Executive Life & Style: A Still Life

The Washington distillery industry can provide many stories about how and why people decided to start up their stills. Colin Campbell, owner of Cadee Distillery, has a story that goes back further than most. He belongs to a clan in Scotland that has been crafting spirits since 1494. Its in his blood, though it might be a little surprising that hes distilling spirits on Whidbey Island.

Campbell and his wife first visited the region he calls it the Isle of Whidbey on vacation about 25 years ago, and they kept going back, making friends and falling for the scenery. Before moving to the states, Campbell enlisted as an aeronautical engineer in the United Kingdoms Royal Air Force and then worked as an aeronautical engineer and tech executive. But his clans legacy was always waiting to pour forth. He just needed to find the perfect spot to make it happen.

The area at sea level between the Cascade and the Olympic mountain ranges provides an ideal humid maritime climate for aging spirits. Campbell started with gin and vodka, which are produced fairly quickly, and has since added whiskey and rye to Cadees lineup.

We are in a barometric trough, which squeezes our barrels and spirits back and forth in a symphony to pull out the most unique flavors from our oak and port-soaked barrels, says Campbell.

Campbell, who opened the distillery in the town of Clinton in 2015, uses 200-year-old recipes from his clan, sourcing the purest ingredients available and carrying that commitment all the way through to the name of his distillery, Cadee, which is the Gaelic word for pure.

He works tirelessly to get the flavors just right. Cadees Intrigue gin, for example, went through 20 rounds of flavor-profile testing before Campbell felt the botanicals were balanced. He has also imported particular port, sherry and rum barrels from all over the world for aging bourbons and ryes.

Campbells good nature and sense of humor are evident to those who visit his distillery. Hes as dedicated to giving visitors a good experience as he is to delivering memorable spirits.

You can also see this humor and dedication in the video of the Cadee story on the distillerys website (cadeedistillery.com) in which Campbell, clad in a kilt and Highland brogues, attempts a yoga pose or two under the gaze of Kevin the goat before rising out of Whidbeys Lone Lake wearing face paint straight out of Braveheart. Hes always telling tales and jokes in his Scottish accent, serving up samples, explaining the crafting and sharing the stories behind the spirit and laughing.

No doubt the 500-year-old Campbell clan would be happy to have Colin Campbell and Cadee carrying on its legacy.

FIVE CADEE SPIRITS TO TRY

1. NO. 4 VODKA, $30
Being distilled four times (hence the name) gives this vodka a crisp palate and a nice initial lightness. It has a bit of vanilla in the flavor, a trace of pepper and spice, and oomph on the back end, balancing out with a persuasive texture that makes it worthy on its own with ice, as well as mixed in vodka cocktails, such as the Cape Codder: Add 2 ounces of No. 4 to a highball glass with ice and top with 4 ounces of cranberry juice and a lime wedge.

2. GIN, $34
Cadees regular gin comes from an 18th-century recipe and is in the dry Scottish style, with a robust juniper nose and profile, augmented by just enough of a hint of citrus and botanicals. It also has a bit of a kick, which allows it to stand up to other ingredients that carry lots of personality in cocktails, such as the Poets Dream (112 oz. gin, 34 oz. dry vermouth, 12 oz. Benedictine, 2 dashes orange bitter, lemon twist; stir until well chilled and strain into a cocktail glass).

3. DECEPTIVUS BOURBON, $49
While Cadees regular bourbon ($38) is worth trying and using in mixed drinks, the Deceptivus takes the sipping experience to another level. Matured in new American oak for a minimum of 12 months to begin with, its then double-barrel finished in imported port barrels. This aging lends a lovely smoothness and a flavor thats a smidge sweet with echoes of ruby port, oak, grains and caramel. Its dandy neat, or with a little water or ice, but it also makes a mean Artists Special (1 oz. bourbon, 1 oz. sweet sherry, 12 oz. grenadine syrup, 12 oz. lemon juice; shake and strain into a cocktail glass).

4. INTRIGUE GIN, $34
With a more botanical forwardness, this gin delivers a market of interesting flavors into a layered mix, including orange, lime, lemon, licorice, coriander, juniper and others. Its not quite as dry as Cadees regular gin, and it makes a swell addition to cocktails that lend themselves to distinctive and round palates, such as the Aviation (112 oz. gin, 14 oz. creme de violette, 34 oz. maraschino liqueur, 12 oz. fresh lemon juice; shake and strain into a cocktail glass).

5. CASCADIA RYE, $49
Much like its bourbon, Cadee has a very approachable regular rye ($38) that you should try, but the Cascadia is not to be missed. In the same manner as the Deceptivus, its aged first in new American oak and then double-barrel finished in former port barrels. The result is rich on the nose and tongue with port, cocoa, cherries, toffee, cocoa, oak and spice. Its very smooth; as Campbell says, it rolls over the tongue like waves to the shore. First, have it neat or with a little water, and then try it in a Manhattan (212 oz. bourbon, 1 oz. sweet vermouth, 2 dashes angostura bitters, 1 maraschino cherry in a short glass with ice).

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CADEE DISTILLERY
8912 State Route 525, Clinton, Whidbey Island
360.969.5565; cadeedistillery.com