House Spirits Westward Single Malt Comes Of Age

Oregon-based House Spirits has long been a big player in that state’s distilling scene, being open for more than a decade. During this time it has slowly been developing a whiskey program like so many other distilleries, which up until recently focused more upon a so-called Oregon single malt we reviewed last year. They now have go national, in a matter of speaking, by unveiling Westward American Single Malt Whiskey.

Westward American Single Malt Whiskey, according to those behind it, is made from a wash of 100% Northwest two-row pale malted barley that these days is brewed directly on site before the usual distillation (before their 2015 expansion the brewing was typically done in collaboration with select Portland breweries). Distillation occurs on a 3,000 gallon pot still that is said to be one of the largest in the country and that was handcrafted by Vendome, before being finished in a 700 gallon custom pot still designed by House Spirits and built locally.

Aging for this American single malt whiskey goes on in full-size, new charred American oak barrels for an undisclosed amount of time – all that is known is that it is done “to taste.” It is then bottled at 90 proof and put to market for between $80 and $90 for a 750 ml bottle (the older Oregon variant came in a 375 ml bottle).

“As a longtime brewer who later fell in love with distilling,” said House Spirits founder Christian Krogstad in a prepared statement, “creating a single malt whiskey that embodies the spirit of the Pacific Northwest’s brewing tradition has been a lifelong pursuit, one that motivated me to create House Spirits Distillery in 2004. It is decades in the making, and my vision has finally come to fruition.”

You’ll find official tasting notes for Westward at the end of this article. It should be noted the distillery building House Spirits resides in now is said to make it the largest distilling operation in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. On a typical day they have capacity to brew 3,000 gallons of wash, and distill 3,000 gallons of beer and 600 gallons of low wines to produce 5-6 barrels of Westward American Single Malt whiskey (more than 1,500 750 mL bottles).

Westward American Single Malt whiskey awards a robust and fruity aroma, with creamy vanilla and brown sugar notes. Entry to the palate shows baking spice, lush fruit, and sweet malt. The finish begins with tobacco, dark chocolate, and leather with a lingering oak sweetness that gives way to stone fruit.