Ocean’s Daughter Distillery, Aberdeen, Wash., released nine new selections this week bringing its list up to 40 hand-crafted spirits.
Selkie is the distillery’s first single malt whiskey. It is crafted from Washington white winter wheat grown by Stan and Jill Schwartz in Reardan, Washington. Jill is distillery co-founder Kim Roberts’ sister. A Selkie is a Scottish shapeshifter often aligned with mermaid mythology who changes from a seal to a human. The art for this label, along with all the other spirits, was created by Kim Roberts.
Fine Girl is the distillery’s first barrel-aged brandy. Each bottle includes a charm in homage to the song Brandy by Looking Glass. “Brandy wears a braided chain made of finest silver from the North of Spain. A locket that bears the name of the man that Brandy loved.”
Mami Wata is the new wine barrel aged rum. (This name was previously used on blue curacao of which there remains six bottles.) Mami Wata is an African water deity beloved in mermaid mythology.
Melusine is a new Amaretto pumped up to 80 proof. (Undine peach schnapps is also crafted at 80 proof.) Both Melusine and Undine, were mermaids in European lore.
Five of the new spirits are returning flavors with new names. The distillery only produces cream liqueurs in the winter. In the past they were all named Sea Foam. The new versions are Jaioren (coconut), Ben Varry (Irish), Cecaelia (caramel or brown sugar vanilla), Suvannamaccha (banana) and Iara (coffee). Each of the new names is a type of mermaid since a portion of the proceeds from all Ocean’s Daughter Distillery spirits benefit the future International Mermaid Museum under construction at Westport Winery Garden Resort.