Drink of the Week: Westward x Ken’s Artisan Sourdough Whiskey

One of my defining characteristics might actually be how fiercely I argue that Ken’s Artisan Pizza makes the best Italian-inspired pie in Portland. And apparently Westward Whiskey agrees. For a new limited release, the Portland-based distillery teamed up with neighbor and baking virtuoso Ken Forkish to make Westward x Ken’s Artisan Sourdough Whiskey. It’s made using Pacific Northwest two-row malted barley and Forkish’s sourdough levain, the starter used to cultivate wild, local yeast prior to making bread dough—but who are we kidding you probably already learned that back in March.  

Westward head distiller Miles Munroe propagated the starter with 30 gallons of whiskey wash for a week then fermented the product in-house for 13 days, which Westward describes as “by far the longest and most challenging ferment we’ve achieved to date.” Next, the whiskey was double pot-distilled prior to resting in new American oak barrels for just over three years. While I’m not ordinarily a whiskey drinker (or a person prone to the idea of harboring sourdough starters), I love an unexpected collab, and this one marries two signature Portland products to delicious effect. The 90-proof whiskey is bright and leans tropical on the nose, with notes of pineapple and warming spice, while the taste is fruit-forward, with plenty of peach and complementary malt accents. Another bonus: Through the month, $10 of every bottle sale in Oregon will be donated to the American Red Cross for wildfire relief. $89.99, westwardwhiskey.com