Tonight we're gonna try something different. In light of standalone tasting notes and a rating, I thought I'd take varying combinations of the bottles in my collection and those of my friends and do an occasional head-to-head series, where I taste and compare two bottles of similar provenance that often get lumped together in the same category (think heavily peated scotches or barrel proof bourbons). Hopefully this helps you, the reader, to decide which bottle is best for you if you are faced with choosing between two equally delicious but different options. Tonight's lineup: Whiskey Del Bac vs. Colkegan Category: American Single Malt Style: Mesquite Smoked Single Malt Age: 2-3 years old Price Point: $50-60 USD Tasting Setting: Neat, Glencairn glass, rested for 5 minutes before nosing, both bottles approximately half full Nose: The nose on the Colkegan is subtle, gentle. There's an earthy, grassy quality to it, with just a wisp of smoke, belying what is underneath, and right at the end is a minty/menthol note. The Del Bac by comparison comes bellowing out of the glass with a meaty, briskety aroma leaving nothing to the imagination as to what you're about to experience. To compare it to a peated single malt, the Colkegan is reminiscent of Caol Ila, and the Del Bac is Lagavulin. Palate: Colkegan arrives gently, with a creamy mouthfeel. There's a lower percentage of smoked malt in this one, and it's aged at a higher altitude than Del Bac (Santa Fe vs. Tucson). The smoke shows up on the mid-palate on the Colkegan, but it doesn't overwhelm the malt, but rather is integrated, again, like Caol Ila. When the Del Bac hits your tongue, you get a big blast of that mesquite smoke. It's like walking into a smoky Texas BBQ pit where they've been smoking meat non-stop since the 19th century. It coats your mouth, and while you can taste the malt in this one too, the smoke is much more prevalent without being drying. Finish: The Del Bac lingers on your palate for a while, which is curious since Colkegan has a slightly higher ABV (45% vs. 46% respectfully). The smoke from Del Bac isn't drying, but it has a slightly numbing effect as it sits in your throat, which keeps the smoke on your palate longer. The Colkegan doesn't linger quite as long, and the smoke dissipates before the finish. What you're left with is a lovely, malty aftertaste similar to and Irish single malt or Lowland Scotch. Final Thoughts: Two excellent malts! You can't go wrong with either, but it's unwise to think these two are the same, no more than two malts from Islay are. The Del Bac is for those of you who love big, bold, smoky malts like Lagavulin, Ardbeg, or Laphroaig. The Colkegan is more the speed of Caol Ila, Highland Park, or BenRiach, where the smoke is more equally integrated throughout the dram. These two are often held up as the standard bearers of Mesquite Smoked American Single Malt, though there are other up and comers, such as Andalusia Stryker and Ranger Creek Rimfire. In terms of availability, I don't believe either one currently (as of January 2020) has national, much less international distribution. I bought the Colkegan while on a business trip in Albuquerque, and I had my local whisky shop special order the Del Bac for me (which is a luxury I'm afforded by living in whisky-crazy Austin, TX). There's a lot of competition for your whisky dollar, especially from the craft corner, and I feel like a lot of them aren't good VFM. These two are. When the craft distilling bubble inevitably bursts sometime this decade, I see these two surviving. They're among the best of the American Single Malts, and I predict that the southwest will be to American Single Malt one day what Islay and the Islands are to Scotch. Good hunting, and enjoy the journey!