It’s a big week for single malt lovers of all stripes. Fèis Ìle continues on Islay, complete with a large array of festival-exclusive releases. Here in the States, we’re getting new American single malts from two of the country’s most well-known craft distilleries, as well as single cask offerings from Wemyss Malts.
St. George Baller Single Malt
Style: Single malt
Origin: California
Age: 3 years
Proof: 47% ABV
Price: $65
Release: May 2017
Availability: 3,000 bottles in California only
Need to know:
St. George Spirits’ American take on a Japanese whisky. This is the second release, and like the first is limited only to California. St. George recommends trying the whisky in a highball.
Whisky Advocate says:
While Baller is strictly limited to California, St. George recently added Hawaii and New Jersey to its distribution footprint for its more widely available products.
Westland Garryana 2|1 American Single Malt
Style: Single malt
Origin: Washington
Age: Not stated
Proof: 50% ABV
Price: $125
Release: May 2017
Availability: 2,600 bottles
Need to know:
This is Westland Distillery’s second edition of Garryana and the second release in the Seattle distillery’s Native Oak series. Like its predecessor, a portion of the liquid in the release was aged in oak barrels made from quercus garryana, a species of oak native to the Pacific Northwest. Unlike the first release, this new edition doesn’t include a peated component—Westland says that the oak has natural phenols, and the distillery wanted to explore how that smoke would be reflected in the whiskey. All the whiskey in the blend is at least 38 months old.
Whisky Advocate says:
The first release of Westland Garryana scored an 87 in the Winter 2016 Whisky Advocate Buying Guide. One of the most high-profile producers of American single malt whisky, Westland was acquired by Rémy Cointreau late last year.
Wemyss Malts Italian Bakery Delight
Style: Single malt
Origin: Scotland (Speyside)
Age: 19 years
Proof: 46% ABV
Price: $150
Release: Late summer/early fall 2017
Availability: 347 bottles
Need to know:
This single cask scotch was distilled at Glenrothes in 1997. Natural color, non-chill-filtered.
Whisky Advocate says:
Wemyss Malts is best known for its line of blended malts, but the company got its start with single cask whiskies, some of which make it to the United States.
Wemyss Malts Coastal Orchard
Style: Single malt
Origin: Scotland (Highlands)
Age: 19 years
Proof: 46% ABV
Price: $150
Release: Late summer/early fall 2017
Availability: 269 bottles
Need to know:
This single cask was distilled in 1997 at Clynelish in the northern Highlands. Natural color, non-chill-filtered.
Whisky Advocate says:
While most independent bottlers name their releases based on the distillery or region where the whisky originally came from, Wemyss Malts has taken a different approach: The company gives its single cask releases evocative names inspired by the flavor profile of the whisky.
Wemyss Malts Hike to the Haven
Style: Single malt
Origin: Scotland (Islay)
Age: 25 years
Proof: 46% ABV
Price: $150
Release: Late summer/early fall 2017
Availability: 238 bottles
Need to know:
The oldest in Wemyss Malts’ latest set of single cask releases, this whisky was distilled at Bunnahabhain in 1990. Natural color, non-chill-filtered.
Whisky Advocate says:
The Wemyss family, proprietors of Wemyss Malts, also owns the new Kingsbarns single malt distillery in Fife.
