Clear Creek has been producing single malt whiskies in the United States longer than any of the other current players— their history stretches back nearly four decades, though the distillery changed hands a few times in the 2000s. McCarthy’s is a peated single malt, the malt coming from Port Ellen maltings on Islay, and matured exclusively in Oregon Oak (though like with any good rule, there have been a few exceptions). The whisky reviewed here is an older batch from their core line up.

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Whisky: McCarthy’s 3 Year Batch W18-01

Country/Region: United States/Oregon

ABV: 42.5%

Cask: Oregon Oak

Age: 3 Years (Bottled 30 Jan. 2018)

Notes: Wispy old cigarette smoke brushed up against mothballs, muscle rubs, old newspapers, and beef tallow caramel candies. A lovely sweet earthiness lingered in the background. These McCarthy’s always remind me sandstone and lake water— dried grass, mesquite wood, and motor fumes somewhere in the vapors. Medium-bodied the flavor profile offered a gentle peppery bite with plenty of dissolved minerals and earthy lake water. Wispy smoke and mothballs reprised familiar themes with mesquite wood and dried grass in the background. Caramel candies and maple scones appeared with sweet malty notes and digestif biscuits. The finish was medium-length with caramel candies, wispy smoke, and mesquite wood.

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Score: 6 (79)

Mental Image: Sunny Days at the Lake

Conclusion: A lovely young whisky, Clear Creek knows their way around a single malt. The influence of the Oregon Oak was fairly restrained on this malt, perhaps refill casks made up a significant component of the vatting. One of the things I love about McCarthy’s is their use of refill casks; they have never, to my knowledge, relied on new oak for all of their flavor. As a result the wonderful peated malt shines through with plenty of earth, tobacco, and smoke. I wish this had a bit more intensity to it, but the whisky was otherwise very quaffable and mild as peat smoke and Oregon oak came together wonderfully.