Skip Rock Distillers, Snohomish, WA

I’ve had my eye on Snohomish’s Skip Rock Distillers for some months now. After continuing to get to know owner/distiller Ryan Hembree (and the goods he makes), I’m a full-on fan. And a little local pride doesn’t hurt – I was born and raised just 11 miles from the distillery itself.

This morning I had the pleasure of talking shop with Ryan, as we sampled some of his new products in development – and a few proven staples. I didn’t take me long to fall in love with his Nocino, a classic Italian walnut liqueur. Damn. That is some great stuff. Made with walnuts gathered from his own backyard and those of his neighbors. It doesn’t get more “small batch” or “home made” than that. The stuff is amazing, complex – hard to describe. I first tried it some weeks ago at the distillery, and it’s been on my mind ever since. Yesterday, I was very fortunate to request a bottle at just the right time – after a forgotten stash was rediscovered at the distillery. The stuff has been sold out for months. But for just now there’s another case or two. Lucky me.

He also has some barrel-aged apple liqueur and two varieties of pure cane-sugar rum that are worth noting. Each of which deserves a lengthy review by a qualified reviewer. But, like I’ve said before, I’m not a food/drink writer. I’ll leave that to someone else. Suffice it to say that they are fantastic. I’m a big fan of the attention to detail and respect for traditional methods/products happening over at Skip Rock. And all brought to you by one of the nicest guys you’ll meet. I’m honored to be helping bring some of these luxurious products to market looking their best. Look for more updates in the months to come.