At Pit Liquor, we take formulating the right scent seriously. We do our best to pick the most fragrant oils, extract, herbs from the best and most consistent local vendors, if we cannot make it ourselves.
How do we test signature scents?
Each Signature Scent gets tested for an updated formulation each year or whenever we order a new product to test. We take our existing recipe and make 100ml sample bottles 1 drop of oil at a time with each oil, herb or extract vendor. These are our base case recipes. We smell them as a team, take outside input, and occasionally offer them to frequent customers to gauge opinion as a means to rank and improve each scent. We then make this recipe with a little more or a little less of each oil in sequence to see if we have it just right. This usually results in about 15-50 sample bottles of variation to determine the eventual winner. That becomes the new scent and recipe for each signature. If we found adding or subtracting any ingredients then we make the edit after getting new labels.
What about Limited Edition scents?
We do recipe development for Limited Edition scents the same way moonshiners and distillers made compound Gin throughout history. It's a combination of single infusions of each expression with added Pit Liquor. For example in making Roses & Champagne we took each ingredient and created an infusion at a minimum of 5 concentrations and then started to combine individual ingredients to form a horizontal sample. Then we take the best of those and create a vertical sample like with testing for signature scents. The process takes a few days to perfect each limited edition unless its aged in a barrel.
Wait some Limited Edition scents are aged in barrels?
Yes. We do this same test periodically every few months in the barrel to determine the right time to remove the product from the barrel. We have 3 Barrel releases planned for 2026. Each barrel and usage of each barrel produces a slightly different aroma and color. We use each barrel 2 times before swapping them with another producer.
Why is Pit Liquor using barrels again?
When Pit Liquor rests in used oak over time, something magical happens. The spirit interacts with the wood, soaking up rich flavors like vanilla, caramel, spice, and smoke, while also picking up that beautiful amber color we associate with a great Whiskey. The rough edges mellow out and the fragrance deepens into something layered and complex. Our past barrel releases have been Gold Rush, Rhumspringa, Gingham, Whiskey Thin Mint.
Where is Pit Liquor sourcing its used barrels from?
We have sourced our used barrels from Nightside Distilling in Edgewood, WA, Acorn Brewing in Edgewood, WA, Blackfish Distilling in Auburn, WA, and Bad Dog Distilling in Arlington, WA. We are always on the lookout for a new an interesting barrel such as a used locally made garryana oak barrel.
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