Whisky: Brickway Chimney Rock Edition Single Malt

Country/Region: United States/Nebraska

ABV: 43%

Cask: New American Oak

Nose: Malty and herbal, baked pretzels, dough, mustard seed, pickling spice, apples, cider, honey.

Palate: Medium-bodied, apple sauce, herbal, tobacco, honey, malty sugars, pretzels, hints of mustard seed and ale, slightly drying on the back.

Finish: Medium-length, drying, pastries, apple, and honey.

Score: 5

Mental Image: Apple Pretzels and Mustard Seed Turnovers

Narrative & Notes: Not unlike my prior Brickway experience, I found the aroma chock full of malty pastries and subtle fruit. Baked pretzels and pizza dough appeared with mustard seed and an assortment of pickling spices with hints of honey. A fruitier side was slow to develop, but apple sauce, cider, and honey emerged as it did. The palate was medium-bodied, with ample fruit and herbal notes from the go. Apple sauce led the way as crushed apples and cider followed, while an herbal edge of tobacco and tarragon provided an intriguing complement. Underneath it all was a malty core that carried through to the finish with malty yeasted dough, pastries, and pretzels with hints of salt, ale, and mustard seed. The finish was medium-length, occasionally bitter and drying with malty pastries, apple, and honey.

Unique— the two Brickway single malts I have tried were both unique (though similar, which might make them not entirely unique?) I was impressed by what is happening in Omaha, especially as Brickway is not the only distillery in town doing single malts. The American Single Malt scene is in the process of exploding as more distilleries begin to release their products and explore what the category might mean. Some play it safe and produce a spirit similar to single malt scotch; others lean on oak to recapture the wood-driven aspects of bourbon, while a third group cuts a path betwixt and between— or do all of this at once.

Overall, though I scored them the same, I would give this a slight edge over the 5-year Brickway I tried previously. I thought this had a bit more complexity to the palate with a better finish. I cannot wait to see what else comes out of the distillery, especially as they play around with different cask types to accentuate the flavor profile of their malt in different ways.

Image Credit: Visit Omaha