Whisky : Westward Cask Strength

Country/Region : United States/Oregon

ABV : 62.4%

Cask : New American Oak

Nose :  Fragrant brown sugar, pie crust, and wood.  Cords of fresh cut firewood, reclaimed lumber yard, and fine sandalwood chests.  Loads of sweet dark brown sugar and molasses.  Berries slowly emerged behind woody tannins.

Palate : Medium bodied with a thick tannic structure and notes of tobacco, tart fruit, and cured pine wood.  Brimming with herbaceous tobacco, cigar box, and seasoned wood.  Fruity notes slipped in with tart lingonberries and blackberries.  At the back end were notes of semi-sweet baking chocolate and leather.

Finish :  Lingering herbaceous tobacco and woody tannins.

Score : 5

Mental Image : Log Cabin Humidor

Notes :  This shared a lot in common with the single cask for K&L bottled a couple years back.  The K&L selection had a hair more spice to it and an almost coffee richness among some of the earthy notes that came through.  Otherwise, they were both loaded with heady wood notes and loads of herbaceous tobacco.  Water was a welcome addition to both and a few drops toned down some of the spirit and the woody tannins so that sweeter roasty notes began to emerge.  

This was a bit too woody for me.  I really wonder how this delicious malt would do in a refill Westward barrel or even an ex-bourbon barrel.  The wood influence came through so strongly, I really want to see what happens when that is turned down a few notches.  While the bourbon world revolves around new oak, that need not be the only, or even the main, path forward when it comes to American Single Malt.  Already distilleries such as Westland have made good use of refill barrels in the recent past and I would love to see that become more common.

Overall, this was an intense blast of all the notes that I have come to love from Westward.  This stands up well within their broader lineup, and though I might rank the K&L selection ahead of this, I scored them both the same.

Image Credit : Westwardwhiskey.com