Heritage-branded tasting room to be the first-ever in a tribally-owned casino in the Pacific Northwest
GIG HARBOR, WA, October 10, 2024 – Heritage Distilling Company, Inc. ("HDC" or "Heritage" or "The Company,") a leading craft distiller of innovative premium brands, announced the impending grand opening of a Heritage Distilling tasting room in partnership with the Stillaguamish Tribe at Angel of the Winds Casino Resort in Arlington, Washington, on October 25th, 2024. This event marks a historic milestone as the first-ever tasting room within a tribally-owned casino in the Pacific Northwest, allowing tourists, patrons and locals the opportunity to enjoy Heritage Distilling's award-winning spirits in the tasting room and on property. The grand opening features a limited edition blend of two 10-year-old bourbons in celebration of Angel of Winds’ 20th anniversary. The release of these 700 bottles will be exclusively available at the Tribe’s location for the grand opening.
The new tasting room will deliver a curated selection of Heritage’s renowned whiskeys, vodkas, gins, and rums, mixologist-guided tastings, and specialty cocktails crafted with locally sourced ingredients. The space also features Heritage Distilling's exclusive Cask Club membership program, allowing members to create personalized spirits and enjoy special benefits within easy access for the casino’s patrons and guests. In addition to the exceptional spirits, a seasonal menu of light bites to more substantial fare will complement the experience, initially set around an Italian themed food menu.
Stillaguamish Tribal Chairman Eric White said, "This venture reflects our commitment to providing unique local experiences and allows us to share our passion for quality spirits with the wider community. Our partnership with Heritage Distilling Company on the new tasting room at Angel of the Winds Casino Resort is a collaboration that brings together our unique flavors and rich traditions with some of the finest distillers in the country. We look forward to welcoming locals and visitors to experience the exceptional craftsmanship and unforgettable tastes that define this new partnership. Together, we celebrate this new chapter and the opportunities it brings for our Tribe and our community."
Cofounded by Justin and Jennifer Stiefel in 2011, Heritage is the most-awarded craft distillery in North America by the American Distilling Institute for ten years and is recognized for its innovative brand family. Beyond their mastery of distilling, the Stiefels saw both an injustice done to Native American Indigenous communities and a mutually beneficial economic opportunity to create national distribution for Heritage’s portfolio of craft spirits. Together, they established the Tribal Beverage Network (TBN), a first-of-its-kind partnership with Native American Tribes to develop Heritage-branded distilleries, brands, and tasting rooms to serve patrons of tribal casinos and entertainment venues. TBN members can benefit not only from sales margins and tax capture, they can also generate funds to support social and economic initiatives, increase employment and diversified skills, and create brands that celebrate the unique characteristics of a tribe or region.
“The partnership between the Stillaguamish Tribe and Heritage provides a unique opportunity to share our passion for crafting exceptional spirits with a broader audience while creating a vibrant destination within the Angel of the Winds Casino,” said Justin Stiefel, CEO and Co-Founder of Heritage Distilling Company. “Spirits production and sales represent the next major avenue for financial growth among tribes. With tribes already operating more than 500 casinos, entertainment and retail venues across the United States selling adult beverages, distilling is the logical next step in development. For more than 180 years, antiquated legislation excluded tribes from the spirits industry. Now, the Stillaguamish are primed to seize this opportunity.”
For more information on Heritage Distilling Company and the Tribal Beverage Network, visit heritagedistilling.com.
About Heritage Distilling Company, Inc.
Heritage Distilling Company, Inc.®, founded in 2011 by Justin and Jennifer Stiefel, and U.S. Army Veterans Drew and Sara Kellerman, is among the premier independent craft distilleries in the United States offering a variety of whiskeys, vodkas, gins, and rums produced mainly from local, sustainably sourced ingredients. Heritage has been the most awarded craft distillery in North America by the American Distilling Institute for ten years in a row out of nearly 3,000 craft distilleries. To accelerate its national wholesale distribution growth strategy, Heritage founded the Tribal Beverage Network (TBN) to collaborate with Native American tribes and develop Heritage-branded distilleries, brands, and tasting rooms and to develop brands unique to the tribes, to serve patrons of tribal casinos and entertainment venues, creating compelling social and economic benefits for participating tribal communities while allowing the tribes another channel through which to exercise tribal sovereignty. Heritage operates two production distilleries and seven tasting rooms across Washington and Oregon, including: Heritage tasting rooms in Gig Harbor, Tumwater, and Roslyn, Washington, and two tasting rooms in Eugene, Oregon on Madison Street and 5th Street; Thinking Tree Spirits in Eugene; and a Heritage tasting room at Angel of the Winds Casino in Arlington, Washington.
About Angel of the Winds Casino Resort
Angel of the Winds Casino Resort, owned and operated by the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians, is a premier gaming and entertainment destination in Arlington, Washington. Offering a wide range of gaming options, luxurious accommodations, diverse dining experiences, and world-class entertainment, Angel of the Winds Casino Resort is committed to providing an unparalleled guest experience while honoring the rich traditions of the Stillaguamish Tribe.
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