When they left Missouri in 1804, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark didn’t exactly pack light. In addition to 35 oars, 25 hatchets, 420 pounds of lead, 45 flannel shirts, 288 brass thimbles, and 50 dozen of something called “Dr. Rush’s patented ‘Rush’s Thunderclapper’ pills,” they also packed more than 90 gallons of whiskey. Each gallon cost about $1.28.

While the price of whiskey has gone up since then, its association with the Wild West hasn’t waned a bit. What can I say – there must be something about Oregon that drives people to drink. Now Trail’s End, a new…