Whisky : Westland Cask #2479 K&L Wine Merchant Cask Selection

Country/Region : United States/Washington

ABV : 59%

Cask : Pedro Ximénez Hogshead

Age : 3 Years

Tasting : Neat in a Glencairn @ Home

Nose : Oatmeal cookie batter; browned butter, brown sugar, a hint of cinnamon, a dash of cloves.  There is a bit of musty leather and empty cardboard shoe box.  Pickled plums and wine poached stone fruits give it a fruity, boozy, sweetness.

Palate : Strawberry shortcake with fresh whipped cream.  The dram has a lovely fruity spice that really reminds me of a sarsaparilla flavored cola— Mr. Pibb if I had to pick one (not as much bite as Dr. Pepper).  Crystalized ginger, lavender soap, and sandalwood give sweet and floral spices on the back end.

Finish : Long, lingering sweet cola and honey butter along with a bit of sour fermenting yeast or freshly risen dough.

Score : 5

Mental Image : Steaming bowl of sweet and sour egg drop soup.

Something Better : Westland Garryana 3:1 (deeper more complex flavors, full bodied)

Something Similar : Balcones Brujería (similar sherry spices & sour note, more vanilla)

Notes : A bottle for those who can afford to be patient and enjoy the eccentricities of single cask bottles.

Distilled entirely from Washington Select Pale Barley, barley malted by Westland over low heat, this spirit was fermented with Belgian Saison Brewer’s Yeast before finding its way into a PX Hogshead.  When I first opened the bottle there was a noticeable hint of sour yeasty ale on the nose and on the finish.  While finish was long, it was dominated by the aftertaste of a light beer or a sour fruity saison.  The transition from spice and fruit to Heineken was disorienting and while it was not entirely unpleasant, it was unexpected.  An odd finish for which one really needs to be in the mood— or perhaps it just needed something to balance against such as a food pairing. 

That ale note, so strong in the beginning, has since faded markedly as the bottle has oxidized and been allowed to rest.  Its strong spice, pine, and ginger have given way to more nuanced cola, fruit, and florals.  Time has been kind to this bottle and my opinion of it.  It has become mellower, deeper, and much smoother— drinking incredibly easy for being a sherry matured cask strength dram.

As with most Westland releases the age of the liquid in the bottle is comparatively young.  A Scotch at three years is likely just beginning its journey; though by three years most Indian or Taiwanese whiskies are likely to be bottled.  I am not sure the climate of Washington really compares to the tropical heat of Goa or Taiwan— but it is certainly a fair bit warmer than Scotland.

This liquid is well developed for only three years of age and I can see why K&L wanted a sherry matured single cask to show off what Westland can make.  It demonstrates the depth and assertiveness of the Pale Malt and the influence of the Saison Yeast— both stand out well despite the sherry influence.  I cannot help but wonder what this dram would have been like a few more years in the cask.  Would the sherry have overpowered the malt and yeast?  Would the dram have taken on richer fruitier flavors?  Would it have become overly astringent from the wood and wine?  Could it have benefited from additional finishing in an ex-bourbon or refill Westland Cask?  While I obviously cannot answer those questions, they do leave me excited for future Westland expressions.

The bottle is delicious and thought provoking, a worthy pick up for anyone looking to explore the range of American Single Malts or the influence of barley, yeast, and cask.