Thieves Steal $1 Million In Whiskey In Washington State Heist

Westland Whiskey, an award-winning distillery out of Washington state, was the victim of a heist over the summer, with thieves making off with over 12,000 bottles of stock. According to the reports, some of the whiskey that was stolen in the scheme included a limited-edition whiskey that took the brand over a decade to create.

Over the weekend, the Associated Press shared details of the Westland Whiskey heist, which took place on July 31 after a freight truck appeared at the Burlington warehouse for the distillery to make a haul intended for New Jersey. The shipment included a single malt expression, a Watchpost blended selection, and the rare Garryana expression.

The Skagit Valley Sheriff’s Office in Mount Vernon, Wash. is investigating the matter to see if the whiskies will appear on the secondary or black market. Secondary sales of coveted bottles have been in vogue for years as whiskey collectors and aficionados seek out hard-to-find bottles.

Jason Moore, the managing director at the distillery, says that the lost Garryana bottles are irreplaceable, with only 7,500 bottles produced. 3,500 of the Garryana was stolen in the summer heist. However, Westland Whiskey is treating this as a bump in the road while promising to recover from the loss.

“What happens from there is outside of our control, and we get excited about sharing our whiskey and engaging with the supporters we have,” Moore shared in the report. “This is an extremely rare thing, and while it’s a setback, we’re confident that we’re going to get to share this whiskey. We’re proud to make something people enjoy.”

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Photo: Getty