Meet Seth O’Malley, the distilling founder of Wilderton.

Wilderton’s range of aperitivos isn’t just bursting with bold botanicals -  they’re crafted to show up for the moments that matter, creating an inclusive drink that makes space for presence and connection. This is one of the main spirits we always recommend our members dive into. They’re flexible to mix with, sophisticated in tasting notes, and always a crowd-pleaser.

We sat down with Seth to get to know him better, chat about good lighting, what celebration means to him, and a whole lot more.

Q: What makes a gathering feel truly special to you - whether it’s around a dinner table, a tasting, or just a cozy night in?

The right people, the right music, great cocktails, great food, low lighting, enough to read a menu by but not too bright, never overhead, pointing down, no a degree above 2700 Kelvin. Those are subjective criteria (lighting excluded) which is why hospitality is an art, and thus impossible to engineer from a list of specifications.

Q: When someone serves Wilderton at home, what kind of experience do you hope they’re creating for their guests?

I want their guests to be like, “Whoa, this is good!” or “Are you sure there’s no alcohol in this?” and if they’re food and drink nerds, they’ll pick up on a lot of botanical flavors. I love to hear what people taste in my products. They’re always Rorschachs.

Q: What does the future of mindful drinking look like to you - and what role do you hope Wilderton plays in shaping it?

For me, it’s acknowledging that everything exists on a spectrum, including our relationships to alcohol. That means that sobriety is an option and so is being in a gray area, drinking less alcohol, drinking intentionally, sometimes not drinking when your friends are. What I’m here to do is make it so when you don’t want alcohol, you can still have a world-class cocktail.

Q: Is there something exciting on the horizon for Wilderton that you’re ready to share with our community?

There is something exciting but I can’t talk about it. :)

Q: What role do drinks - especially non-alc ones - play in helping people connect or feel part of a moment?

Drinks add character to the moment and they make us feel like part of the social fabric of the room. And speaking for myself, having a drink in my hand is like an emotional support accessory that makes it easier for me to connect with strangers. It doesn’t have to have alcohol in it, but water doesn’t work.

Q: How do you nurture a sense of community through your brand - whether that’s online, at events, or behind the scenes?

It’s about being authentically ourselves. I’m pretty disinhibited most of the time, even in professional contexts, because I only get one go on this planet and I’m not gonna waste it being someone else. The same goes for Wilderton, which is an expression of my values and my taste, and which is not a facsimile of anything else out there.

Community emerges only when people feel the freedom to be themselves in the first place. Otherwise we’re just robots on a grid.

Q: What does celebration mean to you now, and how has that definition evolved as you’ve grown Wilderton?

Celebration is a reason to be happy in the company of others. It’s a tough world out there and we all know the reasons not to celebrate, which makes it all the more important, and even subversive, to celebrate the random or mundane. Make up a holiday or celebrate your dog’s half-birthday.

Q: What’s something you’re personally celebrating right now - whether it’s a big milestone or a little everyday joy?

Spring in the pacific northwest is, for me, a season of celebration. From the fragrant cottonwood buds to the mugwort that emerges from sandy soil, to the morels that follow shortly thereafter along the banks of the Columbia River, to the slow-motion parade of flowers in everyone’s yards, this time of year I celebrate the flavors and colors that are springing back to life all around me.

Q: What’s a flavor pairing you love that others might not expect - but totally works?

This is less a pairing and more a category of experience I want more people to have. Last night I made lamb biryani with saffron and rosewater and pandan and lime and maybe 12 different spices. While not “unexpected” where it’s from, it represents a form of decadence we don’t find in the American culinary tradition. It ignores our lines between sweet and savory and has a perfume-like quality that I find intoxicating. The very opposite of Thanksgiving turkey (no shade!).

Q: You find yourself on a magical deserted island with a bar (naturally). The full Wilderton lineup is on the menu. What cocktail are you mixing up as you plan your great escape?

The Caffè Aperitivo: Bittersweet Aperitivo, cold brew, and tonic. I’m gonna need a boost before I start collecting driftwood and whittling harpoons.

Q: Your tasting room is such a unique part of the Wilderton experience. Can you speak more about it? How does the in-person experience complement what’s in the bottle?

Non-alc is new to a lot of people. The tasting room helps bring it to life for folks in a way they might not have the confidence to do if they just encountered our products on the shelf. And they get to see how it’s made! We love showing off our ingredients and processes.

Cheers to Seth for sharing a bit about himself, the community he’s building with Wilderton, and the delicious flavors he’s crafting to make the zero-proof world a more exciting place.