Inspired by the craft spirit movement in Oregon, Big Bottom Whiskey opened in 2010 as the premier non-distilling producer of whiskeys located in Hillsboro, Oregon.
Why the name Big Bottom?
In September 2006, years before we opened, a good friend of the founder and original owner of Big Bottom Whiskey traveled to Washington, DC, to testify before a Senate subcommittee considering federal protection of 128,000 acres on and around Mt. Hood. He testified specifically for including more than 17,000 acres in areas that had become near and dear to him over the years of hiking and hunting, particularly the area of Big Bottom, a remote wilderness area of the Mt. Hood National Forest known for some of the largest trees in northwest Oregon. Protecting Big Bottom from logging was why they got involved in conservation years earlier.
In March 2009, President Obama signed the 2009 Omnibus Public Lands Management Act, and as a result, Big Bottom is now federally protected wilderness. In honor of this beautiful old-growth forest, Big Bottom Distilling was born. As a company, we make it our mission to continue to support Oregon’s conservation and wildlife efforts.
Why 91 Proof?
91° is Big Bottom’s signature proof on most of our spirits. It’s Big Bottom founder and former owner’s personal acknowledgment of his classmates at The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, Class of 1991, and to his home for four years, Delta Company, aka Delta Frat.
As a member of the long grey line, this tribute is to his classmates in the civilian and military sectors and those who have passed but are not forgotten. We continue this time-honored tradition with respect to our founder and his compatriots.
Company history
In the initial years, the company primarily focused on sourced bottling of bourbons with a focus on specialty finished bourbons, such as the multiple award-winning Port Cask Finished Bourbon. In 2013, Big Bottom released its brother brand, Calhoun Bros. Adventure Spirits. Working under that brand, the first whiskey pouch in the US market and a traditional aged rum were introduced.
Under the leadership of distiller Travis Schoney, the company expanded its operation in 2014, as it began to distill its spirits in addition to aging, blending, finishing, and bottling its sourced whiskeys and aged rum. In 2015, Big Bottom Whiskey officially transitioned to Big Bottom Distilling, as it began to release its line of distilled products that included gins, rums, brandies, and whiskeys.
In 2017, Eastside Distilling purchased the brand to continue creating and promoting products under the Big Bottom name. Six years later, in 2023, the Big Bottom brand and existing product were purchased back by Travis and two business partners (Kevin Munday and Jason O’Donnell), bringing ownership and management under the original distiller and back to the original Hillsboro location.
In 2024, Big Bottom relaunched the refreshed brand with two familiar products: Delta Rye and The 91 Gin. Big Bottom will continue to expand the product lines and expect to bring back their exclusive Warehouse Series – a boutique line of limited production spirits only available through the original and now updated Big Bottom tasting room.
We look forward to welcoming you in!
