wheelhouse in Anacortes and their vodka at Secret Cove in Anacortes. It is the clear bottle and the mirrored label that make the brand easily recognizable.