Westward American Single Malt Whiskey: Single Barrel

Very unique! Brownie batter, red wine, brown sugar and cinnamon on the nose. Taste brings more of the Pinot Noir, some wonderful light smoke and sea spray.

Aroma is exciting and robust with a heavy presence that’s equally malty/dessert sweet and rustic/spicy; Palate blows me away and gets better each sip bringing a heavier, though not as complex, delivery of what the aroma promises; Finish is a long slow fade that’s warm with copper, fruit and some hop-like funk.

Having lived in Portland for a number of years, I had the chance to watch this distillery (House Spirits) grow from a table at our local farmer's market to a large tasting room on the Willamette, and its merger with Diageo. This is a really unique single malt that doesn't always fit my palate, but the quality is steadfast and the profile is distinctly of the PNW, so there will always be a place in both my bar and heart for this. This is the 2019 single barrel from K&L Wines, B-236-11, 65.5% ABV. Impressions @ neck level: The initial aromas betray the Master Distiller's background in craft beer, and it smells strongly of a hoppy, yeast-forward sour ale. This opens up substantially with time; the nose becomes doughy and sweet as aromas of sugar donut and wood polish emerge. On the palate, the yeast and wood dominate, and they're not always in balance as the flavors oscillate sharply between pine sap and beer. The initial profile is fresh but bitter, full of fruit, pinewood, and yeast. It's challenging to parse out, but it seems to present notes of underripe grapefruit, freshly cut pine, hops, brewer's yeast, and malt extract. The finish is long and cooling, and lingers on a slightly bitter herbal note. Overall, there is a resinous and herbal quality to this malt and it reminds me of some of the rum cask expressions that I've tried (namely the 2019 Glen Scotia special release) . If provenance is a thing, this is very much the PNW in a bottle.

Westward American Single Malt Barrel #B-236-11 / 65.5% ABV Nose - (w/o water) Dark caramel, light oaky toffee, malted milk, hint of dark chocolate, light cherry syrup (w/ water) Brighter nose, more green/young oak vibe, caramel & toffee, minty cherry dark chocolate Taste - (w/o water) Intense brown sugar syrup, bit hot & drying, rich caramel, light herbal/minty vibe, fresh peppercorns (w/ water) Drying oaky heat, sweet lightly "green" oak brown simple, fruity/oaky peppercorn heat, lightly fruity funk but in a pleasant way Finish - (w/o water) Heat fades fairly quickly, lingering sweet brown simple, light herbal/medicinal sweet (w/ water) Light herbal/medicinal sweet, not unpleasant, but very unique & very long lasting Score - 87/100 Final Thoughts - This was surprisingly drinkable without water even with the high proof and I think I actually preferred it without the water. I think it had more of the intense caramel sweet heat without and water just brought out this medicinal funk that although not unpleasant, not my favorite. For an American single malt, this tastes & noses very similar to a bourbon but with a single malt mouthfeel. Overall this is quite good, not something I'd regularly reach for, but for an American single malt, it's quite tasty. Would I drink it if offered? - Yes Would I specifically order it? - Maybe Would I buy a bottle? - Maybe