westland american single malt

Seattle’s Westland Distillery has only been in operation since 2010. Hard to believe since their Single Malt tastes like it has been perfected over decades. Yet, it was less than a year ago that their flagship whiskey, Westland American Single Malt burst onto the spirits scene. Crafted from a blend of five types of malted barleys, distilled in copper pot stills, aged in deeply charred new American oak barrels and brought down to proof with local Seattle water; Westland has a truly local product that speaks well of the region’s potential to craft world-class spirits.

Westland American Single Malt (92 proof)
Visual: Warm golden brown.
Nose: Spice with lighter notes of vanilla and caramel. Quite complex and intense with a lot of olfactory body.
Taste: Brown bread, sandalwood, cinnamon stick, vanilla bean and a touch of minerality. Rich, deep and intriguing. Well developed and certainly not overdone.
Finish: Medium long with the more subtle sweet tones coming out to take a peek. You’d almost swear there was a touch of salt here as well. Perhaps due to the Scotch style distillation.
Overall: This is a young whiskey that acts a lot older than it is. The higher proof serves it well as it holds more of the terroir within the spirit. Lovely in the glass, this also works quite well in a Sazerac.
GSN Rating: A

For more information go to: Westland

Beam Suntory is planning the launch of a host of new whiskies under its Jim Beam Signature Craft brand. In September, the Signature Craft line will add a “Harvest Bourbon Collection,” including Soft Red Wheat and Brown Rice Bourbons, both at 45% abv and retailing around $50 a 375-ml. bottle. The Harvest Bourbon Collection will continue to be expanded through next year with upcoming Rolled Oat, Triticale, High Rye and Six Row Barley whiskies. The Jim Beam stable is also set to gain a Signature Craft Quarter Cask limited edition in September, which is at 43% abv and retails at $40 a 750-ml.

Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine has unveiled a new trio of 80-proof flavored moonshines. Rolling out this month, the Ole Smoky Lightnin’ Line will launch with higher-proof versions of Ole Smoky’s original 40-proof Strawberry, Lemon Drop and Hunch Punch moonshines—Strawberry Lightnin’, Lemon Drop Lightnin’ and Hunch Punch Lightnin’. All three will be available across 49 states and Canada, priced at around $24.95 a 750-ml.

blah

Nashville, Tennessee’s American Born Moonshine has expanded distribution to California, marking the brand’s first market on the West Coast. The company is eyeing further expansion in the region after successful launches throughout southeastern states. The unaged corn whiskey is available in Original, Apple Pie and Dixie flavors and is made from corn, sugar and water at a suggested retail price of about $24.99 a 750-ml. jar. The Original is 103 proof, while Apple Pie and Dixie, a sweet-tea flavored moonshine, are both 83 proof.

Seattle’s Westland Distillery has partnered with Anchor Distilling to introduce its flagship Westland American single malt whiskey nationwide. Produced using Scotch-style methods, Westland American single malt is made with Pacific Northwest barley and matured in new American oak casks. The 46%-abv entry, which has a production of 1,500 casks annually, is priced at around $79.99 a 750-ml.