Bad Dog Distillery sits in an industrial space in Arlington, Washington, about an hour north of Seattle. Founded by husband-and-wife team Mike and Tammy Sherrill, this small operation opened its doors in 2013 after Mike’s retirement from a career in aerospace engineering. The Sherrills converted a warehouse space into their production facility and tasting room, where they focus on crafting vodka, gin, and flavored spirits using locally sourced ingredients when possible. What started as Mike’s hobby during his engineering days turned into a full-scale distillery when friends kept asking for bottles of his homemade spirits. The transition from aerospace to distilling wasn’t exactly planned. Mike had been experimenting with distillation for years, perfecting recipes in his garage while working his day job. Tammy handled the business side, and together they decided to take the leap into commercial production. They named it Bad Dog after their mischievous rescue dog who supervised the early distilling experiments. The couple handles most operations themselves, from mashing and distilling to bottling and running tastings, keeping things intimate and personal. Visitors find a no-frills operation where you’re likely to meet Mike or Tammy directly. The tasting room feels more like visiting someone’s well-appointed garage workshop than a polished tourist destination, which fits the unpretentious vibe they’ve cultivated. You’ll taste their spirits neat and in cocktails while learning about their process and the stories behind each recipe. It’s the kind of place where conversations flow as freely as the samples, and you leave feeling like you’ve made new friends rather than just visited another distillery.