After college, I worked for several years as a photojournalist in Southern Oregon and Northern California. I eventually went back to school for a more advanced degree and majored in Prosthetics & Orthotics from the University of Washington School of Medicine. I worked in the healthcare industry for 10 years and eventually I got laid off with a 2 year and 50 mile non-compete clause.  I didn’t want to leave Seattle, so I used the layoff as a catalyst to start my distillery.

I’d been home distilling for several years before getting laid off and had always wanted to open a distillery. I took the layoff as an opportunity to pursue my dreams. I wrote a business plan, obtained a bank loan and started 3 Howls Distillery. My current role at 3 Howls is that of a jack of all trades.  I developed the branding, recipes, distilling procedures, business strategy, and I manage the supply chain.  My daily activities change day to day. You name the job at 3 Howls and I’m a part of it!

The biggest achievement, by far, is being the first rum distillery in Washington State. It was very important for me to start my business with rum because of the amazing rums I would drink while living with my father in Costa Rica. I wanted to bring that experience to my friends back home.

After I became Washington’s first rum distillery The Seattle Met wrote an article about another distillery being the first in the state. Luckily for me, people complained, and the Seattle Met had to write a retraction stating the article was incorrect and that 3 Howls was Washington State’s first rum distillery. The whole incident cracked me up. The article can be found at this link…
https://www.seattlemet.com/articles/2013/8/13/sun-liquor-has-produced-washington-states-first-rum-august-2013

Around the beginning of high school my mom divorced my dad because he fished too much. Within a week he got on a plane and flew to Costa Rica to be a professional fisherman. It was kind of humorous because it was like a bad country song come true! After this, I’d go down to Costa Rica and live with him during the summers. This is where I discovered and fell in love with rum! I’d hang out in a hammock and sip on rums such as Ron Centenario, Flor de Caña and Pussers Rum. They were so flavorful and diverse! They were nothing like the spirits back home.

The most important thing that will grow the premium rum category is educating the public about rums.

Time and time again I talk to whiskey drinkers who say they don’t like rum because of the experience they had drinking inexpensive rums in college. It’s always fun to watch their eyes light up when they try premium rums and realize that there are some truly amazing rums on the market.

This one is a little harder for me because I don’t drink a lot of Cognac. I have to say I’d recommend Flor de Caña 25 Year because I need to mention Flor de Caña somewhere on this list.

As far as my long-term plan… only the spirits know.  I think the industry is going through a time of rapid and exciting change. I love every minute of it and I’m looking forward to hanging on for the ride!