Westland Single Malt

Westland

American Single Malt Whiskey
46% ABV
$70

Color:
Golden amber

Smell:
Subtle, with lots of complex layers. My palate is admittedly not the most sophisticated at this stage in my whiskey drinking, but the first thing I thought of was plums. It's delicate and almost savory dessert wine-ish, like a port. I also get a very gentle sweetness and a leather component. All that written, it's very mild and subdued on the nose.

Taste:
Nothing really jumping out in terms of major flavors. There's a general pleasing breadiness at first, as well as that same gentle sweetness hinted at on the nose. Definitely a nice burn in the back of the mouth as I hold it there, looking for flavors. Smooth going down, with an aftertaste that is kind of haunting me...can't place it. Maybe port with plum sauce? Again, very reminiscent of the initial whiff, but not very long-lasting.

Overall:
This is a very intriguing whiskey to me, and I think it's very nice. Whereas big-time bourbons and really peaty scotches punch you in the face with flavors, this is all nuance and subtlety. That said, I think that cuts both ways: if you're paying $70 for a bottle, you're probably looking for some serious flavors. This is absolutely worth trying, and very singular to my palate from anything else I've tried in whiskey. It's probably closest to Irish whiskey in its smooth mellowness, but even there, distinct enough to merit a go. Recommended, but bring your wallet.

What Others Have Said:
Clay Risen at The Mash Notes has a great write-up on a tasting night that involved (among others) Westland:

• "And the result is good. Great, even. Several months ago, when they were just hitting the shelves, someone sent me a bottle of their flagship expression in the mail. I’ll be straight-up honest and say that this is one of the only bottles of “craft” whiskey that I have emptied, on my own, and in relatively short time. It was that good. I’d put it alongside McCarthy’s and St. George for the best American single malt."

Kevin Gray at CocktailEnthusiast rated it 5 stars:

• "On the nose, Westland American Single Malt Whiskey is full of fruit and grain. Cherries, sweet malts, mild vanilla and a touch of almonds. Take a sip, and the rich whiskey grips your palate. Initial flavors include a pronounced chocolate note, plus some coffee, oaky caramel and more cherry. It’s very warm and spicy, but not overly alcoholic. On the finish, things moved toward fruit (orange, mostly) and cardamom, and somewhere below the surface lurked a hint of sweet tobacco leaves."

JewMalt reviews not only this bottling but also a limited edition and their first peated offering:

• "It’s a new style to the category of American Single Malt.  This is one for the Scotch lovers of the world who want something unique and wish to dabble in American hooch. This is one for American Whiskey lovers that wish to dabble in spirits closer to the Scotch category.  Really well done and, dare I say, an every day drinker!"

Compass Box Flaming Heart 2015

Compass Box
Flaming Heart Limited Edition 2015
Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
48.9% ABV (97.8 proof)
~$130 (sample provided)

Color: pale golden yellow

Smell: very balanced and approachable. There's noticeable peat smoke, sweet maltiness, toasted oak, and a slight underlying fruitiness in the date/fig/raisin vein.

Taste: rich sweetness at first...mouth-coating, chewy raisin sweetness. The oak and vanilla come through on the midpalate, along with a kiss of smoke. The medium-long finish is a bit woodier and more bourbon-like, with a pleasing combination of peat smoke and oak.

Overall: I like it a lot, very solid "B+/A-" for me. Really good depth and balance of flavors: peat smoke, oak, and raisin/fig fruit integrate beautifully here. Clearly a lot of thought went into the component whiskies, especially with regard to the mix of sherry, ex-bourbon, and French oak casks. It's exclusive and expensive, but excellent. Recommended, although I slightly preferred its funkier "This is not a luxury whisky" cousin (basically, the flip-flop of Drinkhacker's take).

Glen Keith 19 year

The Exclusive Malts 2015
Glen Keith 1996 19 yr
Single Cask Single Malt Whisky
50.1% ABV (100.2 proof)
~$155 (sample provided)

Color: light/medium gold

Smell: malty, oaky, and slightly fruity - apples and pears.

Taste: what you'd expect from the sniff. Honeyed malt sweetness on entry, then a bit of toasty oak on the midpalate. It finishes with a crisp red apple sweetness and mouth-warming alcohol heat (not unpleasant).

Overall: I like it - it's a solid "B+" for me. It has a pleasing flavor profile, but everything is relatively straightforward. With 19 years in oak (and a decidedly 19 year old pricetag), the complexity isn't at the level you might hope for. That said, there's nothing in particular to nitpick; it's a really solid whisky.

Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey

Stranahan's
Colorado Whiskey
Batch #145
47% ABV (94 proof)
~$60 (sample provided)

Color: light brown, nectarine tint.

Smell: sweet cereal right off the bat. I'm thinking of French Toast Crunch. There's some alcohol heat, as well as a sawdust element. Also quite floral as it opens up with air. I'm not a huge garden expert, but there's a nice scented flower smell (roses?) that I get alongside the sweet grain topnote.

Taste: soft sweet grain upfront. The sawdusty hotness begins to come in on the midpalate and continues through the medium finish. The finish isn't all about oak, however. There's a really unique wine-like element that I get on the aftertaste, almost like green raisins or an Oloroso sherry.

Overall: it's a distinct whiskey, and it's pretty good. I recommend tasting it. (note that due to its small-batch nature my understanding is that bottles can vary quite a bit). It's refreshing to taste a whiskey that is not easily or familiarly classifiable. Stranahan's uses a barley mashbill like scotch, but then ages its new make in charred oak like bourbon. It defies the traditional whiskey tasting experience as a result. My only real gripe is that it's a little harsh with the wood influence, especially considering the moderate proof point. They indicate on the label that it's aged for a minimum of 2 years, but I can't tell if there's already too much woodiness/char or if things would mellow out and gain complexity if they left it in longer. It would be interesting to taste their new make as well as a Stranahan's that is left in the barrel as an experiment for 4, 6, or more years to see what happens. Not to mention a Stranahan's that is aged in used bourbon barrels to tone down the oak influence and let the grain shine. As for value, $60 is not inexpensive, so in my mind this quickly becomes a uniqueness/micro-distillery play. I'd try it at a bar and then buy a bottle if it appeals to your palate and doesn't break your wallet.

St. George Single Malt Whiskey

St. George
Single Malt Whiskey
Distilled From Barley Malt Mash
Lot No. SM014
43% ABV (86 proof)
~$80 (sample taken from Dad's house!)

Color: really pale gold

Smell: lovely. This is a creamy and balanced malty nose that is very approachable, yet has a lot going on in the background in terms of secondary aromas. Reminds me a lot of Westland's single malt: unpeated yet beautiful. A strong undercurrent of grain sweetness, but then it's off to the races with plums, raisins, and even a little nuttiness. Also the tiniest kiss of smoke.

Taste: soft and smooth throughout, with lots of the aromas from the nose carrying over to the palate. Malty sweetness upfront, then a tinge of warming heat shows up midpalate along with raisins and cherry smoke. Finish is medium and smooth, with a very creamy aftertaste.

Overall: really good, solid B+ for me. This is head and shoulders above Stranahan's and right in the Westland neighborhood, though I prefer Westland for its complex secondary coffee and cocoa flavors. I hesitate to recommend it at this price, but it's the kind of thing that makes me really interested to continue tasting releases from St. George. A little more aging time would make this very interesting.