Westland Cold Foot
Whisky: Westland Cold Foot 5 Year
Country/Region: United States/Washington
ABV: 50%
Cask: American Oak, Bourbon, Oloroso Sherry
Age: 5 Years (Bottled 2020)
Nose: Herbal and sweet with wispy smoke in the background; spruce tip tea, pine cones, tangerines, and honey combined with earthy oak moss and hints of menthol; wispy smoke and charred wood lingered in the background.
Palate: Medium-bodied, wood smoke arrived with an herbal spice, honeycomb, and mellow earthiness; misty horizons of pine and spruce played out with moss-studded stone paths and hints of earthy decay and mushroom; honey and slightly tart fruits arrived with time to rest as tangerine and persimmon popped in to say hello.
Finish: Medium-length with citrus, herbs, and a kiss of smoke.
Score: 6 (78)
Mental Image: Pacific Northwest Hiking Trip
Narrative & Notes: A dram with a sense of place— I love it when a whisky feels infused with a sense of place, be it smells, tastes, or just vibes. I do not get that a lot with Scotch— likely because I have yet actually to make it to Scotland; thanks, Covid! Hopefully, I can remedy that this year. But as I have never been, I lack any sense of innate feeling to know when the whisky feels infused with place. I have gotten that on Amrut and a few other American Single Malts before, and it's always a peculiar sensation. I doubt I would pick it up if I were tasting the whisky blindly, as I imagine it arises from memories of that place already sitting in the fore of my mind as I subconsciously recall being in the place.
Overall, I enjoyed this product— it was well put together and balanced with a generally harmonious and savory set of flavors. Everything became a bit fruitier with time to rest or a few drops of water, though it was fine to sip on at bottling strength.
Image Credit: Westland
