American single malt has been around for decades, but it still doesn't have the legal recognition that other American whiskeys like bourbon and rye have. Distillers and whiskey fans thought that was about to change a few years ago when the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB, the federal agency responsible for alcohol) took up the issue.
To date, there is no set guideline yet. The American Single Malt Whiskey Commission (ASMWC) has proposed the following rules, which will likely go into effect when the government finally gets its hands on this issue: American single malt must be made from 100 percent barley mash produced at a distillery in the United States. It is matured in new or used oak barrels, distilled to not exceed 160 proof and bottled to at least 80 proof.
Portland, OR, distillery Westward Whiskey was a founding member of the ASMWC and has been producing single malt that meets all of these qualifications for nearly 20 years. Whiskey is based on three basic principles: brewed like craft beer, distilled like single malt, and aged like bourbon. All of these characteristics can be found in the bean lineup, which begins as ale and is then distilled twice in stills and aged in toasted and charred new American oak barrels.
Of course, just like bourbon, there are variations in this maturation, at least in barrel finish, and different expressions are given a secondary maturation in pinot noir wine barrels, stout barrels, and sherry barrels.
But the latest Westward release is different. Milestone Edition No. 2 – A Discovery of Spice is the second in this series of pricey expressions that aim to encapsulate “…Old World winemaking and distillation techniques through the lens of American whiskey,” according to the brand. And he was successful in this.
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As mentioned before, this is the second Milestone release. And this new edition is drawn from whiskey aged in a 21-barrel solera-style system. This means master blender Miles Munroe replaced the whiskey he removed from the barrels for this release, ensuring there was always a little more vintage in the mix and that each pressing was different from the last. Munroe said he was inspired by his visit to Taiwan, during which he paired street food with each of the key Western expressions.
For this Milestone edition, he tried to capture some spice on the palate by using stout, pinot noir and rum barrel-finished whiskeys in the blend, as well as a small amount of amburana finished whiskey. Fortunately, it doesn't completely overwhelm the palate with cinnamon potpourri notes, as is the case with such Brazilian wood-aged whiskeys. It is correct to call this the Discovery of Spices. On the palate, there are big notes of cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice, as well as flavors such as licorice, chocolate, toasted hazelnuts, raisins and dates.
Unlike single malt Scotch, there is no truly ultra-aged, high-end space in the American single malt category yet. A release like Milestone, at $250 per bottle, is certainly a step in that direction, but clearly the focus is on quality, not luxury for luxury's sake.
Milestone No. 2 is sold out on the Westward website, but you can now find it in limited quantities in whiskey shops nationwide.
Related: I've Tasted Hundreds of Scotch Whiskeys. This Affordable Classic is Perfect for Summer Drinking
