Westland Garryana 2018 Edition 3.1

I rounded out my recent Chicago swing with a trip to Delilah's.  Delilah's is a classic dive bar in Lincoln Park that caters to all types - guys hunched over a beer at the bar, 20-somethings crowded around tables doing shots, and whiskey aficianados taking careful sips between consultations with the bartenders.  All with a soundtrack on late seventies post-punk in the background. The whiskeys, of which there are currently about 800, are Delilah's claim to fame, and includes quite a few rarities, barrel picks and bespoke editions.   The selection process was therefore challenging, but I chose to start with the Westland Garryana.  I had yet to see it in the wild, and jumped at the chance. I found primarily malt and grain on the nose.  The palate had the same, along with a sweet coffee note (distinctly coffee for me and not chocolate), and wood. There's also some spice that's a bit hard to place, along with some dryness, particularly on the finish.  I assume that the spice note and perhaps the dryness is from the Garry oak.  Maybe I'd feel differently if I was more acclimated to Garry oak, but I found it to be a bit sharp, although not harsh. Admittedly, I feel the same way about Mizunara oak. Overall, I liked the Garryana but did not love it.  It's smooth and the coffee note is different and very enjoyable.  On the other hand, it lacked a certain boldness, and I'm not sold on the Garryana wood.  There's some exciting stuff going on in the American single malt market, and in the end, I was hoping for a bit more. 

Really enjoyed the pour of this that I had the other night. More subtle peat than I was expecting (looking at your Ardbeg). A great example of single malts done in the US - keep hitting it out of the park Westland!

can definitely taste the peated malt. sweet, complex, evolving, complex and exciting. worth the price to try it.