Time for another bonus sample from the SDT. This time we are dealing with a growing category of whiskey, American single malts. Westland is based in Washington state and this particular bottle was hand selected and hand bottled by fellow tour member @PBMichiganWolverine during a tour of the distillery. Bottle #167 from cask #4856 is bottled at 53% ABV and is non chill filtered and natural color of a dark red/brown mahogany. This 5 year old was finished for an unknown length of time in a moscatel sherry cask. From the distillery website: Cask #4856 is one of four Moscatel casks filled from a vatting of six 5-Malt New American Oak casks. The pre-finish vatting trended towards bitter, but maintained a spicy and floral quality. These characteristics left room for sweet and floral notes of the finishing Moscatel cask to balance and compliment within an overall rich profile. A full, rich and powerful nose. The sherry finish is strong, sweet and again, very rich. Spicy oak, brown sugar/molasses, maple, caramel and a not so far away mint. Strong notes of vanilla, toffee and buttered toast. A bit of a dill note. Fruity, raisins, dates, caramel apples and a bit of a bubblegum note. Mocha, chocolate, pecans, faint ginger and spiced fruitcake. Water enhances the sherry, mocha and maple notes. Some definite heat on the palate, but enjoyable. Very rich and full. Strong oak and a deep, dark sherry, like first fill Oloroso. Maple, candied bacon, caramel, butterscotch and vanilla. Spiced fruitcake, chocolate, cinnamon, clove and ginger. Medium to full bodied mouthfeel, oily and mouth coating. A long finish. Heat, sweet, rich. Sherry, oak, fruitcake. What a pleasant surprise to taste an American sherry bomb. It’s like a GlenDronach/Elijah Craig blend. A lot of flavor and power behind the 53%. Water helps a little but is not needed. I don’t know what this goes for as the bottle in question was free from the distillery, but if it’s under $60 I would say grab it no questions asked. $60-100, maybe, if you like sherry bombs and want something a little different. Over $100, hard to justify. Easily a 4.25. Cheers