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Whiskey Review: Bird Creek Small Batch American Single Malt

We review Bird Creek Small Batch American Single Malt, produced by an Oregon distillery that seeks to highlight more obscure forms of barley in its whiskeys.

OVERALL RATING

7
$96.00
  • Scott Bernard Nelson is a writer, actor, and whiskey reviewer.
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Bird Creek Small Batch review

Tasting Notes

About:

Mash bill of 100% malted barley; aged over 4 years in new oak; 90 proof/45% alcohol by volume; available in Oregon only; MSRP of $96 for a 750 ml bottle.
Appearance:
Burnt orange, with watery legs on the side of the glass.
Nose:
Sweetness hits you right away, more reminiscent of a bourbon than a barley-based whiskey like Scotch or Irish. Molasses, Fig Newtons, and buttery Chardonnay.
Palate:
Oak flavors are also readily evident in the mouth, led by vanilla and caramelized sugar. I taste leather, which is somewhat surprising in a young single malt. Also shortbread cookies, French toast, and dates. The finish is long and honeyed.
Finish:
Comments:
The whiskey itself is surprisingly good for a first release from an aspiring label. Mark Stell is clearly aiming at a niche market, at least initially, with high-quality, somewhat-expensive American single malt built on distinctive Pacific Northwest barley flavors. The bottles, the barrels, and the barleys all suggest a brand that is striving for distinctiveness and quality rather than mass distribution. In the rapidly expanding market for American whiskies, there is plenty of room for that.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Scott Bernard Nelson

Scott Bernard Nelson is a writer, actor, and whiskey reviewer based in Portland, Oregon. While currently working in higher education, he previously dedicated 22 years to journalism, covering impactful events such as 9/11 in Manhattan, crossing into Iraq with U.S. Marines, and contributing to The Boston Globe's Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of abuse in the Catholic Church, which inspired the film "Spotlight." Since 2019, Scott has shared his insights as a whiskey reviewer for The Whiskey Wash.  

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