A new feature documentary, West of Tradition, chronicling the emergence of American single malt whiskey, has launched on Prime Video. The film uses Seattle’s Westland Distillery as its narrative spine while following distillers, farmers and whiskey makers across the United States.
The documentary was produced by the team behind the PBS films The Water of Life – A Whisky Film and Independent Spirits.
The documentary follows a landmark ruling in which American single malt whiskey received formal federal recognition from the US Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau in December 2024. The category rules require the spirit to be made from 100% malted barley and distilled at a single US distillery.
Quick whisky question
Single malt is everywhere, but what does it mean? We want to know what the word “single” means to you. Three quick questions, under a minute.
The film was directed by Greg Swartz and produced by Trevor Jones, Nate Barlow and Joe Vulopas.
“Whisky has always been a story of place,” said Swartz. “What interested me was what happens when you take an old idea like single malt and put it in completely different hands and completely different places.”
He added: “American distillers weren’t handed hundreds of years of tradition telling them exactly how this had to be done. They had to figure it out for themselves — and that uncertainty, ambition and creativity is where the story of this film really lives.”
What Will Whisky Look Like in 2027? Voices from Whisky Live Paris
READ THE STORYWhile Westland provides the central narrative, the film travels across the American single malt landscape. It features Whiskey Del Bac in Arizona, McCarthy’s in Oregon, Stranahan’s in Colorado, St. George Spirits in California, Cedar Ridge in Iowa and Virginia Distilling Company in Virginia.
“American single malt isn’t really one story,” said producer Trevor Jones. “It’s a collection of people in very different parts of the country who arrived at a similar idea, then took it in completely different directions.”
Jones continued: “That diversity is what makes this feel like the beginning of a genuinely American tradition rather than an imitation of somebody else’s.”
The film showcases distillery floors, barley fields, forests, breweries, wineries and rack houses. It explores how agriculture, climate, local ingredients and creativity influence the final whiskey.
“We started with whiskey, but the deeper we went, the more this became a film about people building something without knowing exactly where it would lead,” said producer Nate Barlow.
He added: “These distillers weren’t just making drinks. Whether they realized it at the time or not, they were helping build a category.”
West of Tradition is now live on Prime Video, with more platforms to follow.
Latest On The Whiskey Wash
