The Top Rated American Single Malts

Wasmund is named for Copper Fox Distillery master distiller Rick Wasmund. Located in Sperryville, Virginia, the barley used for the whisky is malted in house, and dried using cherry wood, apple wood and oak. Apple and cherry wood chips are also added to the whisky itself as it ages. Note: As of January 2019, this product has been updated with a new name and label, Copper Fox Single Malt.

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 Texas 1 Single Malt is produced by Balcones Distilling. It is made from 100% Golden Promise malted barley and undergoes an extended fermentation before double distillation in copper pot stills. The whiskey is aged in Texas in new American oak barrels with custom toast and char profiles, typically in a mix of 240L and 500L casks. Aged at least 4 years, it is bottled at 53% ABV without chill-filtration.

Produced at Corsair Distillery in Tennessee, Triple Smoke is made from three individually smoked malts — cherrywood from Wisconsin, beechwood from Germany, and peat from Scotland — and pot distilled before aging in new American charred oak barrels. Bottled at 80 proof.

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.

McCarthy's Single Malt Whiskey is produced at Clear Creek Distillery outside of Portland, Oregon. Master Distiller Stephen McCarthy, ever the spirits pioneer, wanted to make an American whiskey in the style of Islay Scotch, but give it a local spin. So he sourced peated malted barley from Scotland, distilled it in Oregon, and aged it in Oregon oak.