jonwilkinson7309
Westland Garryana 2018 Edition 3.1
American Single Malt — Washington, USA
Reviewed
October 1, 2019 (edited July 16, 2022)
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.
Delilah's
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@jonwilkinson7309 nice! I’ll write this eve
@PBMichiganWolverine Totally agree - it makes Balcones look like a bargain! And shoot me an email at my Distiller user name @gmail. I was able to get my hands on the Fifty Stone much more quickly than expected!
@Scott_E their Peat Week is much better. Still pricey though
@jonwilkinson7309 Delilahs sounds right up my alley. Agree with your review. Like you, maybe it is the oak, that I just couldn’t connect. Also agree with @PBMichiganWolverine, too much for too little at $150.
This in my opinion is way overpriced than its worth. At about $150, it’s too pricey
That sounds like an awesome but very dangerous (to to the wallet) place!
@geologyjane It was a great experience, and I had a couple of whiskeys that I loved (reviews coming soon). There's nothing like it in my neck of the woods (greater Boston area), but happily I'm able to travel a fair amount.
@jonwilkinson7309 - Delilah’s sounds like heaven. There’s a whisky bar nearby me that boasts over 300 to pick from but that doesn’t come close to the offerings you had to select between. Sounds like a great stop (the only downside being that the Garryana didn’t impress more).