My American Single Malt week continues with a stopover at Seattle's Westland Distillery. Westland has been one of the big players in the scene, with their complete dedication and devotion to producing single malts rather than any other spirits or whiskies. Operations at the distillery have changed a bit over the years, from maturation warehouses to personal. It seems likely that even more significant changes will occur now that co-founder and long-time master distiller Matt Hofman has announced his imminent departure. Hopefully, the culture at Westland remains as good as it has been, something I find well-reflected in the people and whisky.

Whisky: Westland 7 Year (2014), Cask 6257 for r/Bourbon

Country/Region: United States/Washington

ABV: 51.4%

Cask: New Oak, Banyul Wine Cask (3Y)

Age: 7 Years (Distilled 18 Aug. 2014, Bottled April 2022)

Nose: Old-fashioned candy store, licorice, horehound, cola, salted plum, sarsaparilla; more leather, lacquered wood, and cinnamon with time.

Palate: Medium-bodied, dried fruits, herbal and earthy with accents of licorice and cinnamon, salted plum, cola, earth, hints of coffee, lacquered wood, subtle smoke.

Finish: Medium to long with roasted barley tea and subtle hints of sarsaparilla and cola.

Score: 6

Mental Image: Time Travelling Candy Shop

Narrative & Notes: An old-fashioned Candy Emporium appeared through the mist loaded with licorice ropes, horehound hard candies, cola and sarsaparilla syrups, cinnamon red hots, salted plums, melted fudge, and more subtle notions of strawberry syrup and pillowy marshmallows atop a sugary concoction. Beyond the sweet-bitter contrast of old-fashioned herbal candies and treats was leather, lacquered wood, and wispy burning oil lamp. Medium-bodied and a touch oily, the flavors were herbal and earthy with accents of sweet cured fruits and spice— the old-fashioned Candy Emporium was open for business. Licorice and cinnamon arrived with salted plums, fig bars, and cola candies. Chocolate and malt danced throughout with roasty hints of cacao nibs and sun-dried coffee beans. Roasted barley and earth lingered at the end with lacquered wood and a hint of burning lamp oil. The finish was medium to long with roasted barley tea and subtle hints of sarsaparilla and cola.

A relatively cask-driven affair, this was not a boring whisky. I suspect one’s enjoyment depends heavily on how much the combination of herbal candies, chocolate, and fruit appeals. Did you like drinking cherry-flavored Tylenol as a child? I did, so it is no wonder I enjoyed the odd combination of flavors that put me in mind of an old-fashioned candy store, one with a soda jerk fountain, but which might strike others as more medicinal, especially when occasional hints of bitter dark chocolate or roasted barley came through. I thought the combination worked well, but I know those flavors have declined in popularity.

I found the whisky a touch hot on the nose, but it cooled nicely with time, and with each revisit, it seemed to open up with more dried fruits or stick date pastries. The palate was well-integrated and needed no water, though a few drops brought out more chocolate. Water tamped down some of the bitter contrast I enjoyed, but I suspect some will find that a virtue.

Overall, an interesting one from Westland! I love that they have expanded their single-cask program in the last few years. However, I wish they still maintained an archive of the casks they have bottled— it seems they quit updating or listing that part of their website during the pandemic. I could still get barley mix, distillation date, and cask information by reaching out. Still, I appreciated when it was posted online and readily accessible.

Image Credit: Rye Am Legend, whose images and reviews can be found at Ryeamlegend.com or, with me, on Maltrunners.com