The Top Rated American Single Malts

This single malt whisky is made with both un-smoked and smoked malted barley (with cherry wood as the wood source). It is a seasonal release with a small production (for the moment anyway). All grains are sourced within 100 miles of Evanston, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, where the distillery is located. Though not required of a single malt made in the US, this is produced from 100% malted barley.

Balcones is known for its maverick whisky approach - playing with mash bills and wood finishes, using techniques unheard of 'til now. Balcones Single Malt is a Texas version of Scotch single malt whisky, made with unpeated 100% malted barley. That's nothing new. What distinguishes it from others is the aging process - combining small batches of the whisky aged in different sized barrels before blending them together to finish maturation in one big barrel. It's also non chill-filtered.

The Master Collection is Woodford Reserve's limited edition "experimental" series that often plays with different mashbills and/or cask finishes. In this case, they decided to take a cue from Scotland and produce a 100% malted barley. Like much Scotch, this one is aged in used bourbon barrels.

The Master Collection is Woodford Reserve's limited edition "experimental" series that often plays with different mashbills and/or cask finishes. In this case, they decided to take a cue from Scotland and produce a 100% malted barley. The Straight Malt in this series is aged in new charred oak barrels. So, to sum up, American Whiskey, made like Scotch, aged like bourbon.

Based in Tennessee, Corsair is constantly experimenting with alternative techniques and flavor profiles, but with well thought out approaches. In this case, they use three individually smoked malts as follows: cherrywood from Wisconsin, Beechwood from Germany, and peat from Scotland. Aged in 15 and 30 gallon new American oak barrels for an unspecified amount of time.

Westland American Oak American Single Malt is distilled in Seattle using 100% malted barley. The malted barley, 90% sourced from Washington State, is comprised of 5 different types: Munich malt, extra special malt, brown malt, pale chocolate malt, and Washington Select pale malt. Additionally, a strain of Belgian brewer's yeast is used. This matured a minimum of 36 months in Cooper's Select new American oak, Cooper's Reserve new American oak, and first-fill ex-bourbon barrels. Note: As of spring 2021, this along with the Sherry Oak and Peated Oak expressions are discontinued.

Van Brunt Stillhouse, located in Red Hook, Brooklyn, is named for Cornelius Van Brunt, one of the founding fathers of the neighborhood. The distillery harkens to the days before the Prohibition, when distilleries dotted the Brooklyn waterfront. Made in deference to its Scottish cousin, with 100% malted barley. Aged in new barrels to keep the flavors bright. Sold in 375 ml only.

100% malted barley and aged in charred new American oak barrels for at least 3 years. A portion of the barley is heavily roasted and fermented at a slow pace of up to 10 days. Bottled at 90 Proof. A Zeppelin Bend is actually a general purpose bend knot used to secure airships like Zeppelins and is not referring to one of the greatest rock bands ever.

The brainchild of Jess Graber and George Stranahan after a barn fire on Stranahan's property this 4 barley whiskey was the first to be micro-distilled in Colorado. Jess still works with the brand and George has since moved his Flying Dog Brewery to Maryland. This American Single Malt is made from 100% barley, which for this category is not yet required. Note: This has since been updated and repackaged as Stranahan's Original.

Distilled in the Hudson Valley at Tuthilltown Spirits, this whiskey is made from 100% malted barley. It is aged for less than four years in small new, charred American oak barrels. Bottled at 92 proof. Note: This has been discontinued.